The Rock School

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Rock School student Derek Dunn is briefly featured in “First Position,” a ballet documentary about Youth America Grand Prix that began filming in 2010.

Since then, Derek has continued training with The Rock School. Enjoy this video of Dunn performing at The Rock School in 2012.

Choreography by Ashley Canterna.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The Rock School enjoyed having Gennadi Saveliev as a guest instructor last week. Mr. Saveliev taught a combined level master class, a men’s class, and coached our male students competing in this year’s YAGP finals coming up next week.

Born in Moscow, Russia, Gennadi Saveliev began his ballet studies at the Bolshoi Ballet School at the age of nine. At 18 he joined the Bolshoi Ballet Grigorovich Company where his repertoire included the Chinese Doll inThe Nutcracker, one of the four cavaliers in Raymonda and the pas de trios in Swan Lake. Saveliev has also danced with the Nevada Dance Theatre, Tulsa Ballet, Los Angeles Classical Ballet and the New Jersey Ballet. Saveliev won the Silver Medal at the 1996 New York International Ballet Competition and was a finalist at the Nagoya Ballet Competition in 1999.

Saveliev joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in January 1996. His repertoire with the Company includes the Bronze Idol, the Head Fakir and the Rajah in La Bayadère, Accordionist in The Bright Stream. the first movement in Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, the Lead Mazurka/Czardas Dancer inCoppélia, Conrad, Ali, the slave and Lankendem in Le Corsaire, the pas de deux Diana and Acteon, a leading role in Diversion of Angels, Espada in Don Quixote, Demetrius in The Dream, Henry in Christopher Wheeldon’s VIII, the Pastor in Fall River Legend, the pas de deux Flames of Paris, Albrecht, Hilarion and the peasant pas de deux in Giselle, Gaston in Lady of the Camellias, Lescaut in Manon, Camille in The Merry Widow, the Nutcracker-Prince and the Cavalier in Kevin McKenzie’s The Nutcracker, the Painter in Offenbach in the Underworld, Prince Gremin in Onegin, Sergei in On the Dnieper, a Friend of the Family in Pillar of Fire, the Warrior Chieftain in Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, Beranger and the Lead Hungarian Dancer inRaymonda, Paris and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (Romeo’s Farewell to Juliet), Prince Désiré and the Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried, Benno, von Rothbart (Act III) and the Lead Czardas Dancer in Swan Lake, Orion in Sylvia, Lucentio in The Taming of the Shrew, leading roles inBallet Imperial, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, In the Upper Room, The Leaves Are Fading, Les Sylphides, Symphonie Concertante, Theme and Variations and Without Words, as well as roles in Black Tuesday, Clear, The Garden of Villandry, HereAfter, Jabula, Overgrown Path, Petite Mort and Symphony in C. He created leading roles in Rabbit and Rogue and Seven Sonatas.

Saveliev is a member of Angel Corella and Friends and Stiefel and Stars touring companies and is also the founder and artistic director of Youth America Grand Prix, America’s first student ballet scholarship competition.

Saveliev was promoted to Soloist in August 2002.

Mr. Savaliev’s performances at American Ballet Theatre are sponsored by Brian and Darlene Heidtke.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Upcoming Events to Look Forward to at The Rock School!

With Springtime already here and Summer quickly approaching, The Rock School is preparing for so many exciting events. Here’s a look at some of the performances, and competitions happening in the upcoming months.

Youth America Grand Prix NYC Finals are just around the corner. YAGP in-studio previews are being held here at The Rock School!

Wednesday, April 18th, 6:00pm
Saturday, April 21st, 12:30-1:30pm
Studio A (5th Floor)

The previews are open to the public, so come show your support before our dancers compete in the YAGP Finals April 22nd- 26th!

On Saturday, April 21st, The Rock School Students will be performing at the 4life International Convention at the Philadelphia Convention Center. More information can be found on their website. http://freedom12.4life.com/

The Rock School’s 21st Annual Scholarship Benefit, ROCK IT TO THE MOON! is set for Friday May 4th and is being held at The Independence Seaport Museum at 6pm. The benefit performance will feature a unique collaboration between The Rock School and The Curtis Institute, now in its 4th year. A world-premiere ballet choreographed by Justin Allen, a Rock School faculty member and alumni, featuring Rock School students and set to an original score composed by The Curtis Institute’s Milton L. Rock Fellow, Katerina Kramarchuk and performed by Curtis Institute students. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at http://therockschool.org/benefit_gala

On May 11th, The Rock School dancers will perform selected pieces from the hit Broadway play, Westside Story at The Mann Center for Performing Arts. All performances will be accompanied by The Curtis Symphony Orchestra. The Gateway to Europe concert is FREE, but does require reservations to be made in advance. Reservations can be made online at http://www.curtis.edu/performances/curtis-symphony-orchestra/

The Rock School dancers will return to The Mann Center May 19th to perform in this year’s Philadelphia on Parade. The performance highlights the diversity of world music with a line-up that includes classical, gospel, spoken word, jazz, rhythm & blues, funk, and rock, global dance ensembles, dance workshops, and a crafts marketplace. Admission is FREE with reservations made online at http://philadelphiaonparade2012.eventbrite.com/

