Miami City Ballet brings ‘Swan Lake' to Segerstrom
The origins of 'Swan Lake' are difficult to trace, though most audiences accept the story has roots in Russian and German folktales and most ballet companies base their productions on the 1895 revival of it. From June 20 to 22, Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa presents a particularly captivating version of it performed by Miami City Ballet.
The ballet is choreographed by renowned dancemaker Alexei Ratmansky. He reconstructed this version of 'Swan Lake' using historical notations and archival material that dates back to that 1895 revival performed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov at Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, creating an 'historically informed' presentation of the iconic ballet.
Miami City Ballet premiered this staging of 'Swan Lake' in 2022 under longtime artistic director Lourdes Lopez.
'Every major ballet company performs a version of 'Swan Lake' as it is truly considered the epitome of classical ballet,' Lopez said in a statement about the original run. 'Add Ratmansky's genius and being witness to the genuine love and dedication he put into restoring the ballet's original intent, we are simply honored and extremely excited for our audiences to experience the greatest of all classical ballets.'
Ratmansky specializes in revising 19th- and early 20th-century ballet repertoire and Segerstrom Center has presented his versions of 'The Sleeping Beauty,' 'Whipped Cream' and 'Giselle' on its stage.
'Swan Lake' depicts themes of love, romance and betrayal while following the doomed love of Prince Siegfried and Princess Odette, as they thwart the evil Baron Von Rothbart, who has placed a curse on young women, making them swans by day and human by night. Ratmansky's version with the the Miami City Ballet premiered to much acclaim and executive director Juan José Escalante expressed his excitement about bringing the production to Costa Mesa in a statement.
'Miami City Ballet is honored to share Alexei Ratmansky's magnificent 'Swan Lake' with audiences beyond Florida for the first time since its creation in 2022,' said Escalante. 'This production has been a labor of love and performing it at the Segerstrom Center is a thrilling milestone for the company.'
Founded in 1985 by Miami philanthropist Toby Lerner Ansin and headquartered in Miami Beach, Miami City Ballet is one of the country's most renowned dance companies, recognized for its artists' athleticism and vibrancy. The five performances this weekend will also feature support from Orange County's own Pacific Symphony, performing the music of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Lopez, who established herself as a cultural figure at the New York City Ballet, ends her 13-year tenure at Miami City Ballet at the end of the current season, making this limited performance even more essential.
'Over the past 13 seasons with the company, I have watched our dancers grow artistically and technically and it is a thrill to see them take on this challenging ballet,' said Lopez.
Miami City Ballet's 'Swan Lake' runs at Segerstrom Center for the Arts at 600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa June 20 to June 22. Tickets, which start at $55.37, are available at scfta.org.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Miami City Ballet brings ‘Swan Lake' to Segerstrom
The origins of 'Swan Lake' are difficult to trace, though most audiences accept the story has roots in Russian and German folktales and most ballet companies base their productions on the 1895 revival of it. From June 20 to 22, Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa presents a particularly captivating version of it performed by Miami City Ballet. The ballet is choreographed by renowned dancemaker Alexei Ratmansky. He reconstructed this version of 'Swan Lake' using historical notations and archival material that dates back to that 1895 revival performed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov at Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, creating an 'historically informed' presentation of the iconic ballet. Miami City Ballet premiered this staging of 'Swan Lake' in 2022 under longtime artistic director Lourdes Lopez. 'Every major ballet company performs a version of 'Swan Lake' as it is truly considered the epitome of classical ballet,' Lopez said in a statement about the original run. 'Add Ratmansky's genius and being witness to the genuine love and dedication he put into restoring the ballet's original intent, we are simply honored and extremely excited for our audiences to experience the greatest of all classical ballets.' Ratmansky specializes in revising 19th- and early 20th-century ballet repertoire and Segerstrom Center has presented his versions of 'The Sleeping Beauty,' 'Whipped Cream' and 'Giselle' on its stage. 'Swan Lake' depicts themes of love, romance and betrayal while following the doomed love of Prince Siegfried and Princess Odette, as they thwart the evil Baron Von Rothbart, who has placed a curse on young women, making them swans by day and human by night. Ratmansky's version with the the Miami City Ballet premiered to much acclaim and executive director Juan José Escalante expressed his excitement about bringing the production to Costa Mesa in a statement. 'Miami City Ballet is honored to share Alexei Ratmansky's magnificent 'Swan Lake' with audiences beyond Florida for the first time since its creation in 2022,' said Escalante. 'This production has been a labor of love and performing it at the Segerstrom Center is a thrilling milestone for the company.' Founded in 1985 by Miami philanthropist Toby Lerner Ansin and headquartered in Miami Beach, Miami City Ballet is one of the country's most renowned dance companies, recognized for its artists' athleticism and vibrancy. The five performances this weekend will also feature support from Orange County's own Pacific Symphony, performing the music of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Lopez, who established herself as a cultural figure at the New York City Ballet, ends her 13-year tenure at Miami City Ballet at the end of the current season, making this limited performance even more essential. 'Over the past 13 seasons with the company, I have watched our dancers grow artistically and technically and it is a thrill to see them take on this challenging ballet,' said Lopez. Miami City Ballet's 'Swan Lake' runs at Segerstrom Center for the Arts at 600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa June 20 to June 22. Tickets, which start at $55.37, are available at
Newsweek
15 hours ago
- Newsweek
Mom and Daughter Play With Balloon—Then Their 82lb Doberman Gets Involved
