See you at the performances!

A spring-cleaning mouse encounters neighbors with spring fever while a cheeky squirrel goes a little nutty.  Unseemly seamstresses and “seamsters” put down their needles to celebrate while two of their cousins take the welcome wagon a bit too far! Joining in is the entire Bunny clan following mischief with mayham! All will have you dancing along in this magical tribute to one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors, Beatrix Potter!

Cincinnati Kinderballet continues the year long tribute that began with the Tailor of Gloucester in December 2009 with five more stories guaranteed to delight and divert children and adults of all ages.  With music from composers Zbigniew Preisner, Ludwig Minkus, and John Lanchbery that is at once touching and light hearted.  Choreography by Conni Berns, Laura Baresel, and Celia Wallen includes choreography inspired by Marius Petipa, Frederick Ashton, and Jules Perrot.  Special thanks to The Caswell Foundation for their ongoing support!  

For more information about AvO Ballet please contact us at 513 481-0092 or on line at www.avoballet.org.    

Saturday, 24 April: 2:00 p.m.  North Central Branch Library 11109 Hamilton Ave. Cincinnati, OH                     

Sat, 1 May: 11:00 a.m.  Batesville Middle School Commons  201 North Mulberry Street, Batesville, IN  Sponsored by the Batesville Memorial Library   

Sat, 1 May:  3:00 p.m.  Heritage Hall, Historic Downtown  Main Street, Rising Sun, IN  Sponsored by:  Rising Sun Tourism

Saturday, 8 May:  2:00 p.m.  Harrison Branch Library   10398 New Haven Road, Harrison, OH

Saturday, 15 May:  7:00 p.m.  AvO Spring Recital  College of Mt. St. Joseph Auditorium

Saturday, 22 May:  11:00 a.m.   Historic Hoosier Theater  209 Ferry Street, Vevay, IN  tickets @ 800 435-5688

Saturday, 5 June:  2:00 p.m.  Groesbeck Branch Library  2994 West Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH

Saturday, 26 June:  1:00 p.m.  West Fest  Downtown Cheviot, Ohio

Music includes composers Zbigniew Preisner, Ludwig Minkus, and John Lanchbery.  Choreography by Conni Berns, Laura Baresel, and Celia Wallen includes choreography inspired by Marius Petipa, Frederick Ashton, and Jules Perrot.  Special thanks to The Caswell Foundation for their ongoing support! 

Saturday, 24 April: 2:00 p.m.  North Branch Library, Mt. Healthy                           

Saturday, 1 May: 11:00 a.m.  Sponsored by Batesville Memorial Public Library; performing at Batesville Middle School           

Saturday, 1 May:  3:00 p.m.  Heritage Hall, Historic Downtown, Rising Sun        

Saturday, 8 May:  2:00 p.m.  Harrison Branch Library                                                        

Saturday, 15 May:  7:00 p.m.  AvO Spring Recital, College of Mt. St. Joseph Auditorium

Saturday, 22 May:  11:00 a.m.  Hoosier Theatre, Vevay                                              

Saturday, 5 June:  2:00 p.m.  Groesbeck Branch Library                                                     

Saturday, 26 June:  1:00 p.m.  West Fest

 The Cincinnati Kinderballet proudly presents a new ballet for the winter 2009 performance season:  The Tailor of Gloucester!

In 1903, Beatrix Potter crafted a charming fable of mice with generous hearts and a cat with a conscience.  The Tailor of Gloucester must finish a cherry-colored coat for the Mayor by Christmas Day, but his cat has hidden the last bit of silk needed out of spiteful anger.  The tailor despairs and takes ill, leaving the cloth he cut on his workbench; the coat lies unfinished.  Christmas is a time of wonder and only a miracle can help the tailor.  Will his Christmas morning be a joyous one?

This holiday season, the Cincinnati Kinderballet of the Anneliese von Oettingen School of Ballet and Ballet Companies brings to life the story of the Tailor of Gloucester.  The performance weaves Beatrix Potter’s tale about a “time of swords and periwigs and full-skirted coats with flowered lappets—when gentlemen wore ruffles, and gold-laced waistcoats…” with traditional carols, Renaissance music, and the contemporary works of Benjamin Britton and Patrick Doyle.  The result is purely magical and a guaranteed Christmas delight for the whole family.

Visit www.avoballet.org or call 513-481-0092 for more information about upcoming performances.

 Click on smaller images for additional downloading options: front and back of postcard for Winter 2009 Kinderballet performance season.

          Poster and blank poster jpegs

 

written by Kristina Reinstatler

 Art isn’t just framed in a museum or behind a case of glass, untouchable and remote.  Art is personal; it is an emotion, a movement, a moment.                            

Anneliese von Oettingen saw the value of bringing art to everyday.  She believed art needs to be experienced, and experienced fully.  When she began her school of ballet in 1948, she aspired to instill a love of storytelling through movement; she wanted to make artistic expression accessible and meaningful.

