RCD’s Ridgefield Civic Ballet and Civic II Master Class with James Graber on Saturday, February 12

Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance’s elite RCD’s Ridgefield Civic Ballet and Civic II companies will enjoy a master class with James Graber on Saturday, February 12. 

For the second year, RCD’s company dancers will not participate in their usual festivals including the DanceFest performance at the Palace Theater in Stamford, and Dancers Responding to AIDS, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Executive Director Amy Piantaggini explains, “We are bringing more opportunities right here at home in our efforts to keep these talented performers engaged in an enriching way. James Graber will be offering a master class in partnering and contemporary repertory in the first of a series of master class offerings”.

Graber explains, "The goal for them is to give them the knowledge to better see, understand and appreciate the incredibly difficult art of classical partnering, while giving them the skills they need to approach the class safely and be of use in the furthering of their daughter’s technical and artistic education."

In the contemporary segment, dancers will explore a contemporary style that will push them past their comfort level as dancers trained in Graham-based modern.  Graber says “My goal is to expand and reinforce the students' understanding of what will be expected of them in today’s professional world.  I wish to give the students a forum for bringing all their knowledge to the table and attempting to fuse it into a unified whole, while also challenging them to rise above their fears when outside their comfort zone- like inside the audition setting, or when involved in the creation of a new work by an unfamiliar choreographer- by giving them the tools to competently approach those areas with confidence and composure."

Patricia Schuster founded Ridgefield Civic Ballet in 1978, as a way to expand her vision to give young dancers the opportunity to perform on the larger public stage alongside professionals, an experience she believed would inspire them to a higher appreciation for the full world of dance. Some of her students from the early days went on to become professionals themselves, most notably New York City Ballet Principal Dancer James Fayette. The company still exists today along its newer junior 4-member Civic II company.

Our performing ensembles will finally perform again at Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance’s Spring Concert, held on May 21 and 22 at Ridgefield High School.