2004 JAMESTOWN RESIDENCY
Ice Theatre of New York completed its three-week Residency on September 4th, 2004. Principal collaborators for this program were the Jamestown skating Academy (represented by Kirk Wyse and Lenel van den Berg) and the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena. The Residency was made possible by grants from New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the Gebbie Foundation, and the Johnston Foundation.The Creative Process
Ice Theatre brought together ten professional ensemble members and nine apprentices to participate in the process of creating new works on ice and in the rehearsals of existing repertory works. During the first week, Ice Theatre invited prima ballerina/principal skater Katherine Healy to choreograph a new ensemble work entitled Cracked Ice: the light-hearted story of a classical ballet master faced with teaching modern day pupils.
During the second week, emerging choreographer Heather Harrington arrived on the scene and began her piece entitled, The Lottery, her second commissioned piece for Ice Theatre. Choreographer/principal skater David Liu joined the Ensemble during the third week to commence his latest creation, a contemporary number entitled: 2:1.
The Company also began resetting pieces from past seasons, like Katherine Healy’s In the Mood, Heather Harrington’s Once Again and the late Venezuelan choreographer Carlos Orta’s El Duende. Guest skaters, Russians Alexandra Potcheikin and Andrei Timokhin, joined the Company for the Residency, reworking a pas-de-deux from the Nutcracker. All these pieces were performed at an Open Rehearsal lunchtime performance at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena on Tuesday, August 31st. Ice Theatre of New York will perform these works throughout this 20th Anniversary performance year.
Apprentice Training and Development
The Company focused on the development of apprentices during the Residency. Apprentices had the opportunity to study new repertory pieces, work with each other and with accomplished choreographers, learn from internationally renowned professional skaters, and gain confidence from audience support. This training program enhances the apprentice skaters’ maturity and readiness to go to the next level of performance.