In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, dance companies and studios have been creating wonderful ways to continue engaging their dance artists, students and audience members who also find themselves isolated. The Los Angeles based Barak Ballet headed by Artistic Director and choreographer Melissa Barak, is no different. The company will be making use of Instagram to “engage with their audience and share dance with the community.” Barak Ballet will be hosting dance classes and introducing a new interview series titled Inside the Dancer’s Studio during the entire month of April. Both the classes and the interview series will stream live on the company’s Instagram account @barakballet.
Classes will include “a variety of ballet classes, contemporary movement classes, and dance-inspired workouts” while the Inside the Dancer’s Studio will involve artists who have either performed with or collaborated with Barak Ballet to investigate the behind-the-scenes work process and to offer other related career advise to the viewers.
Barak Ballet – “Carry Me Anew” by Ma Cong – Photo by Cheryl Mann
The company writes in the press release: “We’re also excited to share that we will be streaming full ballets for people to enjoy at home, for we understand that great dance lifts up the heart and spirit. Viewers must be signed up for our newsletter in order to receive access to these videos. The newest works in our repertoire will stream online on the following dates: Carry Me Anew by Ma Cong (Tuesday April 7th), Within Without by Andi Schermoly (Wednesday April 15th), and Pretty, Peculiar Things by Melissa Barak (Friday April 24th). Video links will be provided the morning of the stream date and will be available to view all day long.”
Here is the Instagram Live Schedule:
Dance Classes at 11am PST the following dates:
April 8th, 11th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, 25th, and 29th
Inside the Dancer’s Studio at 3pm PST the following dates unless otherwise *noted:
April 6th — Dancer Stephanie Kim interviews choreographer Ma Cong (*6pm PST)
April 13th — Choreographers Melissa Barak and Nicolas Blanc discuss starting a career in choreography
April 15th — Choreographer Andi Schermoly talks about the making of a ballet and takes questions from the viewers
April 20th — Costume designer Rebecca Baygents Turk interviews costume designer extraordinaire Holly Hynes
April 27th — Dancers Brian Gephart and Chasen Greenwood discuss juggling ballet careers with commercial gigs
To sign up for the Barak Ballet newsletter, click here.
To follow Barak Ballet on Instagram, click here.
About Barak Ballet – Ever since Barak Ballet first stepped onto the stage in March 2013, the dance world has been buzzing. Barak Ballet, founded by L.A. native choreographer Melissa Barak, is a contemporary ballet company based in Los Angeles. Conceived to celebrate the needs of dance enthusiasts for the 21st century, it’s where traditional and progressive dance styles merge and where unlocking the raw emotion and innate artistry from every company dancer is of utmost importance.
Compiled by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle, April 6, 2020.
To visit the Barak Ballet website, click here.
Featured image: Barak Ballet. Photo by Dave Friedman.
