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Who's new at RIOULTRIOULT welcomes Jere, Darwin, Chase, apprentices & Saran to the RIOULT family! Who are Jere Hunt & Darwin Black? A few words from Joyce Herring, Associate Artistic Director, about the importance of having apprentice dancers...  "RIOULT's ability to have apprentices this year is extremely important. All the apprentices this year are really exceptional young dancers. They all appreciate the value and the concept of an apprenticeship, which enables them to dig deep into their work and hone their craft towards a specific goal rather than jumping from one project to the next."We are happy to introduce our 2010 - 2011 apprentice dancers: Adrianne Chu, Timothy Kochka, Ann Olson, Drew Shuler, and Holt Walborn. Director of Development Saran Simmons...  Saran Simmons, our new Director of Development, is thrilled to be on board the RIOULT team. She comes to us with development experience from Evidence, Inc., a modern dance company founded by Ronald K. Brown, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation. Most recently, Saran provided fundraising counsel for leading New York area nonprofit organizations including arts, cultural, health and educational institutions. She also served as Director of Development and Communications at the YWCA of Brooklyn, overseeing its entire grant making process and cultivating major gifts as well as individual giving. In her spare time Saran loves to read, but she also indulges in her favorite physical pursuits including dance, yoga, running and swimming, and still has her eye on the prize of becoming a decent surfer. Postcards from the RoadRIOULT's European Tour, March 2010Making stops in Belgium, Italy, France, and Switzerland  One of RIOULT's many shared dinners on the road.  Dancer Jane Sato in front of her poster in Caudry, France.  Little itsy beers for dancers Charis Haines, Stacy Soroczynski, and Brian Flynn! Read what people are saying about RIOULT in Europe... "Thank you for sharing with us your passion, your talent and your genius! And most of all thank you for making this world seem so beautiful after seeing you on stage." - Léonie T. (Vevey, Switzerland) "...this is the kind of modern dance I like. We could not believe how "petite" the dancers looked after seeming so powerful on stage, and dancing for such a long time!" - Laure & Jim C. (Rueil Malmaison, France)  Letter from the Executive Director Hello! Bonjour! Buon Giorno! As we hold the fort down here in NYC, internationally-acclaimed RIOULT continues its European tour throughout France, Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland. I'm delighted to write that the feedback has been tremendous. In fact, the latest performance just outside of Paris was sold-out, meaning standing-room-only for Pascal and Joyce! And March 17 wasn't just St. Patrick's Day, but also "Pascal Rioult Day"...Bon Anniversaire, Pascal! Back at RIOULT headquarters, I'd like to report on what's been happening since our last Newsletter. For my first 6 months, it's been quite a wild ride and I wouldn't have it any other way. In October, we had a very successful residency at Kaatsbaan International Dance Center where Pascal worked on his newest creations, "Shadow Box," and "City." And if you haven't yet visited, you really should plan a trip to Tivoli, NY for next year's public performances at Kaatsbaan in March - a great venue and a perfect weekend getaway. From there, we segued into a RIOULT Circle event at Zemi's Restaurant in Chelsea, where the snow was no match for the hard-core Circle patrons. Kudos to dancers Michael and Brian for their indomitable spirit. (or is that "spirits"!) The following month of January was the all-important Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) showcases, organized by our 24/7 booking guru, Amy Harrison. Nonstop networking with presenters from around the world - good job, Amy! On the heels of APAP came our Season at The Joyce Theater and annual Gala dinner honoring the inimitable Tommy Tune. He lit up the room and boy, can he still kick! The dancers were superb, the audiences delighted, and the press coverage priceless. After a stop in Lakewood, NJ at the historic Strand Theater, the company jetted off to perform in the Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts. I had to go on this tour myself, telling my family I was working, but truth be known I was having fun with an old friend who was gracious enough to help with transportation and hospitality for the company. Thank you Francesca! It was a treasured experience. Down the pike, we have upcoming performances in Staten Island on May 11 at the Center for the Arts through Hospital Audiences, Inc. and in Dobbs Ferry, NY on May 15 at the Claudia Boettcher Theatre - another grand venue worth the short trip from NYC. If you're traveling south, RIOULT will also be performing in Gainesville, FL at the Phillips Center as part of the "Chords of Color for a Cause" festival on May 20. Adventure comes from the Latin word, advenio, or "I come closer." Adventure means continuing to go toward that which is unexplored as yet. Let us all continue this most epic adventure. All the best, Liz RIOULT's DanceREACH Spring Activities  Our Bolero residency was a huge success for fourth and fifth graders at PS 32 last month. We received tremendous evaluations from the students and staff. Fifth grade teacher Ms.Vaccan wrote "The machine-like movements were great for all kids to participate. The boys didn't feel like they were asked to be "ballerinas", and the students loved that they were able to create movement for the dance." Fifth grader Kayla wrote "I felt excited to help create movement. I also liked how we picked little pieces of everyone's movement and made it into a wonderful dance."
