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Abigail Simon

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2528 Union Lake Rd., Commerce Tarp.

Joffrey presents works by master
choreographers at Detroit Opera House.

Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News

A

bigail Simon, a dancer with
the Joffrey Ballet, has seen
Black Swan, the psychologi-
cal thriller starring Natalie Portman as
an aspiring ballerina facing extreme
hardship and trauma as she advances
in her career.
Simon, 25, who never has wanted
to be anything but a dancer, has lived
the basic commitment to training
required of all ballerinas, but she has
not experienced any of the desperate
circumstances depicted in the film.
"I thought the movie was well acted
and directed but had an over-the-top
aspect of Hollywood;' says Simon,
who will be appearing with the Joffrey
Ballet Jan. 29-30 at the Detroit Opera
House.
"I've never been through what the
main character went through although
the ballet environment is not easy.
Ballet dancers need to be strong and
mature.
"For me, it was fun to see friends
appearing in the movie. Two danc-
ers I know were doubles for Natalie
Portman."
Simon will be performing in two
Joffrey pieces: Reflections (music by
Tchaikovsky; choreography by Gerald
Arpino) on Jan. 29 only and Age of
Innocence (music by Philip Glass and
Thomas Newman; choreography by
Edwaard Liang) on both days. Also on
the program are Sea Shadow (music
by Ravel; choreography by Arpino)
and Smile With My Heart (with musi-
cal themes of Richard Rodgers; chore-
ography by Lar Lubovitch). On Jan. 30,
Pretty Ballet (music by Martinu; cho-
reography by James Kudelka) replaces
Reflections.
"My forte is fast movement, and
Revelations gives me an opportunity
to show that:' says Simon, the daugh-
ter of actor and drama teacher Roger
Simon and opera singer Sarah Levine

Simon. "I do a solo to the classical
music in that dance.
"Age of Innocence is contemporary,
and I feel the dancers have a chance
to explore the movement and make it
their own. The piece is eye-catching
and draws in the audience."
Simon, whose grandfather Jules
Levine lived in Mount Clemens, joined
the Joffrey in 2006. Earlier, she danced
with the American Ballet Theatre
Studio Company and as an apprentice
with the American Ballet Theatre.
Children's roles were with the New
York City Ballet.
Simon's dance training, begun
before kindergarten, launched with
the West Side Academy of Ballet in
Santa Monica while her dad worked
in California. Back in New York, she
studied with Ballet Hispanico and the
School of American Ballet. Summer
programs placed her in Kaatsbaan
and Chautauqua as well as the Royal
Ballet School in London.
"I have a hard time putting on
weight so I can really enjoy my cook-
ing," says Simon, who has attended
Hebrew school and whose two broth-
ers celebrated their bar mitzvahs. "I
love cooking for Jewish holidays, and I
make an amazing brisket and noodle
kugel."
Simon, who is working toward
becoming a principal dancer, did
some acting Off Broadway as a young-
ster. When she no longer can dance,
she hopes to return to acting.
"Just working all day keeps me fit,"
she says. "I do Pilates and Gyrotonics
to build strength:'

The Joffrey Ballet performs
7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30
p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29-30, at
the Detroit Opera House. $29-
$76. A free dance talk will
begin one hour before each
performance. (313) 237-SING;
www.MichiganOpera.org .

(248) 366.3311

Amazing Appetizers, Salads, Sandwiches

to Fine Entrees

DETROIT

THE

JOFFREY
BALLET

Presents

`The Muse and the Masters'

The supernovas of choreography
• Gerald Arpino
• Lar Lubovitch
• Edwaard Liang
- James Kudelka

This iconic program includes:
..."reflections"
..."smile with my heart" (with chamber orchestra)
..."sea shadow" (with chamber orchestra)
..."age of innocence"
..."pretty BALLET"

TICKETS AS LOW AS $29

2 Performances Only!

January 29-30, 2011

at the Detroit Opera House

Saturday January 29, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday January 30, at 2:30 p.m.

FREE! Dance Talk
one hour prior to performance

14;121

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This presentation is supported by the Performing Ms Fund, a program
of Arts Midwest funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with
additional contributions from Michigan Council for the Arts & Cultural
Affairs, General Mills Foundation, and Land O'Lakes Foundation.

These performances by The Jeffrey Ballet Chicago
are supported by a generous gift from the
Betty, Marvin & Joanne Canto Dance Endowment.

FOR TICKETS & PRE-PAID PARKING
CALL 313.237.SING or visit michiganopera.org

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January 20 2011

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