American Youth Ballet

May 10th, 2014 Saturday - At JCCC Carlsen Center Polsky Theater

"Don Quixote"

10 May 2014
American Dance Center (studio rehearsals) and
Performance at Carlsen Center at JCCC
in the Polsky Theater

See also:
http://www.americanyouthballet.org/DonQ.html
Tickets are were15$ and 18$

 

From the first rehearsal I saw in the studio I was stoked. I always love the work from AYB and Kris' Don Quixote is so good. (ADC) American Dance Center's performing troupe is the American Youth Ballet. ADC is owned by Jennifer Tierney and Kristopher Estes-Brown, the American Dance Center is at 118th and Quivira in Overland Park, Kansas.

One of the pleasures of an AYB performance is that the company members, ages 13-18 are joined by experienced performers, working dancers, providing experience to the mix. Everyone's attention is heightened from the youngsters who have a side-by-side example to work with and the pros who pay special attention to the needs of the up and comers.

In-Studio pictures from May 3rd ( on stage pictures are below the program information)

Stephane Ruley
Stephanie Ruley

Alec Roth
Alec Roth

(left) Joseph Flickner, Molly Cook, Juliana Kuhn and Dena'h Gregory in jeté
(left) Joseph Flickner, Molly Cook, Juliana Kuhn and (in jeté) Dena'h Gregory

Molly Cook, Juliana Kuhn
Molly Cook, Juliana Kuhn

Shane Tice
Shane Tice

Jennifer Tierney (center, near back) and the cast with her costumes after fittings and adjustments
Jennifer Tierney (center, near back) and the cast with her costumes after fittings and adjustments


On Stage in the Theater (pictures below the program information)

Performances are 2 pm and 7 pm Saturday, 10 May 2014
at JCCC's Polski Theater

American Youth Ballet

Program information

 

Don Quixote

American Youth Ballet

May 10, 2014 - Polsky Theater
Choreography Kristopher Estes-Brown after Marius Petipa
MusicLudwig Minkus
Set DesignKristopher Estes-Brown
Ryan Zimgibl
Lighting DesignKristopher Estes-Brown
Costuming Director Jennifer Tierney with
Deborah Green
Stephanie Kong
Carol Brookover
Gayla Voss

PROLOGUE

Don QuixoteDanny Ryan
Dulcinea del TobosoSydney Wilson (2 pm)
Danica Williams (7 pm)
Sancho PanzaAsher Wilson

ACT I

MarisaAnne Marie Dahms (2 pm)
Molly Cook (7 pm)
CatalinaDanica Williams (2 pm)
Juliana Kuhn (7 pm)
Seguidilla LeadsMorgan Bartram (2 pm)
Andrea Dahl (7 pm)
Sofia Acosta (2 pm)
Cassie Wang (7 pm)
Jake Bartley
SeguidillaLisa Kobayashi (2 pm)
Morgan Bartram (7 pm)
Anna Wolock
Paula Walewicz
Bonnie Weinberg
Amy DeHart (2 pm)
Annie-Marie Dahms (7 pm)
Hannah Baillie
Elise Johnson
Malerie Moore
Miriam Rogers
Ashlyn Mills
Annie Cook
Rebekah Nelson
Theo Muhammad
Joseph Flickner
Dalton Heinle
Eric Wright
Costume Support - Moore Family
TownsfolkJulia Walewicz
Julia Harshbarger
Madeline Oliver
Reina Kobayashi
Jasmine Jones
KitriStephanie Ruley (2 pm)
Dena’h Gregory (7 pm)
BasilioShane Tice
MercedesMolly Cook (2 pm)
Lisa Kobayashi (7 pm)
Costume Support - Stephanie Kong
EspadaAdam Still
Street DancersCassie Wang (2 pm)
Sofia Acosta (7 pm)
Dena’h Gregory (2 pm)
Stephanie Ruley (7 pm)
Juliana Kuhn (2 pm)
Amy DeHart (7 pm)
Andrea Dahl (2 pm)
Sydney Wilson (7 pm)
LorenzoDavid Cross
GamacheJesse Cooper
ChildrenAnnika Jones
Nadine Peck
Rebeca Flores
Lillian Haney