On April 21st we are off to the French Institute, Alliance Française to perform a lecture demonstration based on Pascal's piece Views of the Fleeting World. We have invited our partner schools PS 11 and PS 163 to attend this performance and they will be bringing an enthusiastic group of over 300 children. Highlights from RIOULT's Gala Honoring Tommy Tune Co-Chairs Susan P. & Dod A. Fraser Lee & Marvin Traub  Artistic Director Pascal Rioult with Gala Honoree Tommy Tune Honoring the legendary nine-time Tony award winner Tommy Tune, RIOULT held its annual Gala fundraiser on Wednesday, January 20th at The Altman Building following a performance at The Joyce Theater in Chelsea. The evening was a celebration of the two choreographers' shared commitment and passion for dance. Funds raised during the event supported health insurance for the dancers.  Projection Artist Brian Beasley with Clifford Chen, Amanda Ferguson, and dancers Stacy Soroczynski, Marianna Tsartolia, and Brian Flynn  Tommy Tune with company friend Gina Delio and Board member Terry Rieser  Board Chair Hope Greenfield with Associate Artistic Director Joyce Herring, and Board member Hazel Kandall Click Here to see more RIOULT Gala photos in New York Social Diary Fundraising Highlights We are delighted to report that RIOULT has received support this year from the Shana Alexander Charitable Foundation and the Jana Foundation for residencies with NYC public school children in three schools in Manhattan and Brooklyn. In addition, we are honored to announce new support from the National Endowment for the Arts for the creation of Shadow Box which premiered at The Joyce Theater in January. The company, staff, and dancers are deeply grateful for The Geoffrey C. Hughes Foundation's challenge grant of $10,000 to offset increased health insurance costs for artistic staff. Many longtime and new donors came together to give new funds to fully match this challenge grant. Thank you! Major supporters of RIOULT's include Air France, Shana Alexander Charitable Foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies, Crédit Industriel et Commercial, Grand Marnier Foundation, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Harriet & Gordon Greenfield Foundation, The Geoffrey C. Hughes Foundation, Jana Foundation, Kendall-Parker Associates LLP, Kenneth French Fund for New Works, Lepercq deNeuflize & Co., The Lepercq Foundation, Macy's Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Morgan Stanley Foundation, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York Community Trust, New York State Council on the Arts, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Shubert Foundation, and Sidley Austin LLP. Gala Celebration 
Save the date! Wednesday, January 20 at the Altman Building in Chelsea for our 16th anniversary celebration. Acclaimed dancer/choreographer/director Tommy Tune has graciously accepted our invitation to honor him for his longtime devotion to and our shared passion for dance. Join us for a fun and festive evening immediately following the company's performance at The Joyce Theater. For more information call 212-398-5901. (Photo by Peter Glebo) Mark your calendars! RIOULT returns to The Joyce Theater January 19-24 with two programs. Look for the return of last season's hit, The Great Mass, as well as two new works from Pascal along with Bolero and a revival of Harvest. Get your seats now. Letter From Tthe Artistic Director 
Dear Friends, As I leave behind a season that has proved to be both extremely challenging and so successful, I cannot help but reflect on the reason for this paradox and feel blessed. You have all continued supporting the company and my work, coming in record numbers to our Joyce Theater season. We also toured to more cities in which enthusiastic audiences filled the theaters. In times of uncertainty and struggle, the arts have the ability to take us away from the dread of everyday life, elevate our spirits, and fill our hearts with hope. The arts reaffirm the knowledge of our humanity, of belonging to a community and at the same time make us feel in touch with something bigger than ourselves. The arts can be a lens through which we can put our life in perspective. Of course, it doesn't hurt to be entertained or bathed in beauty at the time of a performance! I do feel fortunate to be able to do what I love and make a difference for a moment in someone's life and I know that my wonderful dancers know as much. I see it in their bodies on stage; I saw it on their faces last week when we started on my new piece. I am looking forward to a new season and to seeing all of you at The Joyce Theater in January. Love, Pascal (Photo by Basil Childers) Letter From the Executive Director  "I feel that the essence of dance is the expression of man - the landscape of his soul. I hope that every dance I do reveals something of myself or some wonderful thing a human can be." - Martha GrahamI don't think one can be creative without revealing a part of who one is; true talent comes from within, stimulating the mind and heart, and Pascal embodies that truth in his choreography. One cannot watch his work and not be touched by its humanizing beauty, brilliantly presented by truly marvelous dancers. That's what makes Pascal's work so unique and honest and that is why I am so delighted to join the close and caring community that is RIOULT-one that believes that the arts are central to a fulfilling existence. As I embark on a journey that I feel is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship, I ask each and every one of you to think about what is important in your lives and what effect the arts have on it. I invite you to join us as we continue to shape the future and celebrate the creative experience. In one bold stroke you can help RIOULT entertain, inspire, and teach by helping ensure its financial well-being, by making a donation. Each gift does make a difference. During this new season, let's embrace the indomitable spirit that is the hallmark of RIOULT. (Photo by Basil Childers) More About our new Executive Director!  