Each Guadalupe and Preucil have been launched to the humanities at a younger age. Preucil shares, “I’ve performed the violin since I used to be three years outdated. I used to be by no means a dancer, however I did go to a Cleveland Orchestra live performance of Swan Lake once I was an adolescent. I used to be like, ‘Mother, why am I not taking ballet? That is such unbelievable music!’ I used to be so impressed that I began taking grownup ballet at 14. When my little sister was born a couple of years later, I stated, ‘She has to bop! And the one place she ought to go is Faculty of Cleveland Ballet with Miss Guadalupe!’ By the years, I grew to become a member of the Cleveland Orchestra and saved my dance interest going.”

Guadalupe provides, “I used to be born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. My father all the time needed me to be a pianist. I by no means realized learn how to learn music, and by no means practiced as a result of I didn’t prefer it. One Saturday, my piano instructor had sufficient of me. She threw a tambourine and stated, ‘You do no matter you need, however I’m going to play the music the way in which it’s speculated to be performed!,’ and I began dancing. When my father got here to select me up, she stated, ‘We’ve made a mistake, she’s not a pianist, she’s a dancer!’ So I began late, at age 13.”

Guadalupe skilled at Ballets de San Juan, and acquired a full summer season scholarship to the Faculty of American Ballet. She was invited to remain as a yearly pupil, and after graduating was provided a contract to bop with Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas in Venezuela, with whom she traveled all world wide. When she returned to the USA, she was accepted to NYU however determined to proceed her skilled dance profession and accepted a contract with the previous Cleveland Ballet in Cleveland. Throughout this time, she was an artist with the corporate earlier than changing into Director of Faculty of Cleveland Ballet.

With deep ties to the Cleveland arts scene, it solely made sense Guadalupe would proceed investing locally. Guadalupe says, “When the previous Cleveland Ballet left, I made a decision to remain and based the Cleveland Faculty of Dance, now Faculty of Cleveland Ballet, in 2000. We’re now celebrating 23 years of the varsity. My husband and I purchased the Cleveland Ballet title and integrated it eight years in the past. We began with 5 dancers and now have 32 from 9 totally different international locations.”

Guadalupe and her husband are exceptionally conscious of the present occasions, and have made intentional selections to encourage at the moment’s audiences. “I choreographed and condensed the ballet Carmen to at least one hour, in addition to Swan Lake to an hour and 25 minutes. Social media has modified our consideration span. We have to attraction to a four-year-old and a 94-year-old. I feel that’s why we’ve been very profitable. We’ve not compromised the story, method or skill of the dancers. However we have now compromised time and set. I imagine a dancer ought to be capable to present their artform sporting simply their leotard and tights,” shares Guadalupe.

Not solely are shorter consideration spans in thoughts, however so is the necessity to present the viewers an escape. “I would like folks to be moved once they come to the theater,” Guadalupe says. “They should overlook what the truth is on the market. They need to immerse themselves in your storytelling.”

When it got here to becoming a member of forces with Preucil, it was a no brainer given their long-standing relationship. Guadalupe advised Preucil that she’d all the time dreamed of getting a dwell orchestra with Cleveland Ballet, and the remainder is historical past.

Preucil says, “Miss G and I collaborated on a couple of small-scale initiatives to coordinate music with dance, as a result of we’re each captivated with that. When this chance got here to do a full present with music, they have been actually excited to affix forces with me and work out the perfect route.”

Guadalupe provides, “It is necessary as a result of it brings two artwork kinds collectively. We may have presumably achieved this earlier than, however I needed to make sure we may do that and proceed paying dancers. We pay them salaries, present medical insurance and now might be serving to with their faculty schooling. I need to deal with these dancers. The orchestra was the subsequent step to raise issues artistically.”

Speaking with each Preucil and Guadalupe, it was obvious the respect they’ve for one another. “Miss G is so nice as a result of she’s all the time asking me, ‘What ought to it’s? What’s the best factor musically? What recordings ought to we hearken to for the best tempos?’ We’ve a dialogue that places music on an equal taking part in subject as dance,” says Preucil.

“I study a lot from her (Preucil). She understands motion and tempos,” provides Guadalupe. “Then we discovered Ilia Zhivoi to choreograph the brand new piece. We put folks collectively, and so they have labored superbly coordinating this unbelievable piece with the music and choreography!”

Though Preucil just isn’t a dancer by commerce, she and her father supplied dwell music to Cleveland Ballet’s manufacturing of Carmen the place Preucil wore pointe footwear whereas taking part in the violin! The chance to mix her love for each artwork kinds is thrilling. “I’ve by no means danced to dwell music, however as a musician I understand how I need to stretch phrases and create issues inside my physique for the music. In my thoughts, if there was a dwell musician I may collaborate with, how unbelievable would that be? Once I get to be the dwell musician who does that for a dancer, it’s magical!”

Cleveland Ballet’s subsequent season has not but been introduced, however Guadalupe shares there are thrilling issues on the horizon, “Out of the three main performances subsequent yr, two could have orchestra. We’re nonetheless determining particulars of the ultimate efficiency, however when you expertise the mixture with dwell music, it’s arduous to return.”

Preucil shares within the enthusiasm. “We’re positively not stopping right here so far as I’m involved! We’ve constructed rather a lot, and have been so cautious in how we’ve gone about creating the orchestra. We’ve been very sensible and methodical within the strategy in order that it could actually hopefully final ceaselessly.”

She continues, “My dream is to have an orchestra that’s so versatile and captivated with being part of dance that you simply see issues on stage you’ve by no means been in a position to see earlier than as a result of the music helps it.”

Guadalupe and her husband have a shared imaginative and prescient that drives the corporate towards an thrilling future. The selections that Cleveland Ballet has made preserve the corporate related and thrilling to at the moment’s audiences. Guadalupe concludes, “I do take dangers however calculated dangers. You will need to take an opportunity and transfer ahead.”

Cleveland Ballet’s firm premiere of George Balanchine’s Serenade with the world premiere of Symphony of Life with the Cleveland Ballet Orchestra might be April 21 and 22, at Cleveland’s Playhouse Sq..

To study extra, go to clevelandballet.org and alexandrapreucil.com. You too can observe each on social media: @clevelandballet and @alexandrapreucil.

By Melody McTier of Dance Informa.