Central West Ballet Reboots

By CWB OFFICE PRESS

CWB REBOOTS

Central West Ballet is facing another challenge as it prepares for its 2012-2013 Season. Executive Director Cynthia Coughlin says the Company has had to adapt to the economy while building itself throughout the last two seasons. "The past couple of years have seen Central West Ballet make quantum leaps", Coughlin explains, "we have continued our commitment to keeping dancers contracts on schedule and have provided financial assistance to a growing portion of Company members". Coughlin says the economy, combined with low ticket sales during the recent Romeo and Juliet performances have influenced a series of tough decisions and cut backs for the up coming 25th Anniversary Season of Central West.

"We have had to shelve some productions in order to meet our budget", says Coughlin. Chief among these decisions was to yet again postpone the long awaited production of the ballet Peter Pan. Artistic Director René Daveluy says the decision to push the project back for a second time was tough, but that he fully supports the move in order to keep the Company on track with its budget. "Cindi [Coughlin] and myself discussed the issue at great length and came to a mutual understanding", Daveluy explains, "our focus is on keeping the dancers contracts alive".

Both Coughlin and Daveluy say there is much more coming in lieu of certain cuts for the up coming season. Indeed CWB has pursued many avenues into which to pour its energies and creativity. "We had an expected shift within the Company members at this time, and so I like to think all this as a reboot of the Company" Daveluy says, "I am confident in the Company's boundless creativity, both artistically and in resources". Coughlin says Central West Ballet is a unique environment that needs to keep growing in the direction it has taken. "Central West is a major source of creative power and we look forward to its continued development in the coming year".

By CWB OFFICE PRESS

Central West Ballet presented its 2nd annual Choreographers Showcase on March 29th, 2012 (read the review).

. In 2011, the workshop was an instant when five CWB members created dance pieces through its In The Studio open doors special events.

Artistic Director René Daveluy says the event is an important part of the Company's growth. "I am interested in our own dancers creating for the Company", Daveluy explains, "we were able to present two of our young choreographers this year, one was Erikka R. Cates at our Ballet in the Park performance last September, the other is Nicole Firpo who presented her own piece for Rat Pack in Revue performances at the Gallo Center for the Arts in February.

Daveluy says he got the same opportunities as a young choreographer in Canada during the 1990's. Many projects with Canadian Painter Christian Thibault gave Daveluy the freedom to focus himself on the choreographic creative process. Another great help was ballet star Frank Augustyn. "I got to own my craft under the directorship of Frank Augustyn at the Ottawa Ballet in many workshops of that nature", he says, "Mr. Augustyn knew the importance of pushing his artists from within". Daveluy also mentions an early important creative process with Canadian dancer Tonia Stefiuk when both of them developed many choreographic works over a period of three years. Daveluy hopes to do the same for his own dancers and help them get opportunities to present their work on stage in the future. "I have already begun to provide them with such opportunities", Daveluy goes on to say, "it brings the community a very rewarding experience to see all that talent surface".

Central West Ballet's 2nd Annual Choreographer Showcase featured an increased number of works by many creative artists within the Company.

2nd Annual Choreographers Showcase