Ballet
Fantasque
&
Peninsula Ballet Center
allet
Fantasque, based on the Monterey Peninsula, is a nonprofit dance company that
serves as a performing outlet for professional, semiprofessional and student dancers.
Founded in 1974 and with a repertoire including classical, ethnic and interpretive
dance, it is committed to maintaining a high standard of presentation and providing
an entertaining theatrical experience for audiences of all ages. Ballet Fantasque
programs include the full-length Nutcracker, spring gala performances and summer
ballet festivals. Artists from the following companies have appeared as featured
guests: Oakland Ballet, San Luis Obispo Civic Ballet, Ballet Russe of San Francisco,
Santa Cruz Ballet Theater, Berkeley Ballet Theater, Dortmund Ballet, Ohio Ballet,
Dancer's Stage, New West Ballet of San Diego, Diablo Ballet and (former members
of) ABT, Kirov and Bolshoi Ballets. Additionally, Ballet Fantasque has invited
a number of locally-based singers, musicians, choreographers and other performing
artists to appear in its programs, including the Monterey Opera Association. From
1990 to 1993, the ballet also provided choreography and dancers for the Opera
Association’s many opera productions. Ballet Fantasque has received grants
from the Cultural Council of Monterey County and the Cities of Monterey and Carmel,
the AT&T Pebble Beach Fund, and Yellow Brick Road.
Kira Ivanovsky:
DIRECTOR, CHOREOGRAPHER and FOUNDER
ira
Ivanovsky brings the experience of a distinguished ballet career to her company.
Born in Russia and trained in France with the renowned teachers, Maria Nevelska
and Lubov Egorova, Kira began her career at age seventeen when the celebrated
ballerina Vera Nemchinova invited her to join her company. After a tour through
all of Italy, Nemchinova's company disbanded and Kira joined Tournee Barre, embarking
on another tour with Roman Jasinski as her partner and performing throughout France.
More invitations led to performing with other companies such as the Paris-based
contemporary ballet troupe of Boris Kniazeff and later, the prestigious Ballet
Russes de Monte Carlo, under the direction of Col. de Basil. With this company,
Kira toured France, England and Holland, performing in many works by the distinguished
choreographer Boris Romanoff. While dancing with Ballet Russes, Kira met her future
husband, Boris Lissanevitch, a former Diaghilev dancer. Later, she and Boris toured
England with Max Reinhardt's The Miracle, with choreography by the legendary Leonid
Massine, who had also been best man at their wedding. Eventually, Kira and Boris
concertized, performing in Paris and then touring through the Far East, often
dancing before heads of state. Kira's credits also include three films, Le Rosier
de Mme. Husson, L'Aiglon, and Garden of Alla. During World War II, Kira remained
in the Far East with her husband, dancing, choreographing, teaching and studying
the art of East Indian dance. After the war ended, Kira and Boris parted ways
when Kira chose to live in the United States. Settling in New London, Connecticut,
she opened her own ballet school and also taught for the New London Junior College.
After her second marriage to linguist Donat lvanovsky, Kira came to the Monterey
Peninsula. Here she opened Peninsula Ballet Center, eventually expanding it to
include the Ballet Fantasque.
Milou Ivanovsky:
CO-DIRECTOR and CHOREOGRAPHER
ilou
Ivanovsky trained under her mother, Kira. She attended summer courses at
San Francisco Ballet, studying with Anatole Vilzak and Ludmilla Shollar, formerly
of Diaghilev's Ballet Russes. Milou also studied jazz with the New York choreographer
Fred Weiss. Her training also includes character and ethnic dance. Although she
received offers from several companies, Milou's love for the creative aspect of
theater convinced her to remain on the Peninsula to work alongside her mother
with the school and company. Here she developed her natural choreographic gifts,
which have produced many successful, original ballets for young dancers. She appears
in principal roles, directs and teaches. As codirector, Milou has also organized
ballet festivals and galas on the Peninsula with featured artists. From 1990 to
1996, she worked as choreographer and principal dancer for the Monterey Opera.
An artist, Milou also creates original art work for the Ballet Fantasque.
Repertoire
Air and
Water (ballet of the elements)
A Christmas
Tale
Alice
in Wonderland (a pop ballet)
Circus
Crackers! (about a circus)
Dance
Through the Ages
Dancers
of the Pharaoh (a journey into ancient Egypt)
Fairy
Tales! (a pop ballet)
Gypsies
(a character ballet)
From the
Ocean Tides (a tale of mermaids)
Moves
(abstract ballet)
Dances
to Bach (for live cello)
The Ballet
School (humorous ballet set in the Degas style)
The Enchanted
Forest (a fairy tale)
The Nutcracker
(full-length)
The Snow
Queen
The Speakeasy
(jazzy nightclub, 1920s)
Santa's Workshop (a Christmas story)