New Executive Director, Elizabeth (Liz) LaCause joined the team in August and has been busy ever since learning the ropes and getting the organization primed for the coming season. Liz comes to us with a wealth of experience in dance and the arts. The School of American Ballet was her entry point, and she studied there until a chronic injury led her to shift her focus at 17 to pursue a double major in Dance and English at Skidmore College. Degree in hand, Liz branched out, spending a few years in Italy teaching Gyrotonics and working for the Ferragamo family, returning to NYC to go into public relations for the performing arts, and later working in the New York City Ballet's Education Department-eventually starting her own per-project PR business after 9/11. These part time assignments in the arts kept her connected while raising her two children (now 12 and 14). Then, in 2006, Liz earned her Masters Degree in Nonprofit Management, putting her new skills to work as executive director of the Staten Island Chamber Music Players. She's pleased to be at RIOULT. "The company is in a position to really take off and so am I," she says. "The timing is good for both of us." Fundraising  We are thrilled to report that RIOULT has received support this year from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts for a pilot residency at P.S. 32 in Brooklyn. Thank you NYC DCA and NYSCA! We would also like to thank the Rockefeller Brothers Fund for supporting this year's capacity building initiatives in individual giving, tour advancement, and new technology. These critical funds are helping to grow our individual giving circle, increase our performance bookings, and improve our use of technology. Thank you! (Photo by Nina Alovert) E-Marketing 
RIOULT entered the social networking arena last year with a presence on MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and a blog on Wordpress. We are pleased that Penélope González, who has captivated RIOULT audiences for the past ten years, has begun a new phase of her career as E-Marketing Manager. As she continues to dance and assist at rehearsals, she's also looking forward to her online responsibilities-one of which is to create a video blog of company activities, including interviews with the dancers. (Photo by Albert Laufer) New Office Manager  Welcome Kali Crandall, our new Operations and Development Associate. Kali comes to us as she begins work on her Masters in Arts & Cultural Management at Pratt Institute. With a background in dance at the University of Rochester in upstate, NY-where she, too, was a double major (Studio Arts and Brain and Cognitive Science)-Kali joined a student-run dance performance group. Along with performing, she found herself drawn to the fundraising/administrative aspect of the group. "It comes naturally to me," she says. When asked why she wanted to work for RIOULT she replied, "I wanted to work for an organization that inspires its audience and RIOULT actively achieves this goal." With strengths in development, marketing and promotions, Kali is well up to her current position with RIOULT. A Thank You and an Education Update
Gala Honors Media Pioneer Sonya Hamlin  Loyal supporters and new friends joined RIOULT at a festive evening on April 15 at the historic Altman Building in Chelsea. The event honored acclaimed communications field pioneer and ground-breaking leader, Sonya Hamlin. We were thrilled to honor Sonya, whose keen insights into the art of dance and into the humanity and passions that we all share have made her our trusted advisor for many years. (Pictured above: Honoree Sonya Hamlin, Pascal Rioult, and dancers. Photo by Chris George) RIOULT Performs to Sold-Out Houses at The Joyce  RIOULT's return to The Joyce Theater for a seventh season was a rousing success in every way. The run opened with the world premiere of Pascal's The Great Mass set to music of the same name by Mozart. Two programs— the evening-length The Great Mass, plus Views of the Fleeting World, Les Noces and Wien— attracted return visits, pushing audience attendance to 91% and selling out three shows. (Pictured above: RIOULT dancers perform The Great Mass. Photo by Ellen Crane) Participate in Our Next Joyce Theater Season (January 19-24, 2010)  RIOULT's recently completed Joyce Theater season was a tremendous success--as witnessed by the size and enthusiasm of our audiences. Our generous donors, along with our dedicated dancers and Pascal's choreographic brilliance, made that accomplishment possible. Pascal's work has been described in the New York Times as "heroic and spiritual, with a look of rooted resiliency." Our organization has also had to be rooted and resilient to reach this moment, but in order for Pascal and the dancers to continue, we must ask for your help. Please consider making an online donation now so that we can make our next Joyce Theater season even better. If you are interested in being a volunteer for RIOULT, contact info@prdance.org. Thank you. — Joyce Herring (Pictured above: Pascal in the studio with dancers. Photo by Neill Roan) Donate Online or by Mail TodayCatch RIOULT at Central Park SummerStage, Summer Workshops and More 
