American Youth Ballet

May 12th, Saturday - At JCCC Carlsen Center

Swan Lake

12 May 2012
American Dance Center (studio rehearsals) and
Performance at Carlsen Center at JCCC
in the Polsky Theater

Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong

Here a couple of pictures showing Swan Lake in studio rehearsal and later in the theater. These young dancers are some of the best in the area. Ages range from 13 to18 in the American Youth Ballet which is the performance troup from American Dance Center at 118th and Quivira in Overland Park, Kansas.

The studio is owned by Jennifer Tierney and Kristopher Estes-Brown. The young performers are joined by working professional dancers, mixing the veteran's experience into the group. It makes a great learning experience for the young students and kicks up the performances overall. The students who leave here often go into dance majors in college and directly into company work.

The older kids refine their learning by helping the younger kids and everyone is enhanced by the mix of levels, which includes active roles by parents. That thought reminds me of the one-room school house my grandmother taught in (early 1900s) and my dad went to school in (from the farm, taking the mule the mile or two in winter - true).

In studio - rehearsal a week before performance - Meredith Green in jete - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
In studio - rehearsal a week before performance - Meredith Green in jete.

In-Studio pictures ( see the stage pictures below)

Work in studio American Dance Center - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Jessica Brown (working pro) & Dalton Heinle (umkc), Erik Sobbe (working pro, in chair), Kristopher Estes-Brown (right)
Working on sections of the ballet, after doing run throughs in the studio.

Erik Sobbe leaps - studio rehearsal for Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Working professional Erik Sobbe in jete.

Meredith Green in jete in rehearsal - studio rehearsal for Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Meredith Green

Stephanie Ruley and Erik Sobbe - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Stephanie Ruley and Erik Sobbe

Working professional, Jessica Brown, third from left, in light top, adding her experience to the students The cygnets left-right: Molly Cook, Katy Hagen, Jessica Brown, Sydney Wilson - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Working professional, Jessica Brown, third from left, in light top, adding her experience to the students'
The cygnets left-right: Molly Cook, Katy Hagen, Jessica Brown, Sydney Wilson
See more cygnets below in a section

turn en pointe - Stephanie Ruley - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Stephanie Ruley


On Stage in the Theater

Performances were Saturday, 12 May 2011

American Youth Ballet

Program information

Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Choreography by Kristoper Estes-Brown after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Set Design: Ryan Zirngirbl
Lighting Design: Chris Crisci, Kristopher Estes-Brown
Projection: Chris Crisci
Costumes: Deborah Green, Jennifer Tierney, Carol Brookover, Jennifer Borth

ACT I

Scene 1
Prince Siegfried Erik Sobbe
Maidens Sofia Acosta, Taylor Arel (2pm), Molly Cook, Anne-Marie Dahms, Meredith Green (7pm), Dena'h Gregory, Stephanie Krutz, Juliana Kuhn Stephanie Ruley (2pm), Emily Tatham (7pm), Cassie Wang, Danica Williams
Waltz Ladies Olivia Althoff, Hannah Baillie, Lisa Kobayashi, Anna Monaldo, Sasha Reid, Paula Walowicz, Bonnie Weinberg
Prince's Friends Jesse Cooper, Joseph Flickner, Dalton Heinle
Benno Adam Still
Spanish Princess Radie Keller
Neapolitan Princess Katy Hagen
Hungarian Princess Sydney Wilson
(costume generously sponsored by the Moore Family)
Pages Theo Muhammed, Ocea Thompson, Asher Wilson, Eric Wright
Flower Girls Annie Cook, Elise Johnson, Julia McGregor, Ashlyn Mills, Malerie Moore, Rebecca Nelson, Miriam Rogers, Amanda Young
Queen Genevieve Frank
Scene 2
Von Rothbart Stephen Word
Odette Meredith Green (2pm), Stephanie Ruley (7pm)
(costumes generously sponsored by the Dana Seeley Family)
Swan Maidens Sofia Acosta, Taylor Arel (7pm) Anne-Marie Dahms, Dena'h Gregory, Juliana Kuhn, Stephanie Krutz, Emily Tatham (2pm), Cassie Wang
(costumes generously sponsored by the Arel Family)
Cygnets Jessica Brown, Molly Cook, Katy Hagen, Sydney Wilson
Pas de Trois Taylor Arel (2pm), Meredith Green (7pm), Stephanie Ruley (2pm), Emily Tatham (7pm), Danica Williams
Intermission

