D.C.'s Chamber Dance Project Continues Free Zoom Series June 2

Chamber Dance Project (CDP), Washington's premiere contemporary ballet company, continues its popular Virtual Chat series on June 2 at 5 p.m. EDT. Diane Coburn Bruning, Artistic Director and founder of CDP, will give a presentation on the recent history of ballet: "Rise of Ballet in America: An overview of the people, companies and organizations driving the growth of the art form in the 20th century." Bruning will look at this growth in a 30-minute overview including photos and videos followed by a discussion and Q & A. To receive the link for the Zoom session, email rsvp@chamberdance.org. For more information, visit https://chamberdance.org/virtual-chats or call 202.499.2297.

Sergei Diaghilev was a famous Russian ballet impresario. After his groundbreaking Ballets Russes ended with his death in 1929, many of his artists dispersed including choreographer George Balanchine who came to New York in 1933. There he forged a powerful path in both founding the School of American Ballet and later New York City Ballet and with others such at Lucia Chase founding Ballet Theatre in 1939. New York was becoming the center of ballet in the 20th century. And Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo toured the country and the rise of ballet across the entire country had begun.

Award-winning choreographer and Artistic Director of Chamber Dance Project, Diane Coburn Bruning, had the opportunity in her early career in New York to work at the Dance Collection at Lincoln Center, the world's foremost library of Dance. This coupled with her studies has given her a love of dance history with a focus on the choreographers and work that has continued to propel the art form forward.

The series continues in June with presentations every Tuesday at 5 p.m. through June 23. Reservations and free links can be requested at rsvp@chamberdance.org.

On June 9 Troy Riemer, Marketing and Design Director of CDP, will give a presentation on the unique demands of graphic design for Chamber Dance Project.

June 16 brings guest choreographer Claudia Schreier, who will discuss her new work for Chamber Dance Project which was paused for now. Schreier was just named Choreographer-in-Residence at Atlanta Ballet.

The series wraps up June 23, when the final Virtual Chat before the July 2020 season focuses on CDP violinists Claudia Chudacoff and Chaerim Smith. Chudacoff is the principal musician and concertmaster of the National Gallery Orchestra and the Alexandria Symphony. Smith is currently a member of "The President's Own" United States Marine Chamber Orchestra.