Lumiere Ballet’s Eleventh Gala Under the Stars!
SLEEPING BEAUTY – Story Ballet in three scenes
AUGUST 24th and 25th Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 pm
TANNER PARK BANDSHELL, Baylawn Ave., Copiague, NY 11726
FREE ADMISSION! Made possible with funding from Suffolk County
SYNOPSIS The Sleeping Beauty Ballet is based on Charles Perrault’s fairy tale, “La Belle au Bois Dormant” (Beauty
Asleep in the Woods). The ballet was created by Marius Petipa with music by Peter Tchaikovsky and premiered in
1890 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
“Sleeping Beauty” depicts the struggle between GOOD and EVIL and more than that: The Good fairies bring gifts to
Princess Aurora which she needs in order to grow up and become an adult. Their gifts represent a moral and
beautiful world ruled by Purity, Vitality, Energy and Generosity. The evil fairy represents the destruction of all the
noble values that may stand in the way of her own self-aggrandizement.
THE STAGING Lumiere Ballet artistic directors, Svetlana Caton and Venti Petrov, are staging the lead and
supporting roles truthfully to Marius Petipa’s choreography and interpretation as conceived in Russia at the
Imperial Maryinsky Theater in 1890. The ensemble dancing is choreographed by Svetlana Caton.
THE ARTISTS
Natasha Sheptalova a regular guest artist with Lumiere Ballet, will be dancing the role of Princess Aurora and will
be partnered by Premier Danseur Venti Petrov.
Tanner Schwartz from the NYC Metropolitan Opera Ballet, is also returning as a guest artist to dance the role of
the Blue Bird.
Aina Tadokoro, currently Lumiere’s ballet mistress, originally danced the role of Aurora in August 2009. This year,
she will be dancing the role of the evil fairy, Carabosse.
Mary Catherine Glynn, Lumiere Ballet’s principal dancer, will dance the role of the Lilac Fairy.
Thea Solomon, from the J. Onassis School of Ballet, will dance the role of Princess Florine.
Lumiere Ballet’s soloists Anastasia Cardlin, Lauren Lubin and Olivia Mintz will be featured as the Fairies of Generosity, Purity
and Vitality. The King and Queen and the Royal guests will be performed by Lumiere Ballet’s experienced adult dancers and
younger students of the Lumiere Ballet Summer Intensive Program.
THE FUNDING The original invitation for Lumiere Ballet to bring live performances to The Tanner Park Bandshell was made by the
Honorable Steve Bellone in 2008. With funding from Suffolk County and the approval of Suffolk County Legislator DuWayne Gregory the
summer performances have become an annual event of family-friendly entertainment offered FREE to the public. As an Art Organization
committed to raising the interest for classical ballet and music, Lumiere Ballet gratefully appreciates the support provided by the Town of
Babylon Superviser’s Office.
THE PERFORMING COMPANY Founded in 1994 as a Not-for-Profit Art Organization, Lumiere Ballet is a Classical Ballet
Company which encompasses a Year-Round, Traditional Russian Training Program. As an art institution in the heart of Long
Island, the members strive to preserve the legacy of past generations and raise the interest for the arts. Critically acclaimed
ballet artists, Svetlana Caton and Venti Petrov provide professional training in classical ballet and character dance.
They also provide educational workshops in related disciplines (history, music, and acting).
With the assistance of the administrative staff, educational events and seasonal performances are offered to the Community in
Libraries, Schools, Religious Centers and Civic Organizations.
THE ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
Svetlana Caton (founder/ director of Lumiere Ballet Co., Inc.) Grew up in Belgium and France where she received
formal ballet training from legendary teachers of the Russian Imperial Ballet. Her fundamental studies were from Lydia Pavlova,
a classmate of George Balanchine. At the age of 12, she received a prestigious scholarship offer to study at the Paris Opera
Ballet. She attended classes of the great legendary teachers: Olga Preobrajenska, Liubov Egorova and Mathilda Kseschinska .
Svetlana’s professional engagement, as soloist, was with the Belgian Royal Ballet, namely Théâtre Royal de Liège.
In the USA, she danced with several Ballet Companies: The Wisconsin Ballet, the New Repertory Dance Theater, the Fedicheva
Ballet Company and the Orlando Ballet. She has been teaching and coaching professional dancers and students in Manhattan,
in Connecticut and Long Island: Eglevsky School of Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, USDAN Center for the Performing Arts, Neubert
Institute in Carnegie Hall…
Her dance repertoire includes classical and romantic ballets: Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Cinderella, Midsummer
Night’s Dream, early twentieth century ballets: Les Biches, Boutique Fantasque, Les Sylphides, Fairy Doll… Character Dances and
new contemporary works. Her own choreographic works include full length story ballets: Hansel and Gretel, Snowmaiden,
Menotti’s The Unicorn, Trials of Tamara, The Little Prince and more…
She is a graduate of the Lyçée Français de New York, has a BA in French and Russian literature from Hunter College and Post
Graduate Studies from LIU at C.W. Post College. She also has 8 years of experience teaching foreign languages and Latin in
public and private Secondary schools (Long Island School for the Gifted, Huntington High School, St. Joseph Academy…)
Venti Petrov (Co-Director of Lumiere Ballet Co., Inc.) As a topflight graduate of the Sofia Choreographic Institute, a
selective, all scholarship program of the Bulgarian National Ballet, Venti became an internationally acclaimed dancer,
choreographer and master teacher.
In America, he has been dancing and performing in an extensive classical and contemporary repertoire and has created new
works, ranging from heroic, romantic to comedic, using a diversity of musical sources. His American engagements include,
Arizona Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Arlington Ballet, the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and the New Jersey Ballet. He danced and worked with
Alexander Vetrov (Bolshoi Ballet). He was principal dancer and choreographer with, Omaha Ballet Theater, Connecticut Ballet,
Nouveau Chamber Ballet and Sioux City Ballet among others.
As a guest artist for the 2002 New York International Ballet Competition Gala at Lincoln Center, he presented and danced his
own choreographic creations: Bach Air and Patten Pending.
With an all professional cast from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater and Miami City Ballet, Petrov created two full
length history based ballets: “El Cid” and “Dear Nadezhda”. In collaboration with prominent pianists Michael Zeiger, Ferdy
Tumakaka and Olga Merson, Petrov has released three ballet music CDs and DVDs which are currently sold by Princeton Book,
Julliard and Paris Opera Gallerie.