ACT II

Gypsy Camp

Set Design SupportMr. and Mrs. James B. Albertson
KitriStephanie Ruley (2 pm)
Dena’h Gregory (7 pm)
BasilioShane Tice
Gypsy LeadsAnne-Marie Dahms (2 pm)
Sofia Acosta (7 pm)
Danica Williams
Alec Roth
RomaniElise Johnson
Malerie Moore
Miriam Rogers
Annie Cook
Rebekah Nelson
Ashlyn Mills
Gypsy ChildrenJulia Haney
Max Isaac
Lindsey Kim
Koyuri Monta
Evelyn Mountjoy
Kalina Parvanova
Hank Peck
Liliana Witt
GypsiesSamantha Marx
Piper Evans
Julia Harshbarger
Ximena Flores
Don QuixoteDanny Ryan
Sancho PanzaAsher Wilson
PuppetsTheo Muhammed
Isobel Li
Tina Li
Caitlyn Blackwood
Anna Hawk

Don Quixote’s Dream

Dulcinea del TobosoSydney Wilson (2 pm)
Danica Williams (7 pm)
CupidLisa Kobayashi (2 pm)
Cassie Wang (7 pm)
Costume Support - Moore Family
Little CupidsLexi Arp
Nora Burdoo
Tara Cook
Vivian Hsiao
Ellie Johnson
Lily Leach
Alice Lenz
Riho Sakai
Samantha Thurston
Madeline Vielhauer
Linnaea Xie
Costume Support - Mr. and Mrs. James B. Albertson
Queen of the DryadsJuliana Kuhn (2 pm)
Amy DeHart (7 pm)
Costume Support Acosta Family
DryadsAndrea Dahl
Dena’h Gregory (2 pm)
Stephanie Ruley (7 pm)
Morgan Bartram
Sofia Acosta (2 pm)
Sydney Wilson (7 pm)
Amy DeHart (2 pm)
Juliana Kuhn (7 pm)
Cassie Wang (2 pm)
Lisa Kobayashi (7 pm)
Paula Walewicz
Bonnie Weinberg
Rebekah Nelson
Malerie Moore
Anne-Marie Dahms
Molly Cook
Costume Support - Joshua and Staci Nelson Family
Costume Support - Wang Family

ACT III

TownsfolkJulia Walewicz
Julia Harshbarger
Madeline Oliver
Reina Kobayashi
Jasmine Jones
Tavern LadiesAndrea Dahl (7 pm)
Paula Walewicz
Bonnie Weinberg
Amy DeHart (2 pm)
Elise Johnson
Malerie Moore
Miriam Rogers
Ashlyn Mills
Annie Cook
Rebekah Nelson
Tavern MenJake Bartley
Joseph Flickner
Dalton Heinle
Eric Wright
Street DancersCassie Wang (2 pm)
Sofia Acosta (7 pm)
Dena’h Gregory (2 pm)
Stephanie Ruley (7 pm)
Juliana Kuhn (2 pm)
Amy DeHart (7 pm)
Andrea Dahl (2 pm)
Sydney Wilson (7 pm)
LorenzoDavid Cross
GamacheJesse Cooper
KitriStephanie Ruley (2 pm)
Dena’h Gregory (7 pm)
BasiloShane Tice
Don QuixoteDanny Ryan
Sancho PanzaAsher Wilson
Marisa & CatalinaAnne Marie Dahms(2 pm)
Molly Cook (7 pm)
Danica Williams (2 pm)
Juliana Kuhn (7 pm)
BridesmaidsHannah Baillie
Morgan Bartram
Anna Wolock (7 pm)
Lisa Kobayashi (2 pm)
Malerie Moore
MercedesMolly Cook (2 pm)
Lisa Kobayashi (7 pm)
EspadaAdam Still
Dulcinea del TobosoSydney Wilson (2 pm)
Danica Williams (7 pm)
Video, PhotosMike Strong, kcdance.com
 

