Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Encyclopedia
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is an American contemporary dance company. It comprises eleven classically trained dancers.
In addition to its domestic and international performances, the company presents the Aspen Dance Festival, a five-week summer festival that brings dance companies to Aspen. The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has two official schools, one in Aspen, one in Santa Fe, and a year-round Mexican Folk Dance outreach program in Colorado.
At the beginning of the new millennium the company began a co-venture with a presenting organization in Santa Fe and now perform under the name Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet made its New York City debut at The Joyce Theater and has performed at the legendary Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. In 2004 ASFB made its international debut in Canada and France.
Jean-Philippe Malaty, Executive Director, grew up in the Basque region of France. After receiving his degree in dance, he accepted scholarships to study in some of Europe’s most prestigious schools: MUDRA, Maurice Bejart’s school in Brussels, and John Cranko’s school in Stuttgart. At the invitation of David Howard, Jean-Philippe came to America to study at the David Howard Dance Center in New York City.
Since then, Jean-Philippe has performed soloist roles with various companies throughout the country including Joffrey II, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Ballet Hispanico
of New York, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He has been recognized by the U.S. government as an artist of extraordinary abilities and was granted a permanent resident status.
Tom Mossbrucker, Artistic Director, started tap dancing at age four in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington. At age 14 he began his ballet studies with Jo Emery, and performed with her company, the Tacoma Performing Dance Company. His studies continued in New York at the School of American Ballet
and the Joffrey Ballet School. He danced with Joffrey II before joining the Joffrey Ballet
, where he performed principal roles in over 70 ballets, and toured throughout the world. His favorite roles include those performed in Billy the Kid
, Rodeo, Romeo and Juliet, and The Nutcracker
. He has appeared in television specials, and was featured in the Joffrey’s Billboards, a full-length rock ballet set to music by Prince, which was released on videocassette. He danced with the Atlanta Ballet
and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
.
In addition to its domestic and international performances, the company presents the Aspen Dance Festival, a five-week summer festival that brings dance companies to Aspen. The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has two official schools, one in Aspen, one in Santa Fe, and a year-round Mexican Folk Dance outreach program in Colorado.
History
In 1995, at the invitation of Aspen Ballet Company and School founder Bebe Schweppe, dancers Jean-Philippe Malaty and Tom Mossbrucker moved from New York City to embark on a vision of creating a professional dance company based in Aspen.At the beginning of the new millennium the company began a co-venture with a presenting organization in Santa Fe and now perform under the name Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet made its New York City debut at The Joyce Theater and has performed at the legendary Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. In 2004 ASFB made its international debut in Canada and France.
Staff
Bebe Schweppe, Founder, grew up in Augusta, Georgia, and started dancing at the age of 7 at Georgia Dance Theatre under Frankie Levy. At the age of eleven she was invited by Robert Joffrey to study in New York on a full scholarship. She moved to Aspen in 1975 and founded Aspen Ballet School in 1990, and Aspen Ballet Company in 1996.Jean-Philippe Malaty, Executive Director, grew up in the Basque region of France. After receiving his degree in dance, he accepted scholarships to study in some of Europe’s most prestigious schools: MUDRA, Maurice Bejart’s school in Brussels, and John Cranko’s school in Stuttgart. At the invitation of David Howard, Jean-Philippe came to America to study at the David Howard Dance Center in New York City.
Since then, Jean-Philippe has performed soloist roles with various companies throughout the country including Joffrey II, Los Angeles Classical Ballet, Ballet Hispanico
Ballet Hispanico
Ballet Hispanico is an American dance company based in Manhattan, New York. It was founded by the Venezuelan American dancer and choreographer Tina Ramirez in 1970 and presents dances reflecting the experience of Hispanic and Latino Americans...
of New York, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He has been recognized by the U.S. government as an artist of extraordinary abilities and was granted a permanent resident status.
Tom Mossbrucker, Artistic Director, started tap dancing at age four in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington. At age 14 he began his ballet studies with Jo Emery, and performed with her company, the Tacoma Performing Dance Company. His studies continued in New York at the School of American Ballet
School of American Ballet
The School of American Ballet is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the...
and the Joffrey Ballet School. He danced with Joffrey II before joining the Joffrey Ballet
Joffrey Ballet
The Joffrey Ballet is a dance company in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1956. From 1995 to 2004, the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. The company regularly performs classical ballets including Romeo & Juliet and The Nutcracker, while balancing those classics with pioneering modern...
, where he performed principal roles in over 70 ballets, and toured throughout the world. His favorite roles include those performed in Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid (ballet)
Billy the Kid is a 1938 ballet written by the American composer Aaron Copland and commissioned by Lincoln Kirstein. It was choreographed by Eugene Loring for Ballet Caravan. Along with Rodeo and Appalachian Spring, it is one of Copland's most popular and widely performed pieces...
, Rodeo, Romeo and Juliet, and The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
. He has appeared in television specials, and was featured in the Joffrey’s Billboards, a full-length rock ballet set to music by Prince, which was released on videocassette. He danced with the Atlanta Ballet
Atlanta Ballet
Atlanta Ballet is a ballet company, located in Atlanta, Georgia. It is the nation’s longest continuously performing ballet company and the State Ballet of Georgia.- History :...
and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is an American dance company based in Chicago. HSDC performs in downtown Chicago and its metropolitan area and tours nationally and internationally throughout the year....
.