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

__________________________________________________________________
Congratulations to all of our dancers who competed in this past weeks
YAGP regionals in Torrington, CT!
__________________________________________________________________
CLASSICAL DANCE- WOMEN’S SENIOR AGE DIVISION
1ST PLACE- Regina Montgomery

SENIOR AGE DIVISION CLASSICAL TOP 12
Regina Montgomery
Oriana Plaza

CONTEMPORARY DANCE- WOMEN’S SENIOR AGE DIVISION
3RD PLACE (TIE)- Regina Montgomery

SENIOR AGE DIVISION CONTEMPORARY TOP 12
Regina Montgomery
Shi Hang Huang

JUNIOR AGE DIVISION CLASSICAL TOP 12
Jillian Price

CONTEMPORARY DANCE- MEN’S & WOMEN’S JUNIOR AGE DIVISION
3RD PLACE (TIE)- Jillian Price

JUNIOR AGE DIVISION CONTEMPORARY TOP 12
Jillian Price

ENSEMBLES
1ST PLACE (TIE)- Derek Dunn/ Regina Montgomery- Pas De Deux from Diana & Acteon

____CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR TALENTED DANCERS! ____

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Friday, April 1, 2011

In the News: Lauren Carfolite named YAGP 2011 Grishko Model Search Winner!

Congratulations to Rock School dancer Lauren Carfolite! Lauren not only made it to the final round during YAGP NYC Finals, she was also just named the YAGP 2011 Grishko Model Search Winner!

Below are some photos that Grishko has posted to their twitter feed:

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

The Rock School and Haverford School Exchange

The Rock School and the Haverford School hold an exchange of students and academic ideals twice every year. During the first leg of the bi-annual exchange, Rock School academic students (RAPA) in addition to numerous other Rock dancers visit the Haverford School and perform on stage for the entire school. The performance ranges from classical ballet to contemporary dance with original choreography by Rock School artistic faculty.

After the performance, Rock Academic Program Alliance (RAPA) students are paired up with student volunteers from the Haverford School for the day. The first half of the bi-annual exchange gives our academic students the opportunity to experience a typical day for a Haverford School student. It gives both parties perspective on the differences and surprising similarities between a ballet conservatory school and an all boys preparatory school.

Stay tuned for when the Haverford boys will be meeting our students again when they come to visit The Rock School and our dancers get to share their typical day of school and dance.

Here are some photos of our RAPA students being paired up with Haverford School students:

Our Rock Academic Program Alliance (RAPA) students performed their own original ensemble choreographed by Rock alumnus Justin Allen.

A photo of two of our dancers performing the classical Pas de Deux from Harlequinade. Our dancers Yukihiro and Samantha won 1st place at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition, at the Philadelphia regionals for Pas de Deux. They’ll be moving to the finals in NYC. :

Photos of Rock dancers Alexandra and Andrew performing their contemporary pas de deux entitled, “Intenso”. These two will also be competing in the NYC Finals for YAGP.

Many of our soloists are moving onto finals for YAGP in NYC:

Here are photos of an original ensemble, again choreographed by Rock alumnus Justin Allen, entitled, “Inertia”. Our students will be competing with this ensemble piece at the NYC Finals for YAGP. The Haverford School students and faculty were the first to see our exciting new piece!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

In the News: Derek Dunn invited to perform in YAGP workshop at the Guggenheim

Rock Dancer Derek Dunn was invited to perform during YAGP’s first ever workshop entitled, “How Judges Judge” that was held at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The workshop was recorded and is available to watch online here.

Derek performed choreography by YAGP’s very first Grand Prix winner in 2000, Ashley Canterna.

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

2011 YAGP PA Semi-Finals: Award Ceremony

Thank you to Valerie Lines for the wonderful photos!

The Rock School directors, Bo and Stephanie Spassoff, accepting the “Outstanding School Award” for the 6th unprecedented year in a row at Youth America Grand Prix.

(from left to right) Takashi Abe, Andrew Czerkawski and Yukihiro Tamura accepting their awards for Men’s Classical, which The Rock School swept with 3rd, 2nd and 1st place winners.

Hannah Sterling getting kissed by one of the judges as she receives her 1st place for Women’s Classical. Sterling also placed as one of the top 12 women for classical and contemporary.

Cato Berry, one of The Rock School’s junior division top 12 men & women for classical.

Alston MacGill, the junior division Grand Prix Winner and also one of the top 12 men & women for both the classical and contemporary in the junior division.

Pas de Deux partners Andrew Czerkawski and Alexandra Hartnett wait anxiously for their 2nd place ensemble award for their pas entitled, “Intenso”.

Jillian Price is awarded 1st place in the classical pre-competitive category and also placed in the top 12 men & women in the pre-competitive classical division.

Samantha Bristow takes home 2nd place for Women’s Contemporary and places in the top 12 for both women’s classical and contemporary!

Alexandra Hartnett awarded 3rd place for Women’s Classical and top 12 for both women’s classical and contemporary!

In the background, Takashi Abe receives his award for 3rd place in Men’s Classical.

Regina Montgomery hugs one of the judges as she receives her 2nd place award for Women’s Classical. Montgomery also placed in the top 12 for both the classical and contemporary divisions.

Yukihiro Tamura, awarded 2nd place for his contemporary, stands with his pas de deux partner Samantha Bristow as they receive their 1st place award for their “Pas de Deux from Harliquenade”.