A Robert Joffrey Masterclass Online
What an unexpected “turn out” we had for our inaugural A Robert Joffrey Masterclass Online, July 1-2, 2020. Many thanks to the many enthusiastic participants who joined us from around the country for two days of Lecture Demonstration and Masterclass. Charthel Arthur, executive director of the Gerald Arpino Foundation, led the event with exercises and insight from classes that had been taught to her by Robert Joffrey. Also there were special appearances by April Daly and Joanna Wozniak of The Joffrey Ballet and Amber Bailey from Fort Wayne Ballet. Accompanying on the piano was the wonderful pianist, Colin DeJong of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.
The Lecture Demonstration offered an overview of Robert Joffrey the master teacher with interviews and vintage footage, ending with an in-depth description of Mr. Joffrey’s exercises. The Zoom masterclass was held the next day, again led by Charthel Arthur and demonstrations by dancers from The Joffrey Ballet and Fort Wayne Ballet. Colin DeJong accompanied on the piano. A Q&A session was held at the end.
The response was unanimously “Yes” for another masterclass! We are looking forward to bringing a new masterclass to both returning and new participants. The class is geared for advanced ballet students and teachers who are looking for insight and background about Robert Joffrey, the master teacher. Please visit our Facebook page for updates. Click HERE
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Confetti staged during Covid-19

Ballet Ensemble of Texas Cathy Vanover photography
Our first staging done on Zoom! What a team effort by all. First ,we thank Ballet Ensemble of Texas artistic directors, Lisa Slagle and Thom Clower for being brave enough to endeavor into the unknown. Second, a big thank you to repetiteur Charthel Arthur for her patience and determination to stage the ballet via Zoom. And thirdly to the young and brilliant dancers who took all the information and transformed it into reality! We’re excited for the ballet to be performed on Jan 17, 2021 at Coppell Arts Center with a limited and socially distanced audience. It will also be presented at YAGP this spring.
Light Rain by Three Companies
photo credit: Nevada Ballet Theatre dancers in rehearsal
photo credit: St. Louis Ballet dancers in rehearsal
Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain will be performed simultaneously the weekend of Feb 16-17, 2019 with three different dance companies. St. Louis Ballet and Nevada Ballet Theatre will present the iconic pas de deux in their mixed repertory program. Butler Ballet/Butler University will present the ballet in its entirety utilizing a cast of fourteen dancers. Gerald Arpino created this ballet to showcase the new young dancers of the company. “It is my gift to these talented youngsters…I am inspired by their modes and rituals, their passions.” Middle Eastern rhythms fused together with an unusual combination of banjo, violin, mandolin, bass, drums and bamboo flute give Light Rain its distinctive mesmerizing and hypnotic sound.
Trinity revival at Dayton Ballet
photo credit: Charthel Arthur Estner, repetiteur for the Gerald Arpino Foundation rehearses Dayton Ballet dancers as Dermot Burke, former Artistic Director/former Joffrey Ballet dancer looks on.
photo credit: Dayton Ballet dancers in Trinity
Gerald Arpino’s Trinity makes its revival with Dayton Ballet’s Perspective program on Feb 14-17, 2019. Considered culturally ahead of its time, Trinity is a ballet choreographed by the late Gerald Arpino, co-founder and former artistic director of the Joffrey Ballet. While the Vietnam War was raging, America’s youth united in protests and celebrations with a new sense of freedom and exhilaration. The word “trinity” in this work represents three sentiments prevalent in the culture of the late ’60’s and early ’70’s: love, power, and peace. Trinity became the most famous of the Arpino pieces called the Berkeley ballets. Created during the Joffrey’s residence at the University of California at Berkeley, Trinity is a joyful tribute to youth, their passions and rituals.
