11 replies to this topic

[cubanmiamiboy]

Some successfull ballet stories come to life as a result of the unexpected factor . Last night at the CCBM Season Finale, this was materialized by the amazing performance of Grace Anne Powers as Medora, opposing  Miguel Angel Blanco's Ali in Corsaire PDD. Medora was due to be danced by recently defector Hayna Gutierrez. Now, being Gutierrez our newest attraction in Miami, when it was announced that she wouldn't be performing due to an injure (an old one that was triggered by her previous night's Aurora), i can say that the news were dissapointing for the audience, who got to know about it just before the courtains went up. Grace Anne Powers, one of the starlets of the Company, would be replacing Gutierrez. The Adagio started, with model-looks Mr. Blanco covering the whole scenario with his elegant never ending limbs, and then there she was: Ms. Powers. She made her entrance with such a secure aura that impressed me right away. They started dancing together, and before i knew, she had won me over. I've followed her dancing since her debut as Mirtha (beautiful indeed, if i may say) during last season, along with other secondary roles, always done with her characteristic elegance, so her beguilingly expressive Medora here hardly came as a surprise. Beautifully partnered by Miguel Angel, she was poised, elegant, and nothing, not the tiniest bit nervous, giving right there every indication of an emerging star. Her Medora was a paradigm of the sensuous woman, light on her feet and fluid in the body and Blanco's Ali, althought loosing it for a brief moment in one of his landings, a powerful dynamo; his jumps and turns were fluid and spot on. Very interesting to notice: both of them are tall dancers, and i didn't notice this fact on her right until they were next to each other-( Blanco known for being one of the tallest dancers i've seen in years).  They certainly looked fairly paired.  Since this post is basically about Powers, how could i go on without mentioning her absolutely great, centered, almost little traveled fouettes at the coda...? Wow, and i mean, WOW...this girl brought the house down.  I couldn't asked for more out of this  wonderful , TOTALLY UNEXPECTED ending of the Season.  Please miamians, watch Ms. Powers.  She is ready for major leagues.

Interesting facts:
-One of her shoes collapsed right before her performance.
-She and Blanco never rehearsed.
-She was told about the substitution almost at the same time as the audience.
-She is a soft spoken, extremely well educated, classy young lady.
-She is 17
This is photo that shows Powers in "Giselle". http://www.cubancbmiami.com/aboutus/
Brava, Grace Anne!!!

[spiritfire]

Thank you for the lovely posting about Grace Ann Powers.  I, too have followed her, though from afar.  She did her early training at CPYB before moving to The Art of Classical Ballet School.  We hear of her through her various performances.  Thank you again.  It sounds like it was a breathtaking eveing.

[carbro]

What's in the water supply in Carlisle that produces such wonderful dancers, all out of proportion to the area's population?  Even if bottled water has become un-p.c., they should think of bottling it.

It's thrilling, isn't it, to see a young dancer come into her/his own as a major talent.  Thanks for the bulletin, Cristian, and the background info, spitfire.

[its the mom]

Nothing in the water supply, Carbro.  It's just Marcia and her "boot camp."  Christian, glad to hear about Grace Ann.  Magaly Suarez has really helped her become a wonderful performer and allowed her to bloom.

[floridian]

Cristian,
To clarify a little on Grace Anne Powers training. Grace Anne went to study with Magaly Suarez in 2004 when she was 14, this coming Friday she will be 18 years old. Her last roll at CPYB was SLB Carabosse's Retinue while the rest of the girls on her class were performing the Lilac Fairy Attendance. When Grace Anne made the decision to study at The Art of Classical Ballet School in Pompano Beach, FL. she was a very young girl with potential, beautiful legs and feet, from there on, it has been Magaly Suarez who trained her and took her to competitions like ABC, YAGP, Jackson's IBC and Shanghai's IBC. It was also Magaly Suarez who trusted her on Sunday night and gave her the opportunity to shine.  I agree with you a star is a born....         I hope this helps.....

