In honor of the fifth of this month, we’re sharing five things you need to know about Orlando Ballet, starting with our favorite sign off.
#1 Show Us Your Fifth!
At Orlando Ballet, we say goodbye in a unique way. We raise our arms above our heads and collectively strike a pose—fifth position. As artistic director Robert Hill says, “It’s our own unique identity!”
Fifth position is the final pose of the basic ballet repertoire. It’s also the most elevated. We use it to celebrate our love of ballet and our connection to each other, and honestly, it just feels good. Try it! Lift your arms up, circle them framing your face until almost touching, deep breath in, and smile. See? You actually lift yourself up.
We’re inviting you to get in on the lift! Share a photo and Show Us Your Fifth. Tag us on social media and add the hashtag #showusyourfifth to be entered to win some Orlando Ballet swag.
#2 Join Amigos Del Orlando Ballet
Amigos is a volunteer group whose purpose is to promote awareness and appreciation of Orlando Ballet, contributing to its financial strength and providing volunteer support. “I am passionate about ballet and I am passionate about Orlando Ballet because it is the ballet in my community,” says Chair Lizette Valarino. To find out more connect with Stephanie Propst, Philanthropy Manager.
#3 Summer is for Dancing
Summer Intensives heat up with instruction from Orlando Ballet’s choreographer-in-residence Jorden Morris! Our pre-professional dancers dive into their craft in two Intensives sessions beginning July 14. Summer Dance Camps are also available for a variety of levels starting June 7 and run all summer long. Learn more about Summer Dance at Orlando Ballet School here.
#4 Brava!
We are so proud of Ashley Coupal, an Orlando Ballet II dancer for the last year who was one of two female finalists in the famed Prix de Lausanne competition for 2021! The winners were chosen out of a pool of 20 finalists (down from 78 participants.) With Covid-19 restrictions, videos were submitted showing classwork, a classical variation, and a contemporary solo. A nine-member jury chose the finalists from the submissions live from Lausanne, Switzerland. Fans from all over the world watched the livestream and the Prix estimates 500,000 views! We congratulate Ashley and her marvelous instructors at Orlando Ballet School for this amazing achievement.
#5 Everyone’s a Winner!
This past Saturday, a live watch party of Dance Accelerator 2 gave the next generation of choreographers a chance to share their work with a wide audience—and win some cash! A virtual choreography competition with a $5,000 prize hosted by Orlando Ballet, The Juilliard School, and Broadway producers Pamela and Tim Kashani of Apples and Oranges Studios, the event is like none other in the world. By leveraging technology Dance Accelerator creates a global platform for aspiring choreographers to present their ideas to industry professionals for critique and potential investment. Congratulations to Natrea Blake who took home the top prize! Orlando Ballet Board Chair Jonathan Ledden surprised the participants with a prize of $2,000 for the other choreographers to, as he said, “continue to meet your dreams.” Watch the full show here.
