#3901
Posted: 2/13/06 at 10:17am
I'll start things off by directing everyone to an interview with our Glebby at criticaldance.com
snippets:
An Interview with Mark Goldweber,
Ballet Master, The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago
June, 2002
By Dean Speer and Francis Timlin
A Passionate, In-Depth Commitment to Keeping the Ballet Flame Alive
On a recent sunny Seattle Sunday, we conversed with Mark Goldweber about his career and ballet-mastering.
How long have you been Ballet Master for the Joffrey?
About six years. After retiring from performing with the Joffrey Ballet in New York, I went to Pacific Ballet Theatre in Portland, Oregon which later merged with another company to form what's now Oregon Ballet Theatre. I was in Portland for a total of 9 years.
How did you arrive at your current position? Was it a natural process for you, e.g., do you learn parts easily or have a gift for teaching and coaching?
Yes! I'm actually from Miami where as a young boy, I studied and performed with Miami Ballet under Thomas Armour and in hanging around the studio, I learned parts of dancers fairly naturally. Everyone realized I had an eye and talent for ballet-mastering when at age sixteen, I staged the “Pas de Dix” from Raymonda for The Miami Ballet. Sally Bliss saw me while she was an adjudicator for SE Regional Ballet Association and recommended me to Mr. Joffrey. I always was one who seemed to know everyone's parts!
Tell us a little more about your background – where you trained and of your professional career.
As I mentioned earlier, with Thomas Armour in Miami and also with Martha Mahr. I spent one year at Mary Day's in Washington, D.C., and one summer at SAB when I was 12. I lived in Violette Verdy's apartment with her mother, along with a couple of other young male ballet students, including Victor Barbee. NYCB was in Saratoga, so her place was free, but she did drop in now and then. I also got to know her as she would come as a guest artist to Mr. Armour's company.
***
You've known some "greats." Tell us a few stories...
Well, I had had success as the 'Blue Boy' (a turning part) in Les Patineurs. In 1978 Agnes de Mille came to create A Bridegroom Called Death at the Joffrey and asked, “Can you do 12 pirouettes every time?” Being honest, I had to reply that I couldn't guarantee 12 EVERY time. I didn't get the part [laughs]! This was a lesson for me in needing to be more confident. Mr. Joffrey always seemed to be very “in tune” and I always liked him, even as a 12-year old. As I could learn quickly and was open, I seemed to be a bit of a muse for him. I really enjoyed the collaborative choreographic process.
***
What's fun in ballet for you?
As a dancer, I loved performing Puck and Mercutio. As ballet master, I like seeing growth and find it very rewarding when dancers become great artists.
We have a lot of work left to do here in Chicago but I'm very optimistic. We still have a connection with our school in New York and in fact, I'm guest teaching there this Summer; 18 classes a week!
An Interview with Mark Goldweber
snippets:
An Interview with Mark Goldweber,
Ballet Master, The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago
June, 2002
By Dean Speer and Francis Timlin
A Passionate, In-Depth Commitment to Keeping the Ballet Flame Alive
On a recent sunny Seattle Sunday, we conversed with Mark Goldweber about his career and ballet-mastering.
How long have you been Ballet Master for the Joffrey?
About six years. After retiring from performing with the Joffrey Ballet in New York, I went to Pacific Ballet Theatre in Portland, Oregon which later merged with another company to form what's now Oregon Ballet Theatre. I was in Portland for a total of 9 years.
How did you arrive at your current position? Was it a natural process for you, e.g., do you learn parts easily or have a gift for teaching and coaching?
Yes! I'm actually from Miami where as a young boy, I studied and performed with Miami Ballet under Thomas Armour and in hanging around the studio, I learned parts of dancers fairly naturally. Everyone realized I had an eye and talent for ballet-mastering when at age sixteen, I staged the “Pas de Dix” from Raymonda for The Miami Ballet. Sally Bliss saw me while she was an adjudicator for SE Regional Ballet Association and recommended me to Mr. Joffrey. I always was one who seemed to know everyone's parts!
Tell us a little more about your background – where you trained and of your professional career.
As I mentioned earlier, with Thomas Armour in Miami and also with Martha Mahr. I spent one year at Mary Day's in Washington, D.C., and one summer at SAB when I was 12. I lived in Violette Verdy's apartment with her mother, along with a couple of other young male ballet students, including Victor Barbee. NYCB was in Saratoga, so her place was free, but she did drop in now and then. I also got to know her as she would come as a guest artist to Mr. Armour's company.
***
You've known some "greats." Tell us a few stories...
Well, I had had success as the 'Blue Boy' (a turning part) in Les Patineurs. In 1978 Agnes de Mille came to create A Bridegroom Called Death at the Joffrey and asked, “Can you do 12 pirouettes every time?” Being honest, I had to reply that I couldn't guarantee 12 EVERY time. I didn't get the part [laughs]! This was a lesson for me in needing to be more confident. Mr. Joffrey always seemed to be very “in tune” and I always liked him, even as a 12-year old. As I could learn quickly and was open, I seemed to be a bit of a muse for him. I really enjoyed the collaborative choreographic process.
***
What's fun in ballet for you?
As a dancer, I loved performing Puck and Mercutio. As ballet master, I like seeing growth and find it very rewarding when dancers become great artists.
We have a lot of work left to do here in Chicago but I'm very optimistic. We still have a connection with our school in New York and in fact, I'm guest teaching there this Summer; 18 classes a week!
An Interview with Mark Goldweber
Updated On: 2/13/06 at 10:17 AM
