Ajkun Ballet Theatre is fortunate to call New York home.  Our dancers love to experience New York City, discover new places, interact with fans and experience the culture and history of New York City and the New York region almost as much as they love performing here in New York and around the world.

This is why the Times Square photo shoot with dance photographer Rachel Neville was such a great experience for our Company Dancers- and for the fans who came out to see them in action.  We hope you enjoy your behind the scenes look at the making of the photo shoot as much as we enjoyed taking part in it.

For AjkunBT Company Dancers it truly is a glamorous life- in the great city of New York and abroad.

See more AjkunBT original videos and join us on twitter and facebook to see more of life with AjkunBT.

As Brittany prepares to travel to Seattle, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Vancouver and Toronto before wrapping up the auditions back home in New York on March 3, she remembers all of the ”tricks of the trade” that she has learned since becoming a professional ballet dancer in New York with Ajkun Ballet Theatre.  “Take packing, for example,” Brittany says, “when you’re first starting out you need to learn how to pack light, how to make sure that even though you’re going to perform in Europe, you need your carry-on to be small enough to stay with you… the last thing you want is for you to be in one city and your pointe shoes to be in another!”

These lessons and so much more are what Performing in New York teaches aspiring, serious young dancers and reinforces for professionals who are starting out their careers.  “Performing in New York gives dancers real world experience, from preparing for shows and performing on a New York Stage [the popular NY theatre, The Egg and Manhattan venues that have included City Center and the Alvin Ailey Theatre], to learning from renown choreographers and witnessing first-hand the life of a professional dancer,” says Brittany.

Although PINY2012 is also open to professional dancers and dance teachers, Brittany is particularly looking forward to meeting this year’s aspiring professionals at the US and Canada auditions she will oversee.  “It’s just so exciting to be able to share this unique opportunity with young dancers.”

We wish Brittany safe travels.  Look for her tweets as she kicks off her audition trip on February 15th!

Ajkun Ballet Theatre likes to bring the same creativity and energy we deliver in our performances to our photo shoots, information sessions and events.  That’s why we were so excited to do another outdoor photo shoot with Rachel Neville Photography at the historic Old Westbury Gardens this November.

We were lucky enough to get a warm day before winter set in and to have all the time we needed to be creative and adventurous with our shots.  It was truly the best of both worlds, as Ajkun Ballet Theatre Company Artist Brittany Larrimer explains, with the luxury of time and the ability to perfect shots like in the studio, and with the gorgeous living background of the Gardens.

One of the best things about outdoor photo shoots is the opportunity to connect with fans and make new friends.  Just like Ajkun Ballet Theatre’s Times Square adventure, dancers in the Gardens met with onlookers, talked about the Company and shared some of their favorite stories.

Looking back on the day at Old Westbury Gardens, Brittany says that “the environment was so beautiful and serene.”  She and her fellow dancers enjoyed exploring when they weren’t climbing trees, dancing with statues and posing alongside the historic mansion house and greens.

For more photos of AjkunBT’s day at Old Westbury, see our Galleries on Facebook and Twitter.

Marcello Bernard, (c) Rachel Neville Photography

We sat down with Ajkun Ballet Theatre Company Dancer Marcello Bernard to talk about what life is like for a young man from a small town in Italy living and working as a professional dancer in New York (“now that I live in New York, I can’t live without Starbucks!”), what’s the most important skill for any dancer and what makes AjkunBT so special.

Had you ever visited the US before joining Ajkun Ballet Theatre?

The first time I was ever in the United States was when I came to the Ajkun Ballet Theatre Performing in New York in 2010.  It was my dream to come to New York City and to dance in New York City.  I am from a very small place called Susa, near Torino, Italy.  Where I am from it is the middle of the mountains and the population is 6,000 people.  It is very different from New York.  I had to realize I am not in my small hometown any more… I had to catch up with the city.

Living in New York now, it is amazing.  You can find pretty much everything here… food, shopping, people dancing and singing in the Subway!  The fact that I can go back to Susa and say ’I am living in New York’ is the best.  My friends say “you are living in New York City, you are in the best place in the world.”

Ajkun Ballet Theatre's Tom Sawyer (c) Rachel Neville

When did you know that you wanted to be a professional ballet dancer?

The first time I took a Classical Ballet class I thought I would like to do this all the time.  I first started training in modern dance when I was twelve and I really enjoyed it and I tried other styles then asked if I could do ballet with the school in Susa where I first started training.  When I tried classical ballet at age thirteen I knew I wanted to study it more, get more serious.  I went to Rotterdam Dance Academy to study more.  The more I learned the more I knew I wanted to make this my job.

AjkunBT is great because we get to do so much classical and also contemporary ballet.

What is your favorite role to play?

My favorite role is the one I played in March, the Gypsy King in Ajkun Ballet Theatre’s production of Don Quixote.  I liked the powerful variations, the turns and big jumps.

