Eugene Ballet
Encyclopedia
The Eugene Ballet Company (EBC) is a ballet company
based in Eugene
, Oregon
. It is a resident company of the Hult Center for the Performing Arts
.
Under the artistic direction of Toni Pimble and managing director, Riley Grannan, this 20-member ensemble blends classical and contemporary works, along with educational programs seen by an audience of more than 75,000 in travels covering an average of 25,000 road miles annually. EBC is one of only two northwest
companies on the roster of the Western States Arts Federation
touring program which has, for the past six years, been funded by the National Endowment for the Arts
dance company program.
Educational programs are also a focus of EBC activities, including affiliations with Young Audiences Inc. (over 50 performances annually), the Lincoln Center Project, the Washington State cultural enrichment program and Artist-In-Education programs promoted through local and regional arts councils.
The Company's repertoire includes many full length ballets ranging from classics from the romantic period, such as Swan Lake
and The Sleeping Beauty, to more contemporary pieces, such as Pimble's Alice In Wonderland, Children of the Raven, and Charles Bennett's Dracula. Many half-program pieces choreographed by Pimble and other well-known choreographers including Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Lynda Martha, Bruce Marks, Charles Bennett and Vasilli Sulich. Recent collaborations include Pink Martini
, Floydian Slips, and Curtis Salgado
.
When the Hult Center opened in 1981, Eugene Ballet Company hired professional management to focus on artistic direction. Pimble and Grannan combined their talents with classic ballets resulting in more professional ballet productions. In the next few years there were cost overruns due to the expense of competing favorably with touring dance companies at the newly opened Performing Arts Center. In 1985, Eugene Ballet Company initiated an austerity program that included recycling repertoire and limited touring activity. Riley Grannan became the full-time managing director. With the help of community involvement, the following seven out of eight years resulted in budget surpluses.
An active touring program, recognized by the United States Information Agency
International Arts America touring roster, included a tour to Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Syria, Tunisia, and Jordan in the summer of 1995. Other international tours have included two tours to Taiwan, sponsored by Arts Formosa, the first undertaken by a northwest arts organization. This tour was highlighted by sold-out performances at the 2,500-seat National Theatre in Taipei, one of the world's finest new theaters. Additionally, EBC performed in six other cities in Taiwan.
The EBC presented over 100 performances and educational services in 36 states and Canada during the 1995/96 performing Season. That same year, the EBC was honored with the Oregon Governor's Arts Award, the first ever for a dance company.
in London. Her professional experience includes dancing in three German ballet companies.
Since becoming Artistic Director of Eugene Ballet Company in 1978, Ms. Pimble has choreographed over 40 original works for the company. Both Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine have featured Ms. Pimble's leadership as an Artistic Director and choreographer.
Ms. Pimble has collaborated with composers and various artists. Through the Meet the Composer
project, she was commissioned to create a new work for Atlanta Ballet
in collaboration with Emmy-award winning composer James Oliverio, titled Common Ground. Her provocative work Silk and Steel was a collaboration with artist Steve Oshatz. Inspired by visual artist Helen Hardin, Ms. Pimble created the contemporary work The Skinwalkers. Ms. Pimble also choreographed Two's Company for New York City Ballet
as part of its Diamond Project
.
Ms. Pimble has created two original ballets for Oregon Festival of American Music
, two original works for the Oregon Bach Festival
, and collaborated with guest artist Curtis Salgado
on The Bluesman. Her recent works for the Eugene Ballet are Slipstream, Jitterbug, Jive & Jazz, Concerto for Seven Dancers and Divertimento.
Ms. Pimble's awards and fellowships include two Oregon Arts Commission
Artist Fellowship Awards and a National Endowment for the Arts
Choreographer's fellowship grant.
Ms. Pimble's work has been performed by Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet
, Ballet Omaha, Washington Ballet
, Nevada Dance Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theatre, State Ballet of Rhode Island
, and Dance Galaxy, among others.
