Christine Winkler and John Welker of Explore Dance Theater.By Jan EngorenBallet Florida, a West Palm Beach institution for almost a quarter-century, closed its doors in June 2009, leaving a vacuum that a new not-for-profit professional dance company hopes to help fill.Explore Dance Theater, founded in 2009 by two former principal dancers of Ballet Florida, Tracy … [Read more...]
Dance feature: Ballet Florida standout Opdenaker launches new company tonight
Dancer Jerry Opdenaker.By Sharon McDanielIt was so hard to see him go.Dancer Jerry Opdenaker retired from Ballet Florida in 2006 after 14 years with West Palm Beach’s resident contemporary dance and ballet company. He showed so much personality, imagination, even mischief in his dancing -- especially, he confided, when he was unrecognizable; say, costumed as a Cinderella … [Read more...]
ArtsBuzz: Ballet Florida cancels rest of season
A scene from the Ballet Florida staging of The Nutcracker.WEST PALM BEACH -- Citing the failure of a proposed partnership with the city of West Palm Beach and "unforeseen financial challenges," Ballet Florida this afternoon canceled the remainder of its 2008-09 season.The troupe had been scheduled to present performances at the Broward Center on April 4-5, the Duncan Theater at … [Read more...]
Dance review: Ballet Florida’s engaging ‘Nutcracker’
By Greg StepanichWEST PALM BEACH -- It doesn't take a great ballet company to make a successful Nutcracker. In many cases, all a dance group has to do is go heavy on the cute factor with mouse suits and child dancers, and a holiday-minded audience ready to embrace it eagerly does so.Then again, it does takes a fine company to demonstrate just how much can be made of this … [Read more...]