FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
CONTACT: CHRISTINE BRADY (619) 585-9009
In Tijuana Jose Andrade tel: 011-52-664-6264698
http://christine.americasfoundation.net/AladdinThe full length children's ballet Aladdin and the Magic Lamp will be performed by the dancers of Colegio la Esperanza and The Americas Foundation, on Wednesday, July 13, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. at the University Autonoma de Baja California in Otay Mesa, Tijuana, B.C. It’s not everyday that one has an opportunity to see a ballet adapted from a 1000 year old Persian text, choreographed by a Kirov trained Russian ballet master, and performed by Mexican children and Russian Ballerinas in Tijuana. Reception at 6:30 pm Ballet begins promptly at 7:00 pm
The performance is a fundraiser that will support the Colegio la Esperanza preschool, elementary school and fine arts programs for 300 Tijuana children that was founded in 1988 by Christine Brady and the Americas Foundation Fundación de las Américas with the help of the La Jolla and Tijuana La Mesa Rotary clubs and Princeton alumni.
Based on the classic story of 1001 Arabian Nights that captivated the Middle Eastern World that now includes Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Northern Africa. The ballet’s original choreography has been created by Valeri Tchekachev, who trained along with Mikail Barishnikov at the famed Vaganova academy of the Kirov ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia and came to Tijuana with his ballerina wife Tatiana six years ago to teach at the nonprofit Colegio La Esperanza, where all 300 students ages four to thirteen study ballet along with special classes in Music, Computation, English and Plastic Arts.
… Tchekachev feels that “ With dance, I can bring the whole world to children,” said. “My class is about ballet, but it is also folklorico and the art of the body.” The Russian artist has previously choreographed two other full length ballets for Tijuana, the critically acclaimed “Titanic” presented at the Centro Cultural of Tijuana in 1999 and “Don Quixote Comes to Tijuana” performed at the University (UABC) in 2000 and 2001 and the Little Prince presented last year in La Jolla, CA
Local artist James Hubbell helped design the sets for the ballet. He also designed the Esperanza schools and continues to participate in the building process with volunteers monthly. He has created an elegant tapestry of tile, stained glass, and organic architecture that make the schools appear like magical citadels in their impoverished surrounding Colonia.
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, is a fantasy of a brave boy’s adventures with the aid and peril of Magic in and out of his control. Aladdin meets up with Genies and evil Magicians, travels through a treasure cave complete with dancing rubies and tigers, and of course, falls in love with the beautiful princess. The two act ballet features Arabian Market scenes, palace celebrations and travels to Africa where Aladdin must use his wits and beautiful dancing to save his beloved Princess Burdu, to be danced by the exquisite Tatiana Tchekacheva.
There will be a reception following the performance.For information and bus reservations, contact Edwina Johnson at 619-420-8759 or email at: escuela@cox.net or see http://www.americasfoundation.net Tickets to the event are $10 for adults, $5 for students, children and artists. o 100 pesos adultos y 50 pesos niños, alumnos y artistas A roundtrip van from the H Street trolley in Chula Vista is $12 per person. Reserve a seat on the bus by July 9th.