ACT II

Scene 3
Master of Ceremonies Jesse Cooper
Queen's Court Olivia Althoff, Hannah Baillie, Lisa Kobayashi, Julia McGregor, Anna Monaldo, Sasha Reid, Bonnie Weinberg
Prince Siegfried Erik Sobbe
Queen Genevieve Frank
Spanish Princess Radie Keller
Spanish Guests Anne-Marie Dahms, Danica Williams, Sofia Acosta, Stephanie Krutz, Paula Walowicz
Neapolitan Princess Katy Hagen
Neapolitan Guests Molly Cook, Dena'h Gregory
Hungarian Princess Sydney Wilson
Hungarian Guests Annie Cook, Elise Johnson, Malerie Moore, Miriam Rogers
Cavaliers Joseph Flickner, Dalton Heinle
Von Rothbart Stephen Word
Odile Taylor Arel (7pm), Emily Tatham (2pm)
(costumes generously sponsored by Dana Seeley Family)
Scene 4
Odette Meredith Green (2pm), Stephanie Ruley (7pm)
Swan Maidens Sofia Acosta, Taylor Arel (2pm), Jessica Brown, Molly Cook, Anne-Marie Dahms, Meredith Green (7pm), Dena'h Gregory, Katy Hagen, Juliana Kuhn Stephanie, Krutz Stephanie Ruley (2pm), Yui Tadakoro, Emily Tatham (7pm),Cassie Wang, Danica Williams, Sydney Wilson

Stephanie Ruley and Erik Sobbe - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Stephanie Ruley and Erik Sobbe

Emily Tatham (Black Swan at 2pm) with Erik Sobbe - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Emily Tatham (Black Swan at 2pm) with Erik Sobbe

Erik Sobbe and Stephanie Ruley - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Erik Sobbe and Stephanie Ruley

Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong

Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong

Working pro, Jessica Brown, waiting during dress - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Working pro, Jessica Brown, waiting during dress

Kristopher Estes-Brown exhorts his troops before performing - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Kristopher Estes-Brown exhorts his "troops" before performing

The Cygnets

I had to do a special section because this technically tough section shows the quality of these dancers and because a single shot doesn't do justice to their work. This is a very fast section with a lot of changes, None of these shots are posed (they are all during performance) and I have a lot of them, too many for this page. But take a gander (so to speak) at these swans. Also look at the other ensemble shots. These are hard to shoot because everyone has to be just exactly together. Normally, when you see these in company pictures, they were posed and someone counted. Not so here. What you see is what happened. The better the dancers, the better the photographer looks.

Our four cygnets: Molly Cook, Katy Hagen, Jessica Brown, Sydney Wilson - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Our four cygnets: Molly Cook, Katy Hagen, Jessica Brown, Sydney Wilson

Our four cygnets: Molly Cook, Katy Hagen, Jessica Brown, Sydney Wilson - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong

Our four cygnets: Molly Cook, Katy Hagen, Jessica Brown, Sydney Wilson - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong

Our four cygnets: Molly Cook, Katy Hagen, Jessica Brown, Sydney Wilson - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong

 

Same moments, different cast

Stephanie Ruley (Odette at 7 pm) and Erik Sobbe (Prince Siegfried) Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Stephanie Ruley (Odette at 7 pm) and Erik Sobbe (Prince Siegfried)

Meredith Green (Odette at 2 pm) and Erik Sobbe (Prince Siegfried) Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Meredith Green (Odette at 2 pm) and Erik Sobbe (Prince Siegfried)

 

corps - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong

jete - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong

Molly Cook - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Molly Cook

Erik Sobbe - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Erik Sobbe

Katy Hagen - Swan Lake by the American Youth Ballet (of American Dance Center in Overland Park, KS) May 12, 2012 - photo Mike Strong
Katy Hagen

 

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/