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Elizaveta Efimova was invited to attend a River North Chicago Dance Company rehearsal on July 13. She has become a big fan of this company, calling the dancers and choreography “extremely athletic, with such a balance of emotion and grace.”

She continues:

Watching the company rehearse was such an honor. I had seen some of the pieces before, and seeing them up close in this intimate setting gave me such a different perspective. It was almost as if I were in the dance myself, hearing their breath and even feeling the heat from their bodies as they moved. One of their new pieces is danced to a Russian song. It was very moving, and will be gorgeous on stage.

It was also – and always is – a pleasure to see Artistic Director Frank Chaves. He is such a warm and genuine person, and his company must love working with him.

Aleksandra at Cinderella

Elizaveta, her daughter Klava and I had a magical evening last week, at the opening night of the Joffrey Ballet’s exquisite Cinderella, a Frederick Ashton revival staged for the Joffrey by Wendy Ellis Somes.

We were enchanted by the scenery and costumes, as well as the brilliant dancing, especially by Victoria Jaiani as Cinderella.

It’s always wonderful to share such an experience with my niece, who adores going to performances and never wants the show to end. (She’d also be happy to join the dancers on stage!)

Elizaveta was especially impressed with the visual art of the production. “It had a gorgeous glittering effect, from the lights to the scenery to the costumes – just beautiful,” she said.

Cinderella runs until Sunday, February 28. Read the Chicago Tribune review here.

Did you ever dream of taking a part of the magic of ballet home with you? As a member of the Joffrey Circle Associates Event Committee, it is my pleasure to invite you to the very first Joffrey Costume Vault sale. From exquisite costumes to sparkling accessories, you will find in each purchase a piece of history, drama, romance of ballet and theater life to add to your arts collection. And with the holidays coming up, perhaps you’ll find the perfect gift for the dancer or dance-lover in your life – it’s guaranteed to be one of a kind!

Costume_Sale_Flyer_Print

Ballet superstar Mikhail Baryshnikov, a longtime photographer, signs copies of his photo collection “Merce My Way”, a tribute to choreographer Merce Cunningham. The book signing was hosted at Museum of Contemporary Art.

Russian Pointe’s Elizaveta Efimova (second from left) attended the graduation ceremony for AileyCamp Chicago in August, after coordinating a substantial pointe-shoe donation to this innovative program for inner-city youth.

Working closely with director Lisa Johnson-Willingham (center), a former dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Russian Pointe donated an array of models, sizes and specifications to fit the dancers at this year’s AileyCamp, as well as additional pairs to accommodate fitting to future students.

Russian Pointe also donated pointe shoes to Washington Ballet, designated for the school’s financial aid students. The donated shoes were hand-selected by fitting expert Stephanie Unger, who conducted trunk show fittings during the summer intensive.

Russian Pointe’s Elizaveta Efimova (second from left) attended the graduation ceremony for AileyCamp Chicago in August, after coordinating a substantial pointe-shoe donation to this innovative program for inner-city youth.

Working closely with director Lisa Johnson-Willingham (center), a former dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Russian Pointe donated an array of models, sizes and specifications to fit the dancers at this year’s AileyCamp, as well as additional pairs to accommodate fitting to future students.

Russian Pointe also donated pointe shoes to Washington Ballet, designated for the school’s financial aid students. The donated shoes were hand-selected by fitting expert Stephanie Unger, who conducted trunk show fittings during the summer intensive.

Read more about AileyCamp   Read more about Washington Ballet