Marblehead School of Ballet & BALAM Dance Theatre’s Program Selected for José Mateo Ballet Theatre's Festival

A collaborative program of the Marblehead School of Ballet and BALAM Dance Theatre has been selected to perform in José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s 16th Annual Dance for World Community Festival. Marblehead School of Ballet (MSB), a dance studio based in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and BALAM Dance Theatre (BALAM), a not-for-profit New York based dance company with a satellite office in Salem, Massachusetts, are partnering to perform in the festival.

MSB and BALAM will perform at the festival on Saturday, June 6 at 2:05 p.m. on Stage 2 at Harvard Square located at Massachusetts Avenue between Putnam Avenue and Bow Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The performance is free and open to the public.

The MSB and BALAM’s program features a range of dance styles – Balinese, Tango, Cumbia, and modern. Under the direction of Paula K. Shiff, Marblehead School of Ballet's dancer Masha Bondarenko will perform the modern pieces, ‘I Insist’ and ‘Winterreise’ (Winter Journey), with choreography by Ivan Korn, the resident choreographer of the North Shore Civic Ballet. The school’s Dance Adventure students, Dr. Adora Maharaj, Rosemary Grant, and Kara-Jane Walker, will perform ‘Cumbia Graciosa’ and ‘Soñemos Tango Fusion Trio’,with choreography by BALAM’s artistic director and president Carlos Fittante. Set to Soñemos, a famous classic tango adapted for a Mexican Mariachi band and sung by Latin pop star Rocío Dúrcal, the choreography uses basic tango movement skills, as inspiration for its unpartnered dance ensemble movement.

Fittante will also perform the mesmerizing Balinese piece, Dragonfly Welcome Dance, adapted from the company’s duet ‘Tigerlily and the Dragonfly’. Set to the Balinese welcome dance ‘Pendet’ music, the dragonfly character features hand-built Balinese bamboo wings and a fusion costume.

The Marblehead School of Ballet, founded in 1971 by Paula K. Shiff, has earned a wide reputation for the excellence of its training and integrity of purpose. Classical ballet forms the core of teaching with particular emphasis on correct alignment and development of strength and agility. The sheer pleasure of dance and music is always central to the classroom experience.

The basic graded program for children includes classes in ballet technique with advanced work in repertoire and pointe. The school also offers a modern dance department, classes for young children in creative movement and classes in improvisation and technique for the older student. A full range of adult classes is offered.

The MSB is home to the North Shore Civic Ballet Company (NSCB). The NSCB gives concert performances and a variety of educational programs for schools; all are suitable for different age groups and levels of development.

For further information, call 781-631-6262, send an e-mail or visit the school's website. Follow the MSB on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSB_ballet.

Founded in 1979 by choreographer and movement researcher, Islene Pinder, BALAM Dance Theatre offers a new vision of contemporary dance rooted in the dazzling opulence and magical aura of Balinese theatre.

The New York City-based dance/theatre company creates a unique entertainment experience that has universal appeal. Audiences of all ages and backgrounds enjoy BALAM’s innovative movement alchemy, where dynamic athleticism, detailed skills, and movement techniques from around the world and different time periods, are fused and enhanced by eclectic music, striking masks, vibrant costumes, and fantasy stories.

The company educates the community about dances and cultures featured in its repertoire. Through its Out & About Series, free and affordable performances, workshops and creative events at the grassroots level are made available for families, children, students and community residents.
BALAM Dance Theatre has been featured at numerous festivals and venues, including First Night New York, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Downtown Dance Festival. The company has also performed throughout the United States and internationally. BALAM has received praise from the New York Times and Village Voice, the Governor and people of Bali and the Indonesian Consulate of New York, as well as others.

For further information, call 646-361-9183 or visit BALAM Dance Theatre on its blog. Follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly known as Twitter).