Meet Charlottesville Ballet Guest Choreographer Jason Ambrose, who discusses his new work for the Mainstage Two Performance on February 14 & 15 at PVCC.
Don’t miss the world premiere of Jason Ambrose’s piece For Now I Am… on Friday 2/14 at 8pm or Saturday 2/15 at 3pm in the V. Earl Dickinson Building at PVCC. For more information about the Mainstage Two Performance, visit www.CharlottesvilleBallet.org.
Jason Ambrose | Artist Bio
Starting dance at the late age of 17 and beginning his formal ballet training a year later, Jason Ambrose began his studies at the Virginia Beach Ballet Academy under the direction of Ana Maria Martinez. He furthered his training at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School where he danced roles in company productions such as Terrance Orr’s “The Nutcracker” and Derek Deane’s “Alice in Wonderland”. He has been accepted into and attended many prestigious school’s year-round and summer programs such as the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and The Kirov Academy of Ballet, all on scholarship. He is a graduate of the Ellison Ballet Professional Training Program where he was coached by master teacher Edward Ellison. Jason premiered a new work at the 2nd Annual Dance Against Cancer Benefit Gala where he was personally invited to perform in by gala director and New York City Ballet principal Daniel Ulbricht. He has been a guest teacher and choreographer for the Manhattan Youth Ballet and is recognized as “a rising choreographic talent.” Jason was honored by the Dance Conservatory Performance Project as a “budding choreographic artist” and was hand selected to display his work in the 2013 Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition Gala. Currently Jason serves as the Resident Choreographer for the Ellison Ballet, NYC and is the Ballet Director at Next Step Dance in Frisco, Texas.
Inspiration for For Now I Am…
The piece I created for Charlottesville Ballet’s Mainstage Two Performance is entitled “For Now I Am…”. Set to music by composer Olafur Arnalds, I invite the audience to witness a man’s struggle when confronted with a number of self reflections he cannot claim. I was inspired by this quotation:
“The words ‘I am’ are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to. The thing you’re claiming has a way of reaching back and claiming you.” -A. L. Kitselman
Thanks for enjoying our “Meet the Artist” segment and we hope to see you at the Mainstage Two Performance on February 14 & 15 at PVCC. Look for a new Charlottesville Ballet artist profile next month!
- Photo by Andrea Shirey Photography
(c) Charlottesville Ballet 2013