Eastern European Performance Tour

One of the unique opportunities that Butler Ballet provides is a summer tour to Eastern Europe to perform, take class and explore historical and culturally rich cities. As dance majors, our schedules do not allow for study abroad opportunities during the year, but this is trip is better than a normal abroad program as it centers around showcasing us as dancers. Led by Professor Marek Cholewa, we travelled to six cities in four countries in three and a half weeks, giving us an idea of what it is like to be a part of a touring company. Starting in Warsaw, we then travelled to Poznan, Bratislava, Vienna, Krakow, and Prague. The pieces we performed were choreographed by Senior dance majors and were well rehearsed before we left. The cost of the trip varies depending on the amount of people who decide to go, but does include at least two meals a day, any public transportation needed for the group, tickets to shows and spontaneous ice cream outings.

We were able to take class at some of the most renowned schools in these countries such as the National School of Ballet in Warsaw and Cracow. We then would perform for them in an intimate classroom setting or as a guest in their major performances. Professor Susan McGuire also set a Modern  class demonstration which taught other students so they could understand what we focus on at Butler. In addition, we were able to experience some of the historical and cultural landmarks of these major cities. We visited the birthplace and childhood home of Frederick Chopin, walked through dozens of palaces and museums, went to the largest underground salt mine and had the chance to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau. 

This trip was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. We often slept on sleeper trains between cities and woke up at 6am after a restless night to take class, rehearse our pieces and then learn about the history of these cities with tours through museums and castles. We were also given free time to explore, shop and eat on our own. Most days were planned out meticulously, but there were times when we were told to "live in the moment" as schedules changed quickly and had to be ready for class at a moments notice. As we started to wear out, caffeine and chocolate became our saving grace, but we never totally fell apart from the strain of travel due to our ever-changing, beautiful surroundings.

Emmie Dietz, a Junior, thought to record our trip to show faculty and other students. It was also a great way to look back at the memories we had made from this bonding trip. I put the link below so all of you can watch it as well! Professor Cholewa offers this trip every other year and it is open to all dance majors, so if you do decide to come to Butler, this is one experience you do not want to miss out on!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27QEEKtoJ9k

Midsemester Mania

The first half of this semester has flown by! With so many things going on this year, it has been difficult to find time to take a step back and update all of you on the department and the school. We have been back in session for almost two months now and the faculty are focused on pushing us to our full potential by increasing the difficulty of their classes. Nutcracker rehearsals are in full swing as most of the sections have been finished and are now focused on cleaning. Student Choreography is also fast approaching with tech and production week just a few weeks away. This is always a very busy, but exciting time for the department as there are so many things to be a part of. 

This year, one additional opportunity has presented itself for our department. Following the Eastern European performance seminar that students took part in this summer (I will talk about this later!), we were invited to return to Bratislava, Slovakia for the International Concert of Schools of Dance. After a brief auditioning process, Professor Marek Cholewa chose five students, four girls and one guy, to represent the Butler Department of Dance by creating a new work. The students and Professor Cholewa will leave in late November to take class and perform in Bratislava and return before Thanksgiving. This is a highly anticipated event with rehearsals for the piece occurring both during and outside of normal Butler Ballet rehearsal time. This is a very physical, contemporary piece and everyone is excited to see the finished work. After this trip, I hope to have one of the dancers write about their experience!

In the Sigma Rho Delta realm, we recently had our Pledge Ceremony and welcomed 30 new freshmen as pledges this year! We will be putting on a showing of Rocky Horror for all of JCA where students can dress up as characters and participate alongside the movie. This will be a great opportunity for students of different departments to spend time with one another. 

As always please comment if you have any questions or would like a post about a specific topic!

New Year, New Blog!

Welcome to the Sigma Rho Delta Blog for Butler Ballet 2014-2015! In this we provide a way for current members to stay updated on our events and allow prospective students the opportunity to look behind the scenes at Butler Ballet by sharing current students' perspectives on our daily lives as Butler Ballet dancers. Classes begin in two short weeks so please check back as the new year gets going for updates on what we are working on and spotlights on the department. But for now, I can give an overview on what this year holds for our program.

This year, we will be welcoming 38 new dance majors, nine of whom are men, to our department! We once again have recently been ranked in the top five dance programs in the country. Not only is this due to the growing list of successful alumni and driven current students, but to our unbelievably passionate, professional and community-oriented faculty. Through their support and true love of teaching, we as students are placed in an environment that allows an overwhelming opportunity for growth as well as a family we can always depend upon.

Butler Ballet's performance season is always full of exciting opportunities for all of our dancers and this year is no exception. Our performances include a Student Choreography Showcase in October, The Nutcracker in December with rehearsals starting shortly after Fall classes begin, our Midwinter Dance Festival with Viva Vivaldi by Gerald Arpino as this year's feature, a Senior Choreography Production in March, and finally The Sleeping Beauty as our Spring Production in April.

We encourage you to comment on these posts with any questions or concerns you may have about the department, Sigma Rho Delta, campus life, or anything about Butler. We have all been in your shoes and know how difficult the college decision can be so please, please, please do not hesitate to ask. If you are interested, you can take a look at last year's blog for past insight, but please do check back as this year gets underway and see what's going on in the department and what it's like to be a part of Butler Ballet.