It was athletic- the kind of variations that make you tired.

with Hayley Collins in AjkunBT's Sleeping Beauty (c) Rachel Neville

What makes Ajkun Ballet Theatre special?

What makes AjkunBT special is what I like the most about it.  Ajkun Ballet Theatre is a really versatile company.  Versatility, I think, is the most important skill for a dancer.  It’s the best thing to have.  In March we did Don Quixote but at the same time we were doing the contemporary ballet Goya: The Spanish Master choreographed by [co-artistic director] Leonard Ajkun.

The same versatility applies to Leonard Ajkun’s choreography.  His style is different from everyone else.  It is a new style.  You have to be quick, always ready for new things.  Your brain activates all the time when you dance for Ajkun Ballet Theatre.

My life has changed so much since I joined AjkunBT.  I have grown so much as a dancer working on many different kinds of performances and living in the City.  Ajkun Ballet Theatre is one of the best things that ever happened to me.

See why we love it so much and why we are excited about this year’s line up:

PINY2012: Performing in New York is a prestigious and unique opportunity that allows Professional Dancers, Dance Students, and Dance Teachers to join The Ajkun Ballet Theatre Company for a combination of intensive training and performance opportunities.

The program consists of advanced training and a hands-on understanding of our production and performance time, allowing participants to experience the reality of life in a professional dance company not accessible in a study setting. Performing in New York participants benefit from promotion through the Company’s Press and Communication Division, as well as exposure across the globe through a network of companies in AjkunBT’s Partners in Dance.

CURRICULUM: Daily Curriculum includes classes in Ballet Technique, Pointe, Pas de Deux, AjkunBT Repertory, Modern Dance, Staging & Performing, Laboratory Choreographic, and more.  Specialty Classes include: Injury Prevention, Nutrition, Workplace Awareness, Repertory History, Make Up, Career Preparation & Professional Networking, Life on Tour.

QUALIFICATIONS: Male and female dance students age 14 and above at an advanced level who are intending to pursue a professional career, as well as Dance Professionals looking to further their careers in dance.

ADMISSION: Acceptance is granted by audition, either in person at one of our Open Auditions or via DVD.  See our audition form for more details.

GET MORE: Stay with us here on the blog and on facebook and twitter for updated audition schedules and locations.

Chiara Ajkun, Co-Artistic Director, Ajkun Ballet Theatre (c)Rachel Neville Photography

Thank you to our audience, patrons, board members and venues, on behalf of Ajkun Ballet Theatre and our company dancers. We wish all of you a very Happy New Year.

We extend a very special thank you as we come into the audition season, to the dancers who share their talents with us. Thank you, to our veteran, internationally renown Ajkun Ballet Theatre dancers who share their experience and support with the young generation of dancers.

There has been much to celebrate in 2011, with Ajkun Ballet Theatre performing contemporary and classical ballet pieces in New York and all over the world. We are proud to have brought professional ballet performances to communities underserved in the arts throughout New York City, the northern suburbs and the New York Capital Region and to foster a connection between communities and the arts.  Thanks to individual, corporate, public and private contributions Ajkun Ballet Theatre has been able to perform innovative new choreography and this year we were voted “America’s Most Original Dance Company.”

When we started Ajkun Ballet Theatre twelve years ago, we envisioned a home for dance excellence with opportunities for emerging artists, mentoring, creativity and a commitment to promoting dance appreciation to audiences of connoisseurs and newcomers alike.

Our growth has been incredible and it is thanks to all of you.  Today, AjkunBT reaches thousands of audience members and public school students during our 48 week performing season in New York City, Westchester County, the Capitol Region and our international tours, all of which helped earn Ajkun Ballet Theatre our reputation as “an international reality, attentive to its local community.” 

We are proud to be a destination for intellectually curious, cutting edge audiences with our contemporary pieces and for ballet lovers of all ages and experience who treasure the repertory dance tradition as much as we do.

We strive to be a powerful resource for youth to discover dance through art in education and to reveal the magic world behind the scenes.  All of us at Ajkun Ballet Theatre look forward to building lasting memories and opportunities for one and all.

Please feel free to connect with our artists in person at our performances and events and online here on our blog and on our facebook and twitter communities.  For dancers living in Australia, Europe, South America, Asia and the US, consider AjkunBT your family and this Company your home away from home.  We love to hear from you and we share your passion.

From our home to yours, Happy New Year to all who have been with us for the last twelve years and to our new friends.  We look forward to making 2012 wonderful with each one of you.

Jack Kellner as Drosselmeyer poses with fan after Nutcracker performance

Jack, who played Drosselmeyer at Ajkun Ballet Theatre co-artistic director Chiara Ajkun’s invitation, still doesn’t quite know “why she would take a chance on him” but he is “emphatically glad” that she- and the Company- did.  Kellner is no stranger to dance; he has taken classes throughout his life and continues to study ballet.  Even with a dance background, he admits, “to have the opportunity to be in a performance as an adult student isn’t easy.”  He embraced the intense rehearsal process and prepared diligently for the role by listening to Chiara and the dancers, going over direction and by shifting his focus from perfecting his own technique as a student to making a character come alive for the audience’s entertainment.

