Summer Home: Jamestown Welcomes Ice Theatre of New York
The nation's most prestigious artistic ice dance ensemble, the Ice Theatre of New York, announced today that the company has chosen Jamestown and the Chautauqua Region as the site for its 2002 summer residency. Company founder and director, Moira North, made the announcement."We are so pleased to be spending three weeks of our summer in Jamestown," said Ms. North in a phone conversation from the Company's Manhattan office. "All the ingredients for a successful residency for our company are perfect: a strong figure skating program already in place, a community where the arts are flourishing, and the new incredible downtown facility. I visited the area this spring and fell in love with it. The Skating Academy directors Kirk Wyse, Lenel van den Berg, and Skate Chautauqua's Mary Handley made me feel so welcome. They have worked incredibly hard to bring this to fruition."
Ice Theatre will also perform at Lake Shore Savings presents Skate Chautauqua, the new downtown arena's debut events, on Friday, August 16th and Saturday, August 17th.
"Performances by Ice Theatre will be an absolutely awesome addition to our competition," said The Skating Academy's Lenel van den Berg. "What a way to open the new arena!"
"The Olympic and World judges that are judging at Skate Chautauqua are as excited as we are that they will see performances by the Ice Theatre," said Mary Handley.
Ice Theatre is the nation's first not-for-profit ice dancing ensemble to be awarded grants by the National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Cultural Affairs Department as a dance company.
During the first week of the residency, choreographers JoAnna Mendl Shaw and Olympic skater David Liu will create a collaborative work. The two choreographers will be involved in a project that blends the artistry and dynamics of both dance and skating. Figure skater/prima ballerina Katherine Healy will choreograph her first work for Ice Theatre during the second week. A protégé of the late Olympic champion John Curry, Ms. Healy will create "Through a Glass, Darkly," a work celebrating Mr. Curry. Associate Artistic Director Doug Webster will create another work for the Company during the third week of the residency.
"Ice Theatre's presence downtown this summer adds a whole new dimension to the arts in our community," said Jane Kidder, President of the Arts Council for Chautauqua County. "I met with Ms. North this spring and have seen excerpts of their work. Their performances will be beautiful, charming, and a delight to the eye."
Throughout the residency, Ice Theatre members will hold on-ice classes for figure skaters of The Skating Academy.
"The level of skating proficiency in Jamestown is wonderful," said Ms. North. "We look forward to introducing the Academy's talented skaters to new concepts and performance techniques."
"To have our skaters work side by side with these talented skating artists is an incredible opportunity," said Skating Academy Director, Kirk Wyse. "Moira and I have been working on this project for a number of years. It's a tremendous bonus that their residency coincides with the new arena's opening. It's a great honor for the skating community to be hosting the Ice Theatre. I've seen the work that they will be performing at Skate Chautauqua and it is very moving. I can't wait for Jamestown's figure skating fans to see their innovative and beautiful work."
Founded by Moira North in 1984, the company has created a repertory of over sixty works, including works by major modern dance choreographers such as Ann Carlson, Laura Dean, Alberto Del Saz, Donlin Foreman, David Dorfman, Lar Lubovitch, JoAnna Mendl Shaw, and Elisa Monte, as well as many creative ice choreographers. The repertory ranges from 12-skater ensemble dances to solos, duets, and trios, with music from classical to contemporary. Among renowned guest artists who have performed with Ice Theatre are John Curry, Toller Cranston, Paul Wylie, Maya Usova and Alexander Zhulin, Lucinda Ruh, Gary Beacom, and Katherine Healy.
More information about the Ice Theatre rehearsal schedule (rehearsals will be open to the public), and performance times during Skate Chautauqua will be listed in the Post-Journal.
Tickets for Lake Shore Savings presents Skate Chautauqua, the new downtown arena's first event, will go on sale beginning August 5th. Skate Chautauqua is sponsored in part by The Post-Journal. The website for the competition is: www.skatechautauqua.com .