Seasons greetings and a happy 2010!

As a tumultuous 2009 draws to a close we would like to take a moment to reflect and thank all of you who contributed, supported and attended our performances. We chose to scale back our activities to accommodate the economic realities of being a young company in a crowded and under-funded Arts community, but still managed to pull off some pretty spectacular things. The OPB Project, our long planned and now executed filming of Artistic Director Alexandrous Ballards “SideShow” with 3 Leg Torso is now a reality. Come January it will be put into the hands of Oregon Public Broadcasting for scheduling as they see fit. A huge and special thanks to several of our most generous donors for this: The Schnitzer/Novack Foundation, Kevin Novack, The Larson Legacy, The Portland Ballet and Paul Ramsey and RAMMedia.

Many of you also responded to our call for modest financial help to keep operations up and running while we brought in new Board members and planned for the future. Your generosity was a tremendous help and we have been able to move ahead with exciting new plans including a new rehearsal space, a possible trip to the DanceUSA presenting festival in Washington DC and plans for bringing acclaimed contemporary choreographer James Gnam down from Vancouver, British Columbia. Thank you all so much!

We also have some exciting news about past and present dancers. Company apprentices for the OPB Project Kelly Ramis and Lauren Cannon have moved onto college, Lauren at University of Arizona’s dance program and Kelly was just accepted into Southern Methodist University’s dance program. Congratulations to both of them!
Megan Smith has moved back to Portland and we welcome her back into rehearsals and class. We have new dancers who will be visible on the website in the New Year as well as some cool pictures and a more extensive video collection. Check the website in about 1 month!

Company dancer Scott Trumbo and Melissa Framiglio were featured guests for “Nutcrackers” in Washington state, New Mexico and Oregon this year, and new company dancers Jenna Swanberg and Emily Bartha also appeared in “Nutcrackers” both local and out of town. Artistic Director Alexandrous Ballard was a repeat guest Artistic Director for Vancouver Dance Theater this year as well as appearing once again as the drunk Cossack in The Portland Ballet’s “La Boutique Fantasque” choreographed by John Clifford. He is new Adjunct Faculty at Portland State University, teaching beginning and Intermediate Ballet. Company dancer Renee Adams has her own business now!. Check her new website out at: www.learnthroughdance.com, most especially if you have little ones who want to learn to dance. Renee is a master at engaging and educating the younger set.

Bouand DanceCompany is now supported by the RACC! We received a grant to help us travel to Washington for the DanceUSA Festival. This is a first grant for us from them, and a big step forward!
We have a new technical and organizational assistant, James Holstadt who is working on streamlining our accounting and record-keeping. If we have not yet sent you a letter for your tax person, please let him know (james@bouanddancecompany.org) and we’ll get one right out to you.

That’s all the news for now, and once again a heartfelt thank you to all of you who sent funds in this trying time, we love and appreciate your trust, generosity and hope for our future.

Bouand DanceCompany staff and dancers.