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A lively Doberman pinscher named Diesel has won hearts across Instagram after a video of him interrupting a mother-daughter balloon game in a hilarious way went viral on the platform. In the clip, shared on Tuesday under the username @diesel_dobie, the poster, Hanny Thomas, and her daughter, from Palm Springs, California, can be seen playing back and forth with a balloon when Diesel decides it's time to get involved. The enthusiastic pup charges at the balloon with the strength of his 82lb body, fatally pawing the balloon, which he eventually ends up popping. "This is the fun you get when you live with an 82 lbs kid," reads layover text in the clip. The poster adds in the caption: "Balloons don't stand a chance around here. Wasabi in the background just taking all in what is going on here." Screenshots of the viral clip show Diesel and his owner, Hanny, playing with a balloon in their living room. Screenshots of the viral clip show Diesel and his owner, Hanny, playing with a balloon in their living room. @diesel_dobie Thomas told Newsweek that Diesel loves a balloon play session with them, and he always gets excited to get involved but also to pop the balloon. "His energy and happiness bring so much joy to our lives. I just want to encourage fellow pet owners to get their dog involved in fun activities as much as possible. They truly love being included—it means the world to them," she said. Doberman pinschers are strong, agile dogs, known for their intelligence and loyalty. But did you know that they were bred on purpose, as safety dogs? In the late19th-century, German entrepreneur and tax collector Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann decided to breed the perfect dog to keep him safe while doing his job, which at the time came with some risks. While it is not certain what breeds were used to achieve this extraordinary canine, the American Kennel Club suggests that they may have used the intelligence, biddability, and stamina of a German shepherd; the strength of the Rottweiler; the pluck and speed of the German pinscher; and the scent ability of the Weimaraner. The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 57,600 views and 3,264 likes. One user, Dragonfire4evr, commented: "He's having so much fun!" said: "We love playing this game, gets intense." Filiuk.l added: "His fur is so shiny i feel like i need this hair care." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
Pamela Reif calls this her 'pretty abs and arms' workout — my muscles would like a word
Back during the time of Covid lockdown, when kitchens doubled as gyms and 'snatched waists' were the internet's fitness obsession, workout videos promising washboard abs and toned arms were everywhere. Fitness influencers like Pamela Reif and Chloe Ting went viral with quick, equipment-free routines that racked up millions of views. At Tom's Guide, we've tested plenty of them (more on that below), so when I spotted Reif's recent 'pretty abs and arms' workout doing the rounds, I was curious. These days, I tend to stick to workouts from certified trainers over fitness influencers. I care far less about what a routine claims it will make me look like and more about how it supports my strength, mobility and energy in daily life. But maybe it was nostalgia, or the intrigue of a workout with a title bold enough to promise 'pretty' abs and arms. Either way, I wanted to know more. So I pulled on my best gym leggings and gave it a go. I usually prefer not to know the workout structure beforehand because if I do, I tend to talk myself out of it. So I dove into Reif's "pretty arms and abs" routine blind, only knowing it was just 12 minutes long. The little time commitment required from this workout was one of the factors that drew me in. Each exercise lasts 30 seconds, with repeats only when switching sides. Personally, I find workouts with no repeats, especially for abs, feel quicker. But the lack of breaks between moves made this one feel intense, especially during the two extra 30-second pulsing sections she added early in the workout. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. That said, pausing during a core workout can sometimes make it feel harder to restart, so I can't blame Reif for the relentless no-rest structure. I made it to the end with my core still intact, though feeling the burn. Lululemon Align leggings are perfect for workouts like this Pilates-inspired routine, thanks to their stretchy, lightweight fabric that moves with you without restricting any of the slow, controlled movements. Plus, you can save $29! If you're not into traditional ab workouts packed with sit-ups, Russian twists and planks, you'll probably enjoy this core routine from Reif. It leans on Pilates-inspired moves for a slower, more controlled challenge. Pilates keeps your core working the whole time, helping to build strength, improve posture and boost stability. I also think that's why Reif calls this her 'pretty arms and abs' workout. It's a very elegant sequence. Or at least, it looks that way when she does it. I'm not sure my cross-legged pike plank into cobra looked quite as smooth, but I enjoyed getting into the flow. It felt much gentler than a crunch-heavy core session and easier to stay consistent with, thanks to the slow and controlled movement. Have you ever heard of an "elegant push-up"? I hadn't either until five minutes into the routine, when Reif demonstrated one. She started in a kneeling push-up position, lifted one leg behind her, kept the other bent with the foot pointing upward, then performed 30 seconds of push-ups in that pose. Elegant might be the word for it, but only if you stay completely focused. A quick glance in the mirror reminded me that this move only looks graceful if your core is switched on and your legs stay steady in the correct position. Later in the workout, she added "lizard push-ups". I knew the stretch version of this move from a challenge my colleague Sam did, where she held the lizard pose every day for a week. It's a brilliant hip opener, but adding a push-up takes it to another level. This version challenged my mobility, core strength and upper body all at once. It was tricky to nail these moves in 30 seconds, but I really enjoyed learning new moves that I could use to switch up my core workouts. I'll admit I was a little sceptical going in. I don't usually trust workouts that suggest you can change how your body looks after just 12 minutes, especially ones with titles like 'pretty abs and arms.' But I ended up enjoying it far more than I expected. The Pilates-inspired moves flowed together in a way that felt controlled and satisfying when I got the exercises right. While I'm not sure I emerged with visibly different arms or abs, I did feel stronger and enjoyed the challenge. If you want to try Ting and Reif's workouts, this lower ab workout with 18 million views is Pamela Reif's creation, and this Chloe Ting ab workout has over 420 million views.
