Classical Ballet Recital Will Share Talents And Pay Homage To A Mentor

Jennifer Johnston, artistic director of Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet, will present the annual spring performance of her students at Reed Intermediate School on Friday, June 24, at 7 pm, and Saturday, June 25, at 3 pm.

Students will perform The Gypsy Princess, an adaptation of Paquita, together with Butterfly Friends, and original choreographed variations by the Malenkee Ballet Repertoire Company, the official ballet company of NCCB.

Paquita debuted in April 1846 and is one of the earliest classical ballets with a detailed plot. It is based on a story of a young woman adopted by gypsies, who is unaware that she is of royal blood who wins the heart of an army officer who is promised to someone else.

Ms Johnston’s adaptation, called The Gypsy Princess, will begin with a Festival for the Royal Court by Gypsy Syeira (Sasha Geerken of Bethel) and her Gypsies. As Paquita (Kelsey Cantore of Newtown) dances with Veryalda and Saviya (Jennifer Agius, Newtown and Tory Senete, Brookfield) she is unaware that her precious medallion has dropped.

After the festivities conclude, Queen Eldora (Meagan Brooks of New Fairfield) discovers the jewelry and recognizes it as belonging to the lost baby of the royal court of years ago.

Act II begins with Paquita returning to find her medallion when Queen Eldora tells her that she is really a member of the royal court. Everyone is happy to hear the good news and Princess Carmilita (Christine Collins of Newtown) and Mariposa (Patricia Culligan of Newtown) present Paquita with her royal crown and tutu while Princess Amaranta and the Grand Princess Court (Nikia McFadden, Elizabeth Naphen, Jennifer Tichon, Claire Parker Eckert and Mary Alice Upshur of Newtown) dance variations for Paquita.

Ms Johnston’s finale ends with the royal court and the gypsies dancing in celebration of the little gypsy girl who became a princess.

Ms Johnston will also be paying tribute to her mentor, Shamil Yagudin, who recently passed away in Russia in May by presenting two pieces he graciously passed on to Ms Johnston for legacy with her students. Mr Yagudin was Principal Coach and Ballet Master for the Bolshoi Ballet and graduated from the Moscow Choreographic Institute. He held the prestigious title of People’s Artist of the Russian Federation and had been a Master Teacher for NCCB students since Ms Johnston opened her studio in 2001.

“As a ten-year old ballet student I was most fortunate to study under his direction through my mentor, Marsha Ismailoff Mark where our relationship continued to grow from student to teacher for another 14 years,” said Ms Johnston. “Shamil has passed on his spirit of love of ballet, his choreography, his teachings, his friendship, and many other memorable and very special moments that happened in my life. He will be sorely missed. He has touched thousands in the classical ballet world including myself, and many of my students, among them Kelsey Cantore, who will perform ‘Bluebird’ and Tory Senete, who will perform ‘Carmen,’ in his honor for NCCB’s Spring Performance.”

Anyone seeking information in regards to the performance can contact Ms Johnston at 426-9299. Admission to both performances is free to the public. Reed School is at 4 Trades Lane, on the former Fairfield Hills campus.