New York City Loves OUR Sarasota Ballet

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

The original plan for this article was to write about The Sarasota Ballet’s international intensive summer program, an amazing 5-week opportunity for the aspiring professional dancer. But something quite unexpected happened that redirected the focus of this piece — The Sarasota Ballet was invited back to the Joyce Theater in New York City for seven performances in August of this year.

Why is this noteworthy? The Joyce Theater is one of the major dance houses of America. It presents companies from all over the world such as Les Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Eiko & Koma, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. The Joyce Theater is simply a huge international dance venue that’s synonymous with world-class dance, so performing there is significant.

But The Sarasota Ballet was just there in 2016 for an entire week of shows. So again — what’s the big deal? 

Director Iain Webb notes that the big deal is this: even if you’re a success at the Joyce, you have to wait quite a few years before being invited back. “But they were so excited about what the company’s doing that we’ve been invited back for 2018,” he says. “It’s unheard of to be brought back so soon. It stems from the interest New York City has in what we’re doing.”

New York’s been interested in The Sarasota Ballet for some time now. After the company did an event in Washington DC several years ago along with nine other ballet companies, the New York Times sent a reporter down to Sarasota to find out what was going on here. Why? Webb explains: “We were the youngest company. I was the director with the shortest tenure. We had the smallest budget. But we were the ones people were talking about. People were quite literally focused on us.”

Not bad for a company founded in 1987 that didn’t even become a full resident ballet company until 1990. 

“The program that we’re doing there [at the Joyce Theater] sums up the DNA of the company,” says Webb, who is committed to paying particular care and respect to historical works. It starts with a company premiere of Sir Frederick Ashton’s Varii Capricci. Then they’re performing There Where She Loved, a piece by Christopher Wheeldon, one of the most sought-after choreographers of today. “And with Symphony of Sorrows, a piece by The Sarasota Ballet member Ricardo Graziano,” notes Webb, “we’re looking to the future.”

But what’s equally as impressive as being invited back to the Joyce so soon is that the company is being allowed to change the lineup for the Saturday performances in order to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Sir Ashton’s passing (to the very day). The performances that day will feature Varii Capricci as well as diverts and selections from his ballets, which will showcase the vast range of Sir Ashton’s choreographic genius. These include Monotones II, the final pas de deux from The Two Pigeons and Méditation from Thaïs.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” Webb says. “The people of Sarasota have opened their hearts. They appreciate what I’m trying to do here. And as a result of our company’s success, we’ve been to New York City four times, Washington DC twice, as well as the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. The dancers and everyone involved feels the same way I do about it—we’re representing the state of Florida. We’re showing the culture of our area.”

When asked what brought Webb to The Sarasota Ballet 11 years ago, he jokes that it was “the sunshine and the beach.” But he quickly adds that in those 11 years, he’s only been to the beach four times. What really drew him was that all the other similarly-sized companies were doing the same works. The Sarasota Ballet offered a chance for something unique—they had an interest in presenting a wider, more eclectic repertoire. Thanks to Webb’s relationships with some of the biggest names in the dance world, they’ve been able to expand the repertoire and do things like bring in Sir Anthony Dowell for 10 days to coach the dancers. “I learned more from him during those 10 days then I did during my time with him in the same company, and he was our director!” says Webb. “Both Margaret [his wife and former principal of The Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet who now serves as Assistant Director of The Sarasota Ballet] and I know that we’ve got something really special, really unique here in Sarasota.” 

One of the most difficult aspects of Webb’s work is auditioning new dancers. For each of the last three years, 600+ dancers tried out for the few available spots. 600+! “I take it as a big compliment that so many want to come and work with The Sarasota Ballet,” he says. “It’s basically one person’s decision about who gets hired. And it’s made off maybe two hours in the studio. I always tell them all ‘please understand that it’s just my opinion. Others might see things differently.’”

The upshot is this. The Sarasota Ballet is making us proud. Again. And if I were a betting man, the next time I get asked to write about their education programming or other bread-and-butter topic, a new WOW opportunity will likely emerge and insist on stealing the show. 

Well done, The Sarasota Ballet. Well done, Iain Webb. Well done indeed.

For more information on The Sarasota Ballet, please visit www.sarasotaballet.org or call 941.359.0099.

Ryan G. Van Cleave is the author of 20 books, and he runs the creative writing program at the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida.
Web: ryangvancleave.com