Under Ms. Pimble's leadership, the Eugene Ballet Company has toured to 32 states and internationally. Her work has been presented as part of a United States Information Agency tour by Eugene Ballet Company, visiting India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria, Jordan and Tunisia. In 1994, Ms. Pimble became the Artistic Director of Ballet Idaho when Eugene Ballet Company and Ballet Idaho created an alliance to produce joint seasons combining artistic resources; however, this alliance was dissolved in 2008 ending what was a 14 year pioneering effort in multi-state performing arts collaborations.
The Eugene Ballet operates the Eugene Ballet Academy in a refurbished building converted into studios and offices in 2006, The Midtown Arts Center, which provides office space for other non-profit arts organizations at reduced rates in order to foster and strengthen local and regional culture.
Ballet company
A ballet company is a group of dancers who perform ballet, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round basis, except in the United States, where contracts for part of the year are the norm...
based in Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is a resident company of the Hult Center for the Performing Arts
Hult Center for the Performing Arts
The Hult Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts facility in Eugene, Oregon, that opened in 1982.It is located adjacent to the Eugene Hilton and the Eugene Community Conference Center, which were also completed in 1982, as part of the same urban renewal project.The Hult Center and the...
.
Under the artistic direction of Toni Pimble and managing director, Riley Grannan, this 20-member ensemble blends classical and contemporary works, along with educational programs seen by an audience of more than 75,000 in travels covering an average of 25,000 road miles annually. EBC is one of only two northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
companies on the roster of the Western States Arts Federation
Western States Arts Federation
The Western States Arts Federation , headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is one of six not-for-profit regional arts organizations funded by the National Endowment for the Arts . Founded in 1974, WESTAF fulfills its mission to strengthen the financial, organizational and policy infrastructure of the...
touring program which has, for the past six years, been funded by the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
dance company program.
Educational programs are also a focus of EBC activities, including affiliations with Young Audiences Inc. (over 50 performances annually), the Lincoln Center Project, the Washington State cultural enrichment program and Artist-In-Education programs promoted through local and regional arts councils.
The Company's repertoire includes many full length ballets ranging from classics from the romantic period, such as Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
and The Sleeping Beauty, to more contemporary pieces, such as Pimble's Alice In Wonderland, Children of the Raven, and Charles Bennett's Dracula. Many half-program pieces choreographed by Pimble and other well-known choreographers including Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Lynda Martha, Bruce Marks, Charles Bennett and Vasilli Sulich. Recent collaborations include Pink Martini
Pink Martini
Pink Martini is a 13-member "little orchestra" from Portland, Oregon, formed in 1994 by pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale. They draw inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop.-History:...
, Floydian Slips, and Curtis Salgado
Curtis Salgado
Curtis Salgado is a Portland, Oregon based blues, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter. He plays harmonica and fronts his own band as lead vocalist.-Career:...
.
History
The company was founded in 1978. Originally the vision of Toni Pimble and Riley Grannan started as an ensemble presenting regular performing seasons at local high schools.When the Hult Center opened in 1981, Eugene Ballet Company hired professional management to focus on artistic direction. Pimble and Grannan combined their talents with classic ballets resulting in more professional ballet productions. In the next few years there were cost overruns due to the expense of competing favorably with touring dance companies at the newly opened Performing Arts Center. In 1985, Eugene Ballet Company initiated an austerity program that included recycling repertoire and limited touring activity. Riley Grannan became the full-time managing director. With the help of community involvement, the following seven out of eight years resulted in budget surpluses.
An active touring program, recognized by the United States Information Agency
United States Information Agency
The United States Information Agency , which existed from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to "public diplomacy". In 1999, USIA's broadcasting functions were moved to the newly created Broadcasting Board of Governors, and its exchange and non-broadcasting information functions were...
International Arts America touring roster, included a tour to Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Syria, Tunisia, and Jordan in the summer of 1995. Other international tours have included two tours to Taiwan, sponsored by Arts Formosa, the first undertaken by a northwest arts organization. This tour was highlighted by sold-out performances at the 2,500-seat National Theatre in Taipei, one of the world's finest new theaters. Additionally, EBC performed in six other cities in Taiwan.
The EBC presented over 100 performances and educational services in 36 states and Canada during the 1995/96 performing Season. That same year, the EBC was honored with the Oregon Governor's Arts Award, the first ever for a dance company.
