Bucharest becomes, on February 11, the host of a cultural event of international scope: the “Balanchine’s Legacy” Ballet Gala, dedicated exclusively to the work of the legendary choreographer George Balanchine. The event will take place at the Palace Hall.
The event will take place at the Palatului Hall and is organized under the Ars Gratia Regalia brand by the sisters Alice and Marina Minoiu, former ballerinas with international training, who are bringing to Romania for the first time a gala built entirely on the Balanchine repertoire.
The gala represents an absolute first for the Romanian scene, offering the public access to the legacy of one of the most influential creators of 20th century dance.
Strictly adhering to the rules imposed by the Balanchine Legacy, the performance will only bring together dancers who have previously performed the master’s choreography and who are trained in the authentic Balanchine style.
On the stage of the Palace Hall, prima ballerinas from world-renowned companies will take to the stage, including the New York City Ballet, the Opéra Garnier in Paris, the Houston Ballet and the Royal Danish Ballet. Guest artists include Sara Mearns and Tyler Angle, Hannah O’ and Germain Louvet, Karina González and Angelo Greco, Caroline Baldwin and Alban Lendorf. The program will exclusively include original choreographies signed by George Balanchine.
The project bears the artistic signature of Alice Minoiu, artistic director of the gala, trained at the “Floria Capsali” Choreography High School and former ballerina of the Bucharest National Opera, who danced on international stages, including at the Royal Albert Hall in London, alongside Alina Cojocaru. After retiring from stage work, she stood out as an organizer of ballet galas of international standards, with sold-out performances at the Bucharest National Theatre.
Next to her is Marina Minoiu, former soloist of the Royal Danish Ballet, one of the most acclaimed Romanian ballerinas of her generation, trained in the Bournonville school and nominated in 2015 by Dance Europe magazine for the best female performance. Currently, Marina is a ballet coordinator at the “Ion Dacian” National Musical and Operetta Theater and is part of the event’s organizing team.
The International Ballet Gala “Balanchine’s Legacy” is organized under the Ars Gratia Regalia brand. The event benefits from the support of the main sponsor Philip Morris Romania, along with several sponsors and national cultural and media partners.
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, sent a message on Thursday, on National Culture Day, in which he emphasized the essential role of culture in defining national identity and the importance of supporting it, even in times of economic and geopolitical challenges.