Performances
2021
JANUARY
Ballet Ensemble of Texas
Confetti
FEBRUARY
Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami
RUTH, Ricordi per Due
JULY
Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami
Touch Me
2020
MARCH
New York Dance Project
Confetti
JULY
A Virtual Robert Joffrey Masterclass I
Lecture Demonstration part 1
SEPTEMBER
A Virtual Robert Joffrey Masterclass II
NOVEMBER
A Virtual Robert Joffrey Masterclass III
DECEMBER
NY Dance Project
Birthday Variations
2019
FEBRUARY
Butler Ballet
Light Rain
Dayton Ballet
Trinity
Nevada Ballet Theatre
Light Rain, pas de deux
Saint Louis Ballet
Reflections and Light Rain pas de deux
APRIL
Eugene Ballet
Italian Suite
Oklahoma City Ballet
Pas de Deesses
Walnut Hill School for the Arts
Birthday Variations
MAY
Ballets de San Juan
Birthday Variations
New Albany Ballet
Viva Vivaldi, 2nd movement
NOV
New Zealand School of Dance
Round of Angels
2018
FEBRUARY
Brigham Young University, Salt Lake City, UT
Viva Vivaldi! excerpts
MARCH
American Repertory Ballet
Sea Shadow
New York Dance Project
Birthday Variations
Franklin School for the Performing Arts
Birthday Variations
APRIL
Classical Dance Center, CA
Italian Suite, solo
MAY
Marymount Manhattan College, NY
Light Rain
JUNE
Joffrey Ballet
Round of Angels
Eglevsky Ballet
Viva Vivaldi!, excerpts
AUGUST
Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami
Light Rain pas de deux
SEPTEMBER
Fort Wayne Ballet
Light Rain, Pas de Deesses
OCTOBER
New York Dance Project
Gamelan(excerpts), Viva Vivaldi(excerpts)
City Ballet of Boston
Birthday Variations
NOVEMBER
Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami
Reflections
DECEMBER
Wayne State University
Valentine
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati
Birthday Variations
2017
FEBRUARY
Brigham Young University, Salt Lake City, UT
Birthday Variations
MARCH
Sacramento Ballet, Sacramento, CA
Kettentanz
Gala of Dance, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Light Rain, pas de deux
APRIL
Joffrey Ballet, Spring Gala, Chicago
Round of Angels
AUGUST
Chautauqua Festival, NY
Light Rain, pas de deux
SEPTEMBER
Fort Wayne Ballet
Confetti, Light Rain
OCTOBER
Ballet West
Ruth; Ricordi Per Due
Dance Now! Miami
Touch Me
NOVEMBER
Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami
Light Rain
DECEMBER
Ballet San Antonio
Snow, Flowers from Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker
2016
FEBRUARY
Dayton Ballet, Dayton, OH
Confetti
Ballet West, Salt Lake City, UT
Sea Shadow, Light Rain, pas de deux
Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, New York
Suite St. Saens
MARCH
Colorado Ballet, Denver, CO
Light Rain, pas de deux
City Ballet of Wilmington, NC
Viva Vivaldi! 2nd movement
APRIL
Ballet San Antonio
Confetti
Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, New York
Suite St. Saens
MAY
Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, New York
Suite St. Saens
2015
FEBRUARY
Butler Ballet, Indianapolis, IN
Viva Vivaldi!
Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, Indianapolis, IN
Birthday Variations
2014
FEBRUARY
Dayton Ballet, Dayton, OH
Reflections
Ballet Arkansas, Little Rock, AR
Birthday Variations
Los Angeles Ballet Academy, Los Angeles, CA
Italian Suite excerpts
DanceNOW Miami, Miami, FL
Light Rain pas de deux
MARCH
American Repertory Ballet, Princeton, NJ
Confetti
APRIL
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX
Birthday Variations
MAY
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Viva Vivaldi, 2nd Movement
Joffrey Ballet School/NY
Kettentanz and Light Rain
JUNE
Chicago Ballet Arts, Chicago, IL
Reflections, excerpts
AUGUST
Ballet West ll, Salt Lake City
Confetti
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Light Rain pas de deux
SEPTEMBER
Fort Wayne Ballet, Fort Wayne, IN
Confetti
OCTOBER
American Repertory Ballet, Raritan, NJ
Confetti
NOVEMBER
Ballet West, Salt Lake City
Ruth Recordi
DECEMBER
Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, Toronto
Suite St. Saens