Toni Pimble
Toni Pimble, artistic director, was born in England, and studied at Elmhurst Ballet School and the Royal Academy of DanceRoyal Academy of Dance
The Royal Academy of Dance is an international dance education and training organization, and examination board that specialises in the teaching and technique of Ballet. The RAD was established in London, England in 1920 as the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain, and received its...
in London. Her professional experience includes dancing in three German ballet companies.
Since becoming Artistic Director of Eugene Ballet Company in 1978, Ms. Pimble has choreographed over 40 original works for the company. Both Dance Magazine and Pointe Magazine have featured Ms. Pimble's leadership as an Artistic Director and choreographer.
Ms. Pimble has collaborated with composers and various artists. Through the Meet the Composer
Meet the Composer
Meet the Composer is an American organization founded in 1974 by the composer John Duffy as a project of the New York State Council on the Arts. It seeks to assist composers in making a living through writing music by sponsoring commissioning, residency, education, and audience interaction...
project, she was commissioned to create a new work for 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 :...
in collaboration with Emmy-award winning composer James Oliverio, titled Common Ground. Her provocative work Silk and Steel was a collaboration with artist Steve Oshatz. Inspired by visual artist Helen Hardin, Ms. Pimble created the contemporary work The Skinwalkers. Ms. Pimble also choreographed Two's Company for New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
as part of its Diamond Project
Diamond Project
The Diamond Project was inaugurated May 27, 1992, at New York City Ballet with funding from the Irene Diamond Fund. It has presented — every two to four years — work by new choreographers.- 1992 : *David Allan*John Alleyne*Bart Cook*William Forsythe...
.
Ms. Pimble has created two original ballets for Oregon Festival of American Music
Oregon Festival of American Music
Oregon Festival of American Music is an eclectic, thematically-based two-week summer music festival that has been held annually in Eugene, Oregon since 1992. Produced by The John G...
, two original works for the Oregon Bach Festival
Oregon Bach Festival
The Oregon Bach Festival is an annual celebration of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and his musical legacy, held in Eugene, Oregon, United States, in late June and early July. The artistic director is German organist and conductor Helmuth Rilling and the Executive Director is John Evans,...
, and collaborated with guest artist Curtis Salgado
Curtis Salgado
Curtis Salgado is a Portland, Oregon based blues, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter. He plays harmonica and fronts his own band as lead vocalist.-Career:...
on The Bluesman. Her recent works for the Eugene Ballet are Slipstream, Jitterbug, Jive & Jazz, Concerto for Seven Dancers and Divertimento.
Ms. Pimble's awards and fellowships include two Oregon Arts Commission
Oregon Arts Commission
The Oregon Arts Commission is a governor-appointed body of nine commissioners who allocate grants for artists based in the U.S. state of Oregon. It receives the bulk of its funding through the National Endowment for the Arts, the state, and the Oregon Cultural Trust.-History:Established in 1967,...
Artist Fellowship Awards and a National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
Choreographer's fellowship grant.
Ms. Pimble's work has been performed by Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
, Ballet Omaha, Washington Ballet
Washington Ballet
The Washington Ballet is an ensemble of professional athletic classical ballet dancers. It was founded in 1976 by American ballet pioneer Mary Day, and has been under the artistic directorship of Septime Webre since 1999.-The Mary Day years :...
, Nevada Dance Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theatre, State Ballet of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and Dance Galaxy, among others.
Under Ms. Pimble's leadership, the Eugene Ballet Company has toured to 32 states and internationally. Her work has been presented as part of a United States Information Agency tour by Eugene Ballet Company, visiting India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Syria, Jordan and Tunisia. In 1994, Ms. Pimble became the Artistic Director of Ballet Idaho when Eugene Ballet Company and Ballet Idaho created an alliance to produce joint seasons combining artistic resources; however, this alliance was dissolved in 2008 ending what was a 14 year pioneering effort in multi-state performing arts collaborations.
The Eugene Ballet operates the Eugene Ballet Academy in a refurbished building converted into studios and offices in 2006, The Midtown Arts Center, which provides office space for other non-profit arts organizations at reduced rates in order to foster and strengthen local and regional culture.