American Youth Ballet 2013-2014 Season

Senior CompanySofia Acosta
Hannah Baillie
Morgan Bartram
Molly Cook
Andrea Dahl
Anne-Marie Dahms
Amy DeHart
Dena’h Gregory
Lisa Kobayashi
Juliana Kuhn
Stephanie Ruley
Paula Walewicz
Cassie Wang
Catherine Watkins
Bonnie Weinberg
Anna Wolock
Danica Williams
Sydney Wilson
Junior CompanyAnnie Cook
Elise Johnson
Malerie Moore
Ashlyn Mills
Rebekah Nelson
Miriam Rogers
Apprentice CompanyJulia Harshbarger
Jasmine Jones
Reina Kobayashi
Madeline Oliver
Julia Walewicz
Eric Wright

In-Theater pictures

Molly Cook
Molly Cook

Don Quixote

David Cross (Lorenzo) looks for Kitri who is hiding in the crowd
David Cross (Lorenzo) looks for Kitri who is hiding in the crowd


Molly Cook and Dena'h Gregory

 

Shane Tice (Basilio) - two sets of grande jeté en tournant photos - the bottom ten photos were taken during thursday dress and the top ten photos during friday dress. Please note that any inconsistencies are mine (my timing) not Shane - Camera frame numbers are: Thu: 7872-7871 and Fri: 5901-5910
Shane Tice (Basilio) - two sets of grande jeté en tournant photos - the bottom ten photos were taken during thursday's dress and the top ten photos during friday's dress.
Please note that any inconsistencies are mine (my timing) not Shane's - Camera frame numbers are: Thu: 7872-7871 and Fri: 5901-5910

Dena'h Gregory (Kitri 7pm) and Shane Tice (Basilio)
Dena'h Gregory (Kitri 7pm) and Shane Tice (Basilio)

Eric Roth - backstage
Eric Roth, behind the curtain getting ready for the Gypsy dance at the start of Act II.

Sydney Wilson
Sydney Wilson

Adam Still (Espada)
Adam Still (Espada)

Positioning their headpieces. Danica Williams (center)
Positioning their headpieces. Danica Williams (center)

Stephanie Ruley
Stephanie Ruley

Molly Cook
Molly Cook (Mercedes)

Dena'h Gregory
Dena'h Gregory

Julianna Kuhn


Cassie Wang

Julianna, Molly and Shave
Julianna Kuhn and Molly Cook (Marisa & Catalina) with Shane Tice in in-between positions as he completes a leap
This one nicely shows the two Marisa & Catalina roles in a jete although I've cut off Julianna's trailing foot, thanks to a camera "feature."

CAMERA "FEATURES"
This is because I "found" a feature of my camera. There is a small button at the back of the camera, along the top
right where my forehead touches it when shooting. If this button is pressed at the same time I am rotating the
shutter speed thumbwheel the camera will change from 24 megapixels to 16 megs by cropping the frame.
When it does this there is only a think black line in the frame which indicates the "taking" area, easy to miss in the dark.
Why any equipment designer thought this was a good idea I cannot imagine but in the middle of active shooting it is a killer.
I lost tons of performance shots in the first act of the 7pm cast because of this, cutting off feet, toes, hands, even a head.
Features like this are added to cameras and devices (and to software) to pump up prices rather than add real value.
I've run into this particular feature once before which cost me a lot of the frame in shots of NYC last year.
There is another, similar, easy-to-fall-into "feature" I found earler this year, exposure bracketing and a handy
button for popping up the flash, but that one I handled by gaffer-taping across the top of my cameras so
that my camera's own flash never pops up. If I want flash I used either a large external unit or studio strobes.