[cubanmiamiboy]

floridian, on May 12 2008, 08:16 PM, said:

Cristian,
To clarify a little on Grace Anne Powers training. Grace Anne went to study with Magaly Suarez in 2004 when she was 14, this coming Friday she will be 18 years old. Her last roll at CPYB was SLB Carabosse's Retinue while the rest of the girls on her class were performing the Lilac Fairy Attendance. When Grace Anne made the decision to study at The Art of Classical Ballet School in Pompano Beach, FL. she was a very young girl with potential, beautiful legs and feet, from there on, it has been Magaly Suarez who trained her and took her to competitions like ABC, YAGP, Jackson's IBC and Shanghai's IBC. It was also Magaly Suarez who trusted her on Sunday night and gave her the opportunity to shine.  I agree with you a star is a born....         I hope this helps.....

I know that Mamicha is doing her best to get the best out of her dancers.  Grace Anne is a great example.  BTW, i took some beautiful pics of her dressed with her Corsaire tutu backstage, but i don't know how to post them.  Ho w do i do it...?

[carbro]

cubanmiamiboy, on May 15 2008, 03:55 PM, said:

BTW, i took some beautiful pics of her dressed with her Corsaire tutu backstage, but i don't know how to post them.  How do i do it...?

To conserve bandwidth, members do not have photo posting privileges.  rg, as moderator of the Dance History forum and because he has such a wonderful collection of old photos and cards, is an exception.

I suggest you open a page on Flickr, Shutterfly or some other photo hosting site, post it there and post the link here.

Thanks for sharing.

[cubanmiamiboy]

carbro, on May 15 2008, 12:33 PM, said:

cubanmiamiboy, on May 15 2008, 03:55 PM, said:

BTW, i took some beautiful pics of her dressed with her Corsaire tutu backstage, but i don't know how to post them.  How do i do it...?

To conserve bandwidth, members do not have photo posting privileges.  rg, as moderator of the Dance History forum and because he has such a wonderful collection of old photos and cards, is an exception.

I suggest you open a page on Flickr, Shutterfly or some other photo hosting site, post it there and post the link here.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Carbro.  Will try to do it that way.

[cubanmiamiboy]

cubanmiamiboy, on May 15 2008, 01:22 PM, said:

carbro, on May 15 2008, 12:33 PM, said:

cubanmiamiboy, on May 15 2008, 03:55 PM, said:

BTW, i took some beautiful pics of her dressed with her Corsaire tutu backstage, but i don't know how to post them.  How do i do it...?

To conserve bandwidth, members do not have photo posting privileges.  rg, as moderator of the Dance History forum and because he has such a wonderful collection of old photos and cards, is an exception.

I suggest you open a page on Flickr, Shutterfly or some other photo hosting site, post it there and post the link here.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Carbro.  Will try to do it that way.

ok...let's see if this works...
http://www.flickr.co...22105/?edited=1
(Photo courtesy of Pedro Figueredo)

[carbro]

Charming!  

Thanks again!

[Pegasus]

This is not the first time that Grace-Anne has successfully met this type of challenge while dancing for the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami.  At the last Miami International Ballet Festival she scratched the cornea of her eye the day before the Gala performance.  On top of that it was decided that she would dance with Octavio Martin rather than Joseph Gatti on the day of the performance.  Octavio arrived about two hours before the performance.  They went through the piece twice before she danced 'Giselle' Pas de Deux, Act II while blind in one eye.  Everyone was calling her Alicia after the show.  She also danced 'The Slave and the Merchant' Pas de Deux with Isanusi Garcia with no rehearsal at all in a different show.

[floridian]

Pegasus, on May 30 2008, 07:35 PM, said:

This is not the first time that Grace-Anne has successfully met this type of challenge while dancing for the Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami.  At the last Miami International Ballet Festival she scratched the cornea of her eye the day before the Gala performance.  On top of that it was decided that she would dance with Octavio Martin rather than Joseph Gatti on the day of the performance.  Octavio arrived about two hours before the performance.  They went through the piece twice before she danced 'Giselle' Pas de Deux, Act II while blind in one eye.  Everyone was calling her Alicia after the show.  She also danced 'The Slave and the Merchant' Pas de Deux with Isanusi Garcia with no rehearsal at all in a different show.

Pegasus,
More about Grace Anne....
Grace Anne is dancing two full ballet Giselle's with Carlos Quenedit and DanceWest Ballet in Chicago this weekend May 31st and June 1st.