Balanchine

Off stage, Dana Jacobson stands a stunning 5 feet 9 inches tall, with arms and legs that go on forever. When she dances, she stretches her arabesques and lengthens her high-flying leaps to look even taller, at least 7 feet from the tips of her toes to the top of her long blond hair. This gutsy original is a sensation just walking on stage. Next week, Howard County's sweetheart ballerina will be doing much more than walking when she performs with the internationally renowned New York City Ballet at the Kennedy Center, April 3-8. Catch this high-flying, just turned 20-year-old in the Gershwin class, "Who Cares?"

America's grande dame of ballet companies, the San Francisco Ballet, opened its run at the Kennedy Center Tuesday evening with an eclectic program of four works that made excellent use of the company's expert and often astonishing caliber of dancers.First on the program was choreographer George Balanchine's "Stravinsky Violin Concerto," a cheerful romp of a dance that incorporated all of Balanchine's signature technical inventions within the framework of four sections of the composer's score.

Ballet Theatre of Maryland's 20th Anniversary Gala at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts proved that this company has come of age with its dancing feet planted squarely in the future. As well as spotlighting the creativity and choreography skills of Artistic Director Edward Stewart, who has led Ballet Theatre since 1980, the program revealed the strength and depth of the company, and the skills of its principal dancers, soloists and guest artists. For "Soirees Musicales," the entire company assembled on stage for a lively "March" opening.

Goucher College's weekend dance program featured two works by renowned choreographer and one-time principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, John Clifford.Mr. Clifford's two stirring ballets, "Concerto pour la Nuit" and "Blessed Spirits," plus local choreographer Kathi Ferguson's romantic ballet ballad, "One Man's Story," tipped the aesthetic scales in favor of ballet as being the stronger suit of dances presented by Goucher faculty and students. While the contemporary pieces were performed with diligence and verve, the heart and soul of the concert belonged to ballet.

For 17 years The Dance Theatre of Harlem's annual appearance at the Kennedy Center has been a harbinger of spring. Like the season, the company's opening night performance at the Kennedy Center's Opera House was sunny one moment and ominous the next.Under the artistic direction of the legendary Arthur Mitchell, Dance Theatre of Harlem has won well deserved accolades for both the dancers' strength of technique and its diverse programming. But this performance makes one believe that the company has been dancing on its laurels too long.

Washington -- Edward Villella, founder of the country's hottest ballet company, is considering the question: How did he come to hire his newest principal dancer?"

It is no surprise that two ex-New York Ballet company members, Kent Stowell and Francia Russell, would generously pepper their own ballet company's repertoire with the works of George Balanchine.But it is interesting to note that their Pacific Northwest Ballet company, which opened a six-day run at the Kennedy Center on Tuesday night, looks so at home performing the dances of modern choreographers Mark Dendy and Nacho Duato.Lately, it seems as if Balanchine's works are the watermark for nearly every regional ballet company.

Members of Surge Dance Company began offering instruction last spring at Harbor Arts Center in Federal Hill and will expand its program this season.Classes for children and adults at all levels of experience are now being offered in swing, ballroom, jazz, ballet and modern dance, as well as theater and singing, Tuesdays and Thursdays through May 15. The teachers are Ruth Skrzesz, a singer and actress, and dancer Stephanie Thibeault.Harbor Arts Center is in Olive Branch United Methodist Church, Fort Avenue and South Charles Street.

WASHINGTON -- The program that Dance Theatre of Harlem selected to open its two-week run last night at the Kennedy Center did not feature a world premiere, but the program did offer ballet excitement as only this company can deliver.Opening the evening was "The Four Temperaments" to music by Paul Hindemith. This beautiful and difficult abstract ballet by George Balanchine usually closes the program of lesser ballet companies, but DTH announced its D.C. arrival with a finely tuned and vigorous performance.

WASHINGTON -- Michael Smuin's cinematic, Emmy-winning ballet, "A Song for a Dead Warrior," was the highlight of Dance Theatre of Harlem's opening performance at the Kennedy Center Opera House Tuesday night.Oddly placed as centerpiece between George Balanchine's "Allegro Brillante" and Alvin Ailey's "The River," Mr. Smuin's ballet received a standing ovation from the crowd, impressed with the strong, evocative dancing of Luis Dominguez and Tai Jimenez, and Mr. Smuin's poignant and violent portrayal of the plight of American Indians.