atlanta ballet

Next Chapters: Atlanta Ballet’s John Welker on Retiring from a Professional Dance Career

January 25, 2017 by Rachel Hellwig

John Welker in "Seven Sonatas." Photo by Charlie McCullers. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet. — John Welker in “Seven Sonatas.” Photo by Charlie McCullers. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

“No matter how a dancer feels about their retirement and what they felt they did or did not accomplish, it is important to know you do not have to retire from dance altogether.” – John Welker

John Welker just completed a 22-year career with Atlanta Ballet, finishing with performances of John McFall’s Nutcracker in December 2016. Retirement can be a challenging time for a dancer and Welker offers thoughts and advice for those who are going through the process, considering it, or just want a window into this period of a dancer’s life…

How did you come to realize it was the right time to retire? What advice would you give to dancers who are trying to determine if this is the right decision for them?

For me personally, I could feel the time to retire from dancing was coming for several years – so it wasn’t some singular “ah ha” moment, it was a gradual process. While my body was holding up without injury and I felt great physically, I also knew my interests were increasingly outside the dancing studio. So, when it came to a point when I could feel a sense of ease when thinking about a life without the daily stresses of dancing, I knew it was time to retire.

Everyone is different, so there is no common template or universal path to retirement, but I do believe in trusting one’s own intuition as to what is best for your career and life. Overall, I would say trust your heart first, then act with your mind.

What’s next for you? How long have you been planning your second career? How soon do you think dancers should begin planning their second career?

I’ve been working at a dance degree at Kennesaw State University since 2009, so I’m looking forward to completing my undergraduate education in May 2017. I also will be applying for graduate school in Business and hope to begin working towards an MBA as soon as September 2017.

No time is too early to begin thinking about a second career, especially for professional dancers. Although dancers shouldn’t add more stress to themselves when they are dancing (there’s enough hardship to go around), it’s best to start at least exploring second career options incrementally when you have the luxury of time ahead of you.

Tara Lee and John Welker in "Four Seasons." Photo by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet. — Tara Lee and John Welker in “The Four Seasons.” Photo by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

What aspects of retirement have been harder or easier than you initially expected?

It is the ease of a structured daily schedule that you become so accustomed to when dancing. To not have that can be both liberating and terrifying. Also, we as dancers take for granted the community of creative people that we are always surrounding ourselves with on a daily basis. To not have that anymore to such a degree is also hard.

What have these past few months have been like as you concluded your dance career?

I have just started my post-dancing life, as you could call it, so I shall see as I progress. But I do know that I want to take it with a sense of adventure, in that to be uncomfortable is not a bad thing and to put yourself in situations which you might feel out of your element can be a very good thing. Also, I also want to be sure I stay physically active in some capacity, I know that will be very important to my sanity and health.

What advice would you give to dancers going through the process of retirement?

Retiring from a life’s passion is such a personal decision. No one is the same, nor are the circumstances surrounding one’s retirement from dancing which can dictate or determine why one decides to move on. But no matter how a dancer feels about their retirement and what they felt they did or did not accomplish, it is important to know you do not have to retire from dance altogether.

It’s important to note moving on from a professional dance career is a process and not just a momentary happening that signifies a complete break. Also, I feel dancers should cherish and value their accomplishments and memories, for these are the things that are yours to keep and cannot be taken away.

I believe it is very important for dancers to find what they are passionate about as they navigate a second career choice. What are the things that give back to you and make you feel like you’ve accomplished something? There are so many ways, other than dancing, to further enjoy and support dance that can give you a sense of fulfillment.

Don’t size up or confuse your personal path with someone else’s. And, most of all, enjoy whatever you set out to do!

Dancers-John-Welker-and-Christine-Winkler-The-Four-Seasons.-Photos by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet. — John Welker and Christine Winkler in “The Four Seasons.” Photos by Kim Kenney. Courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

Last Bows And New Beginnings

July 29, 2016 by Rachel Hellwig

By Rachel Hellwig

Gennadi Nedvigin in Cranko's Onegin. (© Erik Tomasson) — Gennadi Nedvigin in Cranko’s Onegin. (© Erik Tomasson)

The final performances of a career can be a difficult time in a dancer’s life, but Atlanta Ballet’s incoming artistic director, Gennadi Nedvigin, is looking toward the future.

“It’s bittersweet,” he said of his retirement in a phone interview. “But, I’m not saying goodbye. My new job is a continuation of the creational process. I’ll still be at home in the studio and part of making what happens on stage.”

Nedvigin, who completed 19 seasons with San Francisco Ballet in the spring, will perform for the last time on July 30 at DESPERTARES in Guadalajara, Mexico, an event showcasing renowned dancers including The Royal Ballet’s Lauren Cuthbertson, English National Ballet’s Tamara Rojo, San Francisco Ballet’s Maria Kochetkova, Dutch National Ballet’s Michaela DePrince, and New York City Ballet’s Joaquin De Luz, among others.

