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April 15, 2005/FEATURE STORY IDEA Media Contact: Marla Carpenter, 336-770-3337, carpem@ncarts.edu ANNA-MARIE HOLMES TO BE FIRST RUDOLF NUREYEV GUEST ARTIST AT NCSA Gifts from the Rudolf Nureyev Dance Foundation, Joan Fleishman Tobin and R. Philip Hanes Jr., and Match from the University of North Carolina Endow $500,000 Professorship WINSTON-SALEM – Internationally acclaimed ballet luminary Anna-Marie Holmes will be in-residence at the North Carolina School of the Arts next week as recipient of the School’s first Rudolf Nureyev Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Ballet. Ms. Holmes will teach ballet technique and pointe/variations in the School of Dance April 18-22. In addition, she will coach students for the upcoming performance of “Don Quixote Suite” for NCSA’s Spring Dance Concert in May. “We are delighted to have Anna-Marie Holmes join us as our 2004-05 Rudolf Nureyev guest artist,” said NCSA School of Dance Dean Susan McCullough. “She is one of the world’s most celebrated ballet artists, acclaimed for her restaging of the classical ballet repertory and her dedication to the Russian tradition and pure classicism. “It is especially fitting that she is the first Nureyev guest artist because she and Rudolf Nureyev are known for making history at Boston Ballet.” Nureyev staged and starred in a production of “Don Quixote” at Boston Ballet in 1982, “catapulting the company into a new realm,” according to dancer and historian Emily Gresh. Ms. Holmes joined Boston Ballet in 1985, first as a teacher in the summer school, then as ballet mistress, assistant artistic director and associate artistic director. She was named artistic director in 1997 and served in that capacity through 2001. She staged many ballets there, including “Giselle,” “Don Quixote,” “Swan Lake” and “The Sleeping Beauty.” The North Carolina School of the Arts received a $150,000 challenge grant from the Rudolf Nureyev Dance Foundation in 2001 to establish an endowment fund to annually engage special guest artists from the world of classical ballet to enhance the School’s dance program, and to honor in perpetuity the memory of Rudolf Nureyev, one of the greatest dancers of the 20^th century. With the addition of generous private gifts from Joan Fleishman Tobin of Washington, D.C., and R. Philip Hanes Jr. of Winston-Salem, the endowment fund reached $250,000, which enabled the School to apply for a one-to-one match from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors’ Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund. That match was received late last year, creating the $500,000 Rudolf Nureyev Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Ballet. Anna-Marie Holmes has appeared as a ballerina or has taught in more than 30 countries on five continents. Born in Canada, she trained at the British Columbia School of Dancing with Lydia Korpova and Heino Heiden; in London, England, with Audrey de Vos and Errol Addison; and in Leningrad, Russia, with Natalia Dudinskaya and Alexander Pushkin of the legendary Kirov Ballet. Ms. Holmes was the first North American invited to perform with the Kirov, where her repertory included “Romeo and Juliet,” “Flames of Paris,” “Le Corsaire” and “Giselle.” She also has appeared with the London Festival Ballet, Royal Scottish Ballet, Berlin Staats Oper, Het Nationale Balett of Holland, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Chicago International Ballet, Ruth Page Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet, to name a few. In addition, many works were created for her by choreographers such as MacDonald, de Mille, Page, Corelli, and Darrell. She also has appeared with her husband, David Holmes. Known for her interpretations of the Russian classics, Ms. Holmes has produced or set these works in London, Lisbon, Rome, Montreal, New York, and Tokyo. She has taught and restaged many of the classics in America for such companies as Dance Theater of Harlem and American Ballet Theatre. Her staging of “Le Corsaire” for ABT in 1998 won an Emmy in 2000, when it appeared on PBS's “Great Performances.” In addition to her work with Boston Ballet, Ms. Holmes has served as co-director of the International Academy of Dance Costa de Sol in Portugal and as co-artistic director of Tennessee Festival Ballet. Artistic director of the School of the 1990 and 1994 USA International Ballet Competitions in Jackson, Miss., Ms. Holmes continues to be a guest teacher, coach and competition judge, and to stage ballets throughout the world. In 1997, Dance Magazine recognized her with an award for extraordinary and lasting contribution to the art form. In 2004, she staged “La Bayadere” for the National Ballet of Flanders and “Raymonda” for American Ballet Theater, and taught at the Royal Ballet in London, Le Ballet du Capitole in Toulouse, The Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, and at the North Carolina School of the Arts. This year, she is coaching “Swan Lake” at the Norwegian National Ballet and “Giselle” at the National Ballet of Flanders, teaching at the National Ballet of Helsinki, and preparing American Ballet Theatre for “Le Corsaire” and “Raymonda.” This summer will mark her sixth season as director of the ballet program at Jacob’s Pillow. The School of Dance at the North Carolina School of the Arts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a College Arts Diploma (college-level study of the discipline without academics), and the high school diploma with arts concentration. Both ballet and contemporary dance studies are available. Dance alumni include Gillian Murphy, principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre; Katita Waldo, principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet; Dwana Smallwood of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre; and Mark Dendy, choreographer and founder of Dendy Dance and Theater. The North Carolina School of the Arts was the first state-supported, residential performing arts school in the nation. Today, it is a leading conservatory of international renown, offering professional training for careers in dance, design and production, drama, filmmaking, music, and visual arts. For more information, visit www.ncarts.edu. ###

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April 15, 2005/FEATURE STORY IDEA
Media Contact: Marla Carpenter, 336-770-3337, carpem@ncarts.edu

ANNA-MARIE HOLMES TO BE FIRST
RUDOLF NUREYEV GUEST ARTIST AT NCSA
Gifts from the Rudolf Nureyev Dance Foundation, Joan Fleishman Tobin and
R. Philip Hanes Jr., and Match from the University of North Carolina
Endow $500,000 Professorship

WINSTON-SALEM – Internationally acclaimed ballet luminary Anna-Marie Holmes will be in-residence at the North Carolina School of the Arts next week as recipient of the School’s first Rudolf Nureyev Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Ballet.

