Catch A Little Stardust

Ever wish you could soar like American Ballet Theatre’s Jose Manuel Carreño? This summer, aspiring professionals can train with the soon-to-retire principal at Carreño Dance Festival in Sarasota, Florida, and can learn a few of his tips and tricks. 

Partnering with former Sarasota Ballet artistic director Robert de Warren, Carreño has put together a star-studded faculty list, including Ballet Nacional de Cuba ballet mistress Loipa Araujo, School of American Ballet’s Katrina Killian, ABT soloist Gennadi Saveliev and San Francisco Ballet ballet master Ricardo Bustamante—as well as Carreño himself. Unaffiliated with a particular school or company, the program houses a mix of techniques, allowing dancers to sample Vaganova, the Cuban school and Balanchine. “Dancers can begin to understand the differences in approach to techniques,” says de Warren. “We want to teach them how to be open and respect different styles in ballet.”

One of the biggest draws of the program, however, is that students will take many of their classes on the stage of the Sarasota Opera House. They’ll get to regularly practice feeling their lines without the help of mirrors and projecting their presence up to the balcony. 

Auditions take place throughout January and February. The inaugural three-week program runs from August 4 to 27. See www.carrenodancefestival.com. 

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This post has been revised to reflect the following correction: Robert de Warren is not the CEO of Sarasota Ballet.