Atlanta Ballet’s 11-year veteran Nadia Mara will join Nedvigin as his dance partner. “I wanted Atlanta Ballet to be represented at the gala,” he said. “It’s wonderful to work with Nadia and get to know her better.”

At DESPERTARES, Nedvigin will perform a piece he didn’t get the chance to dance during his career–the Nighthawk pas de deux from Yuri Possokhov’s contemporary ballet Swimmer. “It’s a dream come true,” said Nedvigin, who appeared in other passages of Swimmer during its premiere at San Francisco Ballet in 2015 and encore earlier this year. “It’s emotional and challenging,” he explained. “Yuri is an intuitive choreographer and this pas de deux is a story within a story.”

In an intimate preview rehearsal at Atlanta Ballet’s studios on Monday, Nedvigin and Mara performed Nighthawk, set to Tom Waits’ smoky song of longing If I Have to Go. Dressed in costumes suggesting mid-century America–a dark suit and hat for him, a vintage-style red dress for her–Nedvigin and Mara portrayed a couple struggling through an undesired goodbye. Nedvigin also shared a lighthearted solo from the other piece he and Mara will perform in, Les Lutins by Johan Kobburg. The works highlighted Nedvigin’s refinement and diaphanous jumps and Mara’s strength and sense of drama.

In a post-performance Q&A, Mara said that Nedvigin already felt like part of the company’s family. Nedvigin is likewise looking forward to the start of the season next month. “I can’t wait to begin working with these dancers,” he said. “I’m excited about the future of Atlanta Ballet.”

Gennadi Nedvigin and Nadia Mara in Nighthawk pas de deux from Nighthawks pas de deux from Yuri Possokhov’s Swimmer. Photo by Charlie McCullers, courtesy of Atlanta Ballet. — Gennadi Nedvigin and Nadia Mara in *Nighthawk* pas de deux from Yuri Possokhov’s *Swimmer*. Photo by Charlie McCullers, courtesy of Atlanta Ballet.

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Dancing In The Summer Wind

July 25, 2016 by Rachel Hellwig

By Rachel Hellwig

Atlanta Ballet‘s Wabi Sabi provides company dancers with performance opportunities during the summer.

Find out how this troupe works and what’s coming up this season in our interview with founder and Atlanta Ballet dancer, John Welker…

Wabi Sabi. Dancer: Kiara Felder. Photograph by Jonah Hooper. — *Wabi Sabi*. Dancer: Kiara Felder. Photograph by Jonah Hooper.

What first inspired Wabi Sabi?

I took inspiration from many sources, but the main one was an article about the Japanese concept of “Wabi Sabi” and how beauty can be found in the quality of imperfection. For an artist, it’s a liberating concept: to embrace one’s imperfections cannot only be beautiful, but it can be used as a way to create beauty from what makes us unique as individuals.

How are dancers selected for Wabi Sabi?

Atlanta Ballet dancers mainly select themselves for Wabi Sabi. We give them the parameters of the summer and the work we will be doing. Then, they can determine whether it’s something they want to be a part of.

Do Wabi Sabi dancers have other summer jobs as well? Do rehearsal and performance schedules have to work around this?

Yes, oftentimes the dancers do hold other jobs; and I try to work with their summer schedules. Scheduling is the hardest part of my job. Everything has to be coordinated to work efficiently. This includes the dancers, choreographers, costumes designers, musicians, and performance venues, plus the production, marketing, ticketing, and development staff.

Rehearsal of Sean Hilton’s Dormant Gods

How are costumes, props, and other non-dance tasks handled within Wabi Sabi?

Wabi Sabi was built in 2011 under the company umbrella of Atlanta Ballet. This gives us the ability to create and do things with a limited budget that we otherwise couldn’t.

We rely on the support of Atlanta Ballet’s staff for everything non-dance related such as costumes and props. That said, it is wholly a group effort. In large part, Wabi Sabi is able to do what it does because job titles are thrown out the door. You can find dancers doing production work. You can find development staff doing marketing work. Occasionally, we will run into a project where it is necessary to hire outside sources, but it is rare.

How long does it take to plan a season for Wabi Sabi?

Though we operate only in the summer, it takes a year of planning to make it happen.

What’s coming up for Wabi Sabi this summer?

[Read more…]

Saying Goodbye To Atlanta Ballet’s John McFall

May 20, 2016 by 4dancers

John McFall with dancers — **John McFall and dancers from Atlanta Ballet. Photo by Brian Wallenberg.**

Dear John,

You are stepping down as Artistic Director of Atlanta Ballet this month after 21 years. How to describe what your tenure accomplished? How to distill such a career?

I could talk about the numbers. How the budget has nearly tripled since 1994 or the 1200 students enrolled in the school. I could talk about how Atlanta Ballet has transformed in your two decades from a regional dance troupe to a world-class institution. About the exciting collaborations- Big Boi from Outkast, the Indigo Girls. Or about the world premieres- Twyla Tharp’s first full length ballet, Helen Pickett’s Camino Real. I could talk about the tour to China, the opening of a beautiful new building, your own choreography including the record-breaking Nutcracker. I could talk about the cutting-edge choreographers like Ohad Naharin, Alexander Ekman and Jorma Elo that you convinced out of a sheer doggedness and passion for your dancers to come to a city in the Southeast and bring their work to us.