Ms. Holmes will teach ballet technique and pointe/variations in the School of Dance April 18-22. In addition, she will coach students for the upcoming performance of “Don Quixote Suite” for NCSA’s Spring Dance Concert in May.

“We are delighted to have Anna-Marie Holmes join us as our 2004-05 Rudolf Nureyev guest artist,” said NCSA School of Dance Dean Susan McCullough. “She is one of the world’s most celebrated ballet artists, acclaimed for her restaging of the classical ballet repertory and her dedication to the Russian tradition and pure classicism.

“It is especially fitting that she is the first Nureyev guest artist because she and Rudolf Nureyev are known for making history at Boston Ballet.”

Nureyev staged and starred in a production of “Don Quixote” at Boston Ballet in 1982, “catapulting the company into a new realm,” according to dancer and historian Emily Gresh.

Ms. Holmes joined Boston Ballet in 1985, first as a teacher in the summer school, then as ballet mistress, assistant artistic director and associate artistic director. She was named artistic director in 1997 and served in that capacity through 2001. She staged many ballets there, including “Giselle,” “Don Quixote,” “Swan Lake” and “The Sleeping Beauty.”

The North Carolina School of the Arts received a $150,000 challenge grant from the Rudolf Nureyev Dance Foundation in 2001 to establish an endowment fund to annually engage special guest artists from the world of classical ballet to enhance the School’s dance program, and to honor in perpetuity the memory of Rudolf Nureyev, one of the greatest dancers of the 20^th century.

With the addition of generous private gifts from Joan Fleishman Tobin of Washington, D.C., and R. Philip Hanes Jr. of Winston-Salem, the endowment fund reached $250,000, which enabled the School to apply for a one-to-one match from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors’ Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund. That match was received late last year, creating the $500,000 Rudolf Nureyev Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Ballet.

Anna-Marie Holmes has appeared as a ballerina or has taught in more than 30 countries on five continents. Born in Canada, she trained at the British Columbia School of Dancing with Lydia Korpova and Heino Heiden; in London, England, with Audrey de Vos and Errol Addison; and in Leningrad, Russia, with Natalia Dudinskaya and Alexander Pushkin of the legendary Kirov Ballet.

Ms. Holmes was the first North American invited to perform with the Kirov, where her repertory included “Romeo and Juliet,” “Flames of Paris,” “Le Corsaire” and “Giselle.” She also has appeared with the London Festival Ballet, Royal Scottish Ballet, Berlin Staats Oper, Het Nationale Balett of Holland, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Chicago International Ballet, Ruth Page Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet, to name a few. In addition, many works were created for her by choreographers such as MacDonald, de Mille, Page, Corelli, and Darrell. She also has appeared with her husband, David Holmes.

Known for her interpretations of the Russian classics, Ms. Holmes has produced or set these works in London, Lisbon, Rome, Montreal, New York, and Tokyo. She has taught and restaged many of the classics in America for such companies as Dance Theater of Harlem and American Ballet Theatre. Her staging of “Le Corsaire” for ABT in 1998 won an Emmy in 2000, when it appeared on PBS's “Great Performances.”

In addition to her work with Boston Ballet, Ms. Holmes has served as co-director of the International Academy of Dance Costa de Sol in Portugal and as co-artistic director of Tennessee Festival Ballet. Artistic director of the School of the 1990 and 1994 USA International Ballet Competitions in Jackson, Miss., Ms. Holmes continues to be a guest teacher, coach and competition judge, and to stage ballets throughout the world.

In 1997, Dance Magazine recognized her with an award for extraordinary and lasting contribution to the art form.

In 2004, she staged “La Bayadere” for the National Ballet of Flanders and “Raymonda” for American Ballet Theater, and taught at the Royal Ballet in London, Le Ballet du Capitole in Toulouse, The Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen, and at the North Carolina School of the Arts. This year, she is coaching “Swan Lake” at the Norwegian National Ballet and “Giselle” at the National Ballet of Flanders, teaching at the National Ballet of Helsinki, and preparing American Ballet Theatre for “Le Corsaire” and “Raymonda.”

This summer will mark her sixth season as director of the ballet program at Jacob’s Pillow.

The School of Dance at the North Carolina School of the Arts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a College Arts Diploma (college-level study of the discipline without academics), and the high school diploma with arts concentration. Both ballet and contemporary dance studies are available. Dance alumni include Gillian Murphy, principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre; Katita Waldo, principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet; Dwana Smallwood of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre; and Mark Dendy, choreographer and founder of Dendy Dance and Theater.

The North Carolina School of the Arts was the first state-supported, residential performing arts school in the nation. Today, it is a leading conservatory of international renown, offering professional training for careers in dance, design and production, drama, filmmaking, music, and visual arts. For more information, visit www.ncarts.edu.

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