Absorbed By Dance
Jenny Sandler's life has revolved around her New York neighbor, the Joffrey Ballet.
SUZANNE CHESSLER
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
- 7 enny Sandler did not have to
go far from home to pursue
the dancing career that
brings her to the Fox Theatre
this weekend.
With the Joffrey Ballet
only a block away from her
family's New York apart-
ment, she started walking to
classes 16 years ago and has
not detoured from her fa-
vorite dance company.
Detroit audiences will see
the range of her talents as
she moves to the classical
sounds of a symphony by
Tchaikovsky and the modem
sounds of a rock composition
by Prince.
"Some people think that
ballet is only tutus and
tiaras, and to see that ballet
dancers do all sorts of things,
especially in the Joffrey, is
exciting," said Ms. Sandler,
22, who is making her sec-
ond appearance in Michigan.
"I like doing all kinds of
dancing. It's interesting,
challenging and wonderful
to have these opportunities
to do different styles."
Transitioning from one
style to another entails tak-
ing on new mindsets and ap-
proaches.
"Sometimes the music just
puts dancers in the mood for
what they are doing, partic-
ularly with the more abstract
ballets that don't have a sto-
ry or a history," explained
Ms. Sandler, who tries to
learn about the background
of each dance she is per-
forming.
"The choreographers help
by telling what they are
thinking of, and then the
dancers bring out whatever
qualities they feel the move-
ment is producing.
"When doing classical
works, dancers have to wor-
ry about being on their legs
and being centered and
strong. When doing the mod-
ern works, they have to be
warmed up to avoid injuries
from different steps that may
be out of the norm."
.
As the troupe of 40 pre-
.
pares for specific engage-
ments, members adhere to a
strict schedule during week-
days. Classes run from 10-
11:30 a.m., and rehearsals go
from noon-3 p.m. and 4-7
p.m.
Ms. Sandler became a Jof-
frey performer in 1990, after
more than a year with the
Joffrey II Dancers, the junior
group that fills out the large,
full-evening ballets. Trained
at the Joffrey since age 6, she
was selected for scholarships
as she advanced.
During the summers of
1985-87, she studied at the
Joffrey Workshop in San An-
tonio. She received instruc-
tion from Robert Joffrey, who
founded the versatile com-
pany with its current artis-
tic director, Gerald Arpino,
in 1956.
"Robert Joffrey had so
much energy and so much in-
sight into what he wanted
and what he loved to see that
he just made his dancers
want to dance," said Ms.
Sandler, who insists that
dancing can make her feel
better on days when she has
a cold or just is not perfect-
ly well.
"It was incredible how he
had so much energy and
could do so many things and
still inspire and give person-
al attention."
She also participated in
workshops conducted by
Dame Margot Fonteyn, and
became familiar with the
Martha Graham technique
while attending the New
York City High School of the
Performing Arts.
Believing that the high
school was not at the level
she needed, she completed
the 11th grade through the
Professional Children's
School, which features cor-
respondence courses and
classes twice a week. She
passed her high school equiv-
alency exam before going on
to her senior year.
"When we're on layoff, it's
difficult because I start to re-
alize that I haven't gone to
college and done those kinds
of things, but when I'm per-
forming and dancing very
hard, nothing else matters,"
she said.
Her first professional en-
gagement was in Athens,
Greece. She also worked in
Paris, Hong Kong and
Taipei.
"I did a little research be-
fore going to Germany at the
time of the High Holy Days
last year," said the dancer,
who has marched in Wash-
ington in behalf of Russian
Jewry.
"I contacted a rabbi who
was known by a friend of my
parents, and we talked on
the phone a little bit. I was
going to try to spend a Sab-
bath there, but it became too
complicated; he was-farther
away from where we were
staying than I thought."
Ms. Sandler has been able
to do some other work con-
nected with ballet —model-
ing for Capezio shoes.
"When I was in Joffrey II,
they were doing the back cov-
er of Dance Magazine, and
they wanted some dancers
from the Joffrey who wore
special-ordered Capezio point
shoes," she said.
"I had worn the shoes, and
they had me do the shoot. It
was great! After that, they
called me back a few times to
do catalogues and posters. It
was totally different, and it
was fun."
When Ms. Sandler needs
new ballet shoes, she sews
the ribbons and elastic her-
DANCE page 74