These things are astounding, valid and commendable. But you know all these things already.

And this letter isn’t about what you’ve done for Atlanta Ballet. It’s what you’ve done for me and your dancers. So I’d rather talk about the joy. [Read more…]

Atlanta Ballet to Finish Season with “MAYhem: Kissed”

May 19, 2016 by Rachel Hellwig

Atlanta Ballet in "Classical Symphony." Photo by Kim Kenney. — Atlanta Ballet in “Classical Symphony.” Photo by Kim Kenney.

By Rachel Hellwig

Atlanta Ballet wraps up its 2015-2016 season this weekend with MAYhem: Kissed at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre from May 20-22. The mixed-repertory program will feature the world premiere of Andrea Miller‘s Push, Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s El Beso, and Yuri Possokhov‘s Classical Symphony.

MAYhem: Kissed is Atlanta Ballet’s final performance under John McFall, who has led the company as artistic director since 1994. “As far as my heart, my soul, my mind, I’m always going to have a connection to Atlanta Ballet,” he told The Atlanta Journal Constitution last September.

Push by Andrea Miller “takes the different facets of human relationships and fits them in to a tapestry of movement,” says Atlanta Ballet dancer Devon Joslin.

“Andrea had us all go through these different improv exercises in order to develop each specific emotion in our dancing,” she explains. “It was a simple task, but she has this way of digging things out of you that you didn’t think you had to offer. I have a solo that’s about the shame you feel when you open yourself up to someone wholeheartedly and they don’t reciprocate. I’m not the most confident person in the world so those feelings of shame and embarrassment came more naturally. Push is emotional. It’s human. It conveys things that every person in the audience has felt or will feel at some point in his or her life.”

Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s El Beso, set to Spanish Zarzuela music, was created in 2014 for New York City’s Ballet Hispanico.“This work explores the various kinds of kisses you can have in your life: friendship, family, passion, and social kisses,” says Atlanta Ballet’s Rachel Van Buskirk. “It’s extremely fast and detailed. The movement is so musical that it makes dancing it instinctual. My favorite part is the friendship trio I dance with fellow company members Jackie Nash and Heath Gill. It’s a blast to share this with your close friends. No acting required!”

“El Beso is, in large part, an autobiographical account of the choreographer’s early life and family–and I love that aspect of it,” adds John Welker, who’s danced with Atlanta Ballet for the past 21 seasons. “There’s also a playfulness in the music and movement that’s easy to feel. I enjoy the challenge of making this quick and dense choreography appear easy and articulate. Not an easy task.”

Classical Symphony, an encore performance from last year, was created for San Francisco Ballet in 2010 by the company’s choreographer in residence, Yuri Possokhov. The work received praise from Alastair Macaulay of The New York Times for the “sheer exuberance of its often unorthodox ballet virtuosity.”

Accompanied live by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, Classical Symphony is performed to Sergei Prokofiev’s “Classical” Symphony No. 1, which debuted in 1918. “It seemed to me that if Haydn had lived into this era, he would have kept his own style while absorbing things from what was new in music,” the composer wrote.”That’s the kind of symphony I wanted to write: a symphony in the Classical style.” (He also later reused the symphony’s third movement in his iconic ballet score for Romeo and Juliet.)

“Classical Symphony is the challenge of the technique, classicism, and stamina of a traditional full-length ballet condensed into roughly a 16-minute piece,” says Jackie Nash. “It also incorporates fun modern flourishes and playful dynamics.”

In Classical Symphony, Nash will revisit a role she danced last May. “In 2015, this was the first principal part I performed, so there were some nerves that came along with the process,” she explains. “But this time around I have really liked getting to relax into the role a bit more. I also love getting to dance with Christian Clark. His skills as a partner are so refined and effortless and it allows me to really indulge in the steps. I feel I am in such good hands–literally.”

Classical Symphony is also notable in that it first brought Gennadi Nedvigin, Atlanta Ballet’s incoming artistic director, to the company when he staged the work on them in 2014. “I was drawn to the sense of community among Atlanta Ballet’s dancers,” he said in April. “And I was proud of their performance.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJcfDaSgLC8

Tickets start at $25. Purchase here or call call 404-892-3303.

“Runtime is approximately 2 hours, including 2 intermissions.

*Please note that one of the pieces on this program uses strobe lighting.” (from Atlanta Ballet’s website)

What first inspired Wabi Sabi?

How are dancers selected for Wabi Sabi?

Do Wabi Sabi dancers have other summer jobs as well? Do rehearsal and performance schedules have to work around this?

How are costumes, props, and other non-dance tasks handled within Wabi Sabi?

How long does it take to plan a season for Wabi Sabi?

What’s coming up for Wabi Sabi this summer?

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