By the time the Ajkun Ballet Theatre Nutcracker opened, Dr. Jack Kellner had truly become a part of the production.  Looking back on the past few weeks, rehearsing and performing with Ajkun Ballet Theatre, Jack appreciates the Company “all the more.”

There is a tremendous difference in “those few feet” between the seats and the stage and Kellner, who hums Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker music as he thinks about the experience, was thrilled to make the leap.

Halley Collins, (c) Rachel Neville Photography

Ajkun Ballet Theatre Company Dancer Hayley Collins comes to Ajkun Ballet Theatre from Australia.  We sat down with Hayley to ask about her professional dance career, what it’s like living in New York and traveling the world with Ajkun Ballet Theatre and her favorite role to perform on stage.

When did you know you wanted to be a professional ballet dancer?

I knew I wanted to be a dancer before I even took my first ballet class.  Watching professionals, hearing friends tell stories from class at age 5 and 6, I just knew.  My parents have been so supportive of my career.  I come from the country in Australia; they moved with me to a bigger city when I was fourteen so I could pursue a professional career in dance.  When Ajkun Ballet Theatre came to audition dancers in Australia, it was a dream come true.

(c) Rachel Neville Photography

What is special about Ajkun Ballet Theatre?

Right away I felt comfortable with everyone in the Company.  The dancers are so involved and take so much pride in being involved with the Company on and off stage and sharing experiences with each other.  I have never had this level of support from fellow dancers before.  We are all professionals but we are also friends who are here to help each other.

With Ajkun Ballet Theatre I have been able to travel all over the world.  We toured in Italy and I saw how Ajkun Ballet Theatre is embraced by the community.  I felt part of that community even though I was new to the Company.

Ajkun Ballet Theatre is innovative as well as traditional so I have been able to dance in traditional, classical ballets and also new, contemporary works that allow me to grow as an artist.

(c) Rachel Neville Photography

What is your favorite role to perform?

My favorite role to perform is the Street Dancer in Don Quixote with Ajkun Ballet Theatre.  It was a very different role than what I was used to playing.  It took me out of my comfort zone of traditional, classical lines.  Because it was so different, it was so much fun.  I had to work really hard to prepare for the role.  I had to approach everything differently and gradually build up the energy and the fire daily at rehearsal so that when the time came to perform, it was natural.  I am really proud of that role and the work that went into preparing for it.

(c) Rachel Neville Photography

Does the life of a professional dancer live up to your expectations?

Working as a professional dancer in New York with Ajkun Ballet Theatre is so much more than I ever expected.  We work really hard every day and it is amazing to know that every day you go to work and you are able to do what you love.

We get to travel around the world and meet new people and perform in different cities, which is so different than traveling on holiday.  And living in New York City is amazing.  The lights, the stores, the culture, all the people.  It was a shock at first coming from where I did, but it’s home now.  I don’t know if I could live anywhere else now.

Ajkun Ballet Theatre hit the streets for a New York City photoshoot in Times Square with photographer Rachel Neville.

The open air photo shoot was an exciting way to connect with the New York City community, of which Ajkun Ballet Theatre is so much a part.  Just as Times Square brings together creativity, energy and culture, so do the Ajkun Ballet Theatre dancers, inspired in these photos by popular culture, New York City energy and the movement of light and dance.

Ajkun Ballet Theatre Company Artist Brittany Larrimer calls the Times Square photo shoot “high energy and inspiring.”  She explains that she and her fellow dancers “are accustomed to speaking with audience members after performances, but this shoot allowed [them] to interact with people who may not have been previously interested in dance.”

Brittany shares that bringing Ajkun Ballet Theatre out into Times Square was an “amazing experience” for the Company and everyone they met.  The photoshoot captivated tourists and locals who “were there to enjoy a night in Times Square.”  For dancers like Brittany, “it was so rewarding and exciting to spark an interest in so many people and share an insight into what we do! “

An Afternoon with the Sugar Plum Fairy

The Ajkun Ballet Theatre kicked off the holiday season with a special presentation of the Nutcracker at the Linda Kelly Theater in New Rochelle.

An Afternoon with Sugar Plum Fairy featured favorite scenes from the Nutcracker and a special photo session for kids.  Children who attended the performance enjoyed sweets and a chance to take their picture with our very own Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.

Missed us in New Rochelle?  Have your own special Afternoon with the Sugar Plum Fairy at New York’s City Center Studios Dec 16 – 18.

Sugar Plum Fairy Brittany Larrimer poses with a young fan.

Create holiday memories for your children while tickets are still available.

Did you attend our Afternoon with the Sugar Plum Fairy?  Share your memories here.