Lisa Kobayashi
Lisa Kobayashi as Mercedes (showing a camera "feature" as explained just above)

Stephanie Ruley (Kitri) and Jesse Cooper (Gamache) - as Kitri rejects Gamache attention
Stephanie Ruley (Kitri) and Jesse Cooper (Gamache) - as Kitri rejects Gamache attention

Amy DeHart
Amy DeHart

Amy DeHart
Amy DeHart

Danny Ryan (Don Quixote) and Asher Wilson (Sancho Panza)
Danny Ryan (Don Quixote) and Asher Wilson (Sancho Panza)

Street Dancers (2pm)
Street Dancers

Jennifer Tierney adjusts costume
Jennifer Tierney, adjusting a costume

Molly Cook (holding the fan), Joseph Flickner
Molly Cook (holding the fan), Joseph Flickner

Jennifer Tierney, sewing a tutu during notes - art view
Jennifer Tierney, pulling thread, working on a tutu during notes (art view)

Jennifer Tierney, sewing a tutu during notes - see yah view
Jennifer Tierney, sewing a tutu during notes (see-yah view)

Shane Tice and Dena'h Gregory
Shane Tice and Dena'h Gregory


Eric Roth


Just standing around, flexing feet

Loading out late Saturday evening.
Loading out late Saturday evening.

On-stage Barre - Adam Still (Espada)
On-stage Barre - Adam Still (Espada)

Stephanie Ruley
Stephanie Ruley - series

Dena'h Gregory
Dena'h Gregory - series

The two sets of pirouettes above show repeated actions. The difference in the number of turns for each dancer is not about the dancer's ability but about the memory capacity
and memory speed of the camera. There are no missing frames. In the 14 frames above the camera was still using my 95 mb-per-second card (my primary card which it fills first).
Below it had switched to my slower card of 45 mb-per-second and just could not digest the digital information fast enough to let me shoot each and every turn.
(I shoot JPG + RAW meaning it has to store about 30 mb per frame)
Even with the faster card the camera could not digest all the shots fast enough for me to get all the pirouettes.

 

Dena'h Gregory, behind the curtain, getting ready for the next act during dress.
Dena'h Gregory, behind the curtain, getting ready for the next act during dress.

See these AYB / ADC / Concept Zero picture pages also:

Nutcracker Dec 2021
Nutcracker Dec 2019
Concept Zero "Alibi" July 5, 6, 2019
Solstice Dance Project - 15 June 2019
Sleeping Beauty - May 2019
Nutcracker Dec 2018
Solstice Dance Project - 16 June 2018
Fashions by Jennifer and Amani - 9 June 2018
Alice in Wonderland May 2018
Nutcracker Dec 2017
Project Premiere June 2017
"Beauty and the Beast" and "Firebird" May 2017
Nutcracker Dec 2016
Cinderella May 2016
Nutcracker Dec 2015
One Elegant Evening Oct 2015
Project Premiere June 2015
Concept Zero June 2015
Swan Lake May 2015
Nutcracker Dec 2014
Concept Zero June 2014
Project Premiere June 2014
Don Quixote May 2014
Nutcracker Dec 2013
One Elegant Evening Oct 2013
Project Premiere June 2013
"Sleeping Beauty" and "Firebird" May 2013
Nutcracker Dec 2012
One Elegant Evening October 2012
Project Premiere June 2012
Swan Lake May2012
Nutcracker Dec 2011
Project Premiere June 2011
Nutcracker Dec 2010
See a full set of pictures from a couple of events (by Mike Strong / kcdance.com) with options to buy prints of various sizes (PayPal) at: http://www.kcdance.com/Events/Default.asp
For picture offers directly from American Youth Ballet, all photographers, click below:
https://americanyouthballet.zenfolio.com/