Today the Anneliese von Oettingen School of Ballet and Ballet Companies continues to realize her vision.  AvO strives to preserve the Art of Ballet.  This is art that cannot be experienced merely by reading a book, listening to music or examining costumes.  It is an adventure in self-discovery!  An adventure beginning with heels locked in first position flowing into a finale of a gracious reverence before an appreciative audience.  Ballet is an exhilarating performance conveying all the beauty and grace of the human body and its ability to express emotion.

AvO is a learning school where every student is encouraged to evolve in the Art of Ballet.  The Kinderballet students learn the skill of performing, whereas apprentices learn to teach and cooperate with their peers.  AvO seeks out young artists and provides them with an opportunity to share knowledge and communicate their stories by developing choreography.  These young performers work in tandem with talented, established artists.   Celebrated dancers such as Sarah Hairston of the Cincinnati Ballet and Steve Beirens of the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, will be joining AvO to conduct classes this fall.  Kodee Lind Van Nort and Laura Baresel are returning as collaborators.  Together they offer a full schedule of exciting chances to experience the Art of Ballet.

The integral component of ballet is the audience.  Art is not complete until it is shared with others.  Experience art today.  Contact AvO at 513-481-0092 or visit us on the web at www.avoballet.org for more information about upcoming performances and class offerings.

Click here to read about some of our past productions:

Peter Pan Ballet

Nutcracker at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Sleeping Beauty

Gala World Tour (look at the upper right corner under “Tuesday 12″ page 33)

Foodie Wannabes Blogspot

The beautiful story and pictures of Beatrix Potter are brought to life by the Cincinnati Kinderballet Winter 2009

The Tailor of Gloucester is said to be Beatrix Potter’s favorite story, published in 1903. In England, it is traditionally read to children on Christmas Eve, just before bed time. The Story is set at Christmas time with a poor and frail tailor set to finish a coat for the Mayor of Gloucester’s wedding on Christmas morning.

After cutting out all the pieces for the coat, the tailor finds that he does not have enough cherry silk twist to finish. With his last 4 pennies, he sends his cat Simpkin to buy food and enough cherry twist to finish the coat. While the cat is gone, the tailor frees the mice from teacups where Simpkin has imprisoned them. When Simpkin returns and finds his mice gone, he hides the twist in anger. When the tailor falls ill, the mice save the day by completing the coat.

The ballet is brought to life by members of the Cincinnati Kinderballet ranging in age from age 8 through adult, with Emily Gardner and Elizabeth Brock sharing the role of Simpkin, and Sheri Heffern as the Tailor.   Choreography is by Conni Berns, Laura Baresel, Celia Wallen, Lauren Canfield, and Laura Hughes.   

Music includes more contemporary works of Benjamin Britton and Patrick Doyle along side traditional Renaissance music and plenty of traditional and ancient carols from the Gloucester Wassail, The Holly and The Ivy, and Three Ships to lesser known 14th Century works like “Wolcum Yole” and “There is No Rose.” The end result pays homage to the spirit of Beatrix Potter’s work.

“From all the roofs and gables and old wooden houses in Gloucester came a thousand merry voices singing the old Christmas rhymes: all the old songs that I ever heard of and some that I don’t know…”

For more information please contact the School of Ballet at 513 481-0092, or visit us at www.avoballet.org.

When Anneliese von Oettingen fled Germany as a refugee and arrived in Cincinnati with her two young children in 1947, she brought with her a love of teaching and a fierce dedication to the principle that ballet could transcend barriers and be an outlet for artistic expression.  Due to her experiences under a harsh regime in her native country, Anneliese refused to tolerate convention and she celebrated diversity.  She accepted all students when she established her ballet school in 1948 and was among the first to have African American students on stage. 

Over the years, the AvO School of Ballet and Ballet Companies has endeavored to bring ballet to everyone.  Anneliese von Oettingen was among the first to apply ballet methods to other athletes; working with pro football players, Olympic marathon runners, and ice skaters.  She was mentioned in Sports Illustrated for her efforts.  Anneliese believed ballet was movement used to tell a story, and began offering performances in many communities to share these stories. 

 Today the traditions of Anneliese’s teaching are carried on at AvO by Laura Hughes, artistic director; Conni Berns, Anneliese’s daughter; the instructors who have been trained by Laura and Conni; and the devoted students and parents that are part of the AvO family.  Generations of students have been trained at AvO with the same positive artistic education. Besides the school in the heart of Cheviot on Glenmore Avenue, AvO has extended its reach to Indiana at the Batesville school.  AvO continues to offer performances throughout the Tristate at libraries, retirement communities, and theaters.   

For information on upcoming performances or to learn about classes, visit AvO on the web at  www.avoballet.org

or call 513-481-0092.