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International City School of Ballet now holding open registration, offering classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern, and aerobics. To register or for more information please contact the school at 478-953-1117

International City School of Ballet takes on a classic

Sleeping Beauty was around a lot longer than the Disney cartoon. In fact, Aurora was immortalized in Tchaikovsky's ballet 116 years ago, with choreography by Marius Petipa. It is that version that the International City School of Ballet will present at the Grand Opera House Saturday; specifically, Act III, "The Wedding." In the second half of the performance, the dancers will do a medley of Broadway choreography, including "Annie, Get Your Gun," "Fosse," and "Guys and Dolls."

In the "Sleeping Beauty" section, over 100 local students will be accompanied by a pair of professional dancers with a long history on and off the stage. Daniil and Stephanie Gaifullin first met in Jackson, Miss., in 1990 and have been performing together ever since. Daniil, a native of Sakhalin Island in Russia, first started dancing at age 5. He moved all the way across the country to study at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy --- a 10-hour flight from home.

"They had really good teachers there," he said in a telephone interview. Stephanie grew up in New Orleans (her family home was largely untouched, save for looting), and the two now live in Amarillo, Texas, where they are artistic/academy directors at Lonestar Ballet.

"Our home was one of the last homes they looted, so they were really tired and didn't take much," she said. Stephanie will portray Aurora while Daniil will play Prince Florimund, the suitor whose kiss finally wakes Aurora. Fairy tale characters like Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots will be in attendance; it's pretty certain that Eddie Murphy as Donkey will not. Daniil described "Sleeping Beauty" as an elegant, classical ballet. It takes good direction, preparation and rehearsal time to properly portray a character, he said. "You don't want to be just an acrobat, doing gymnastics on the stage and jumping like a jester," he said. The couple will stay on to conduct a two-week ballet workshop for dance students. Ballet is a form that demands respect, Stephanie said. "Audiences know what's good and what's bad," she said. "They may not know the technical things. But if the quality is good, they're going to like it."

By Maggie Large
Telegraph Staff Writer

The Macon Telegraph
Friday, May 12, 2006
Section: Out & About
Edition: Home
Page: 11

Warner Robins Home To Ballet Company

Warner Robins is the home to the International City Ballet Company (ICBC), a non-profit performing group aligned under the very active Houston Arts Alliance. The current president of the ICBC is Georne Aucoin, a 23-year-old ballerina who came to Warner Robins two years ago from California by way of Louisiana. "My father is a civilian with the J-STARS program at Robins Air Force Base," Miss Aucoin said when asked how she found Warner Robins.

"We have actually been in existence for one year and had our premiere performance in the Midsummer Macon program at Wesleyan College in June," Aucoin (pronounced Oh-quin) said. "We have a big day coming up on Aug. 23 with a Master Class from 2 to 4 p.m. and auditions beginning at 4:30 p.m."

The Master Class will be taught by a Polish native who performed in the world-famous Hamburg Ballet Company before moving to Atlanta. "Jansuz Mazon will be our guest teacher for the master class. This one-time class will cost $20, a small fee for such great teaching," Aucoin noted. Mazon lives in Marietta and performs with the Georgia Ballet.

After the master class, auditions for the ICBC will begin at 4:30 p.m. The auditions are for 11-year-olds and above. There is no charge for the auditions or for membership in the company. The ICBC provides all costumes; individuals must furnish their own ballet shoes and tights. "Those auditioning for the ballet company must be on pointe." Aucoin said. "On pointe" means able to toe-dance.

The Master Class exhibition and auditions will be at the Academy of Dance on South Pleasant Hill Road in Warner Robins.

Aucoin, an instructor at the Academy of Dance, is also beginning an apprentice program for those younger than eleven. "This way, we will build a 'pipeline' of people for the company," Aucoin said.

The fledgling ballet organization is looking for persons to be on their board of directors and to be business sponsors. Board members do not have to be "arsty," Aucoin noted. "They just have to be interested in seeing the arts promoted and successful here in Middle Georgia. We ideally need about four additional board members; I plan to step down from president and be the manager of the company and work for the board."

Present board members are: Georne Aucoin, president; Catherine Noel, secretary; Amyia Burrell, treasurer; George Burrell and Barbara Long, members. Persons interested in serving on the board should contact Aucoin for an application.

We also need business or professional sponsors to make sure the ICBC gets started on the right foot, Aucoin commented. "Our budget is $14,000 currently and that supports our staff of three (two faculty members and one seamstress) and buys our costumes.

by Tracy McCollister