(Pictured above from right: Marianna Tsartolia, Stacy Soroczynski, Charis Haines, and Jane Sato in Les Noces. Photo by Basil Childers)
RIOULT Circle Debut, New Office and Other News 
(Pictured above: RIOULT Circle founders Michael Phillips and Brian Flynn with RC member Marc Raybin) Fun and Learning with Learning Through Movement  Recent Learning Through Movement (RIOULT's education program) activities featured full residencies with culminating performances at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Urban Assembly School of Business for Young Women, PS 11 William Harris School, Lyceum Kennedy French School, and PS 163 Alfred E. Smith School. RIOULT also gave lecture/demonstration performances at the French Institute Alliance Français and the French American School of New York. (Pictured above: Young students audition for Learning Through Movement'S Small Steps project in West Palm Beach, FL New Grants from Shana Alexander Charitable and Jana Foundations We are thrilled to welcome new donors, the Shana Alexander Charitable Foundation and the Jana Foundation. Their important funding helped support education residencies this year at four NYC public schools. Thank you for your support! We would also like to thank the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund for supporting RIOULT's re-branding and marketing efforts this year. These critical funds supported the creation of RIOULT's new visual language. Thank you! And finally, a big thank-you to all of our institutional funders: Major supporters of RIOULT's 2008-2009 season include Air France, Shana Alexander Charitable Foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies, Crédit Industriel et Commercial, The Grand Marnier Foundation, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Harriet & Gordon Greenfield Foundation, The Geoffrey C. Hughes Foundation, Gupton Marrs Int'l, Jana Foundation, Kenneth French Fund for New Works, LePercq de Neuflize, The Lepercq Foundation, The Lila Acheson Wallace Theater Fund of the New York Community Trust, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Shubert Foundation, and the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation. RIOULT's Performances on Two Continents and at Home  Following our stunning 2008 New York season at New York University's Skirball Center, RIOULT danced to live music at the LaJolla Music Society SummerFest in LaJolla, CA, and returned to the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, FL, where we presented our Family Program. International tours included Mexico (performances in four cities as part of the Tamaulipas Festival) and two trips to Europe, with performances in Italy, France, Switzerland and Luxembourg. 2009 got off to a great start with performances in Berkeley, CA and a blitz of showings at the annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference in January. After the 2009 New York Season at the Joyce Theater and the Claudia Boettcher Theatre at the Masters School at Dobb's Ferry, NY, we are looking forward to an eventful rest of the year. (Pictured above: Pascal Rioult and dancers. Photo by Basil Childers) Glorious Gala 2008  Pascal Rioult presents a gift to honoree Hope Greenfield (on right) during the 2008 Gala celebration. RIOULT hosted its annual gala on June 3, where we honored Hope Greenfield and the Harriet and Gordon Greenfield Foundation. Hope has been a supporter of the company for many years and a board member since 2005. Her family has a long tradition of involvement in the performing arts, especially through the Greenfield Foundation, a private family foundation that supports music and music-related performing arts. Crowd-pleasing 2008 New York Season This year's New York Season, which closed on June 7, featured the debut of Pascal's latest work, "Views of the Fleeting World," commissioned by the Harriet and Gordon Greenfield Foundation. The new piece was met with tremendously positive feedback from viewers each night. "The dance demanded attention for its choreographed patterns that exploded as quickly as they dissolved." - The Daily Gazette "Sections titled 'Orchard,' 'Gathering Storm,' and 'Wild Horses' suggest the images of their titles, as Bach's solemn 'The Art of the Fugue,' arranged for chamber orchestra, provides a scaffold for the choreographer's canonic and contrapuntal arrangements of heroic lunges, contractions, twisting falls, and sustained extensions." - Gus Solomons Jr. "The evening was magnificent. I've seen many modern dance companies, but this one was truly special. His choreographic style changed for each piece. The dancers were impeccably trained and their execution extraordinary. Each and every single dancer on that stage was giving 110% to his or her respective performance. I would love to see this company several times a season." - FUZE High 5 Tickets patron RIOULT dances for DRA in Times Square  RIOULT was delighted to join around 30 of New York's best dance companies on June 8 for Dancing at the Crossroads in Times Square, an annual free event sponsored by Dancers Responding to AIDS. The company performed an excerpt from "Prelude to Night," starring dancer Penelope Gonzales. |
