METAMORPHOSIS
Due to unforeseeable circumstances, there will be a program change to GHDT’s performance next weekend, METAMORPHOSIS. Here is a note from artistic director, Gregory Hancock: 
Today I had to make a very difficult decision as an Artistic Director. I am sad to announce that the World Premiere of THE VIOLIN UNDER THE BED, my new work in honor of my mother, will be postponed until GHDT’s concert in October. Abbie Lessaris, who is dancing the spirit and essence of my mother in this piece, is having unexpected eye surgery today and her recovery time will not allow her to perform in METAMORPHOSIS. Please send Abbie your thoughts, prayers and positive energy as she faces this challenging time. My mother had a special relationship with Abbie, and I desire Abbie to premiere this very personal work. METAMORPHOSIS will still be presented on July 1 & 2 at The Tarkington, but with altered programming. The dancers of GHDT are working hard today to cover Abbie’s roles in UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE… and THE RIVER’S EDGE. The program will now also include the GHDT classic repertoire piece, OUT OF DARKNESS, which the dancers are learning today. I hope you will still support Abbie and the dancers of GHDT by attending this special concert and then by returning in the fall for the premiere of THE VIOLIN UNDER THE BED. Life hangs precariously on a thread and
changes in instants. Be kind.
As stated above, the company will still perform UNTIL THERE IS NO MORE… and THE RIVER’S EDGE. However, to replace THE VIOLIN UNDER THE BED, the company quickly learned and staged classic GHDT pieces, OUT OF DARKNESS and BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH. METAMORPHOSIS will be a beautiful and spiritual show.
Please join us on July 1st and 2nd at 7pm for METAMORPHOSIS, as well as in October for the premiere of THE VIOLIN UNDER THE BED.
Tickets for METAMORPHOSIS may be purchased here.
In light of recent events in the world, GHDT realizes how lucky we are to have a job creates beauty. As a director and choreographer, Gregory Hancock creates beautiful movement everyday. As a company of dancers, we bring to life Mr. Hancock’s beautiful movement every single day. As artists, we are so lucky to be surrounded by beauty every day.
Words by Gregory Hancock: 
HATE WILL NEVER WIN, but LOVE, COMPASSION and RESPECT must be taught and practiced all the time, not just during times of tragedy, not just when it is personal, not just when it is convenient, but all the time. HUMANITY; all human beings collectively. Kindness and benevolence.
GHDT is keeping everyone affected by the tragedy in Orlando in our hearts and on our minds. It is truly heartbreaking and horrendous how one man could end so many lives because of such hate. The world is a beautiful place, full of beautiful things and beautiful people. Unfortunately, the world is also contaminated by hatred and misfortune. It’s up to us to create a better world for the future. Keep an open mind and an open heart, always. We are with you Orlando.
THE VIOLIN UNDER THE BED
Gregory Hancock has been creating and choreographing a new piece for his company to perform. Below is some background information about the piece and the meaning behind the name.
When my mother was a young child she cleaned houses to help make money for her family. She was one of eight children from a poor family in Kansas. She dreamed of dancing, playing the piano and playing the violin, but her family could not afford any type of lessons for any of the children. At one home where she would clean
, the lady of the house played the violin and kept it under her bed. My mother would pull the case out from under the bed, open it and look at the violin and imagine she was playing it. She never took it out of the case, but she simply became lost in the idea of becoming music. Many years later, when I was an adult child, I gave her a violin for a gift one Christmas. She never learned to play it, but that did not matter. Her life had moved to a point where she could
have a violin under her bed. The violin is still under her bed. This is the story that inspired the title of my new dance piece that I am creating for my mother. THE VIOLIN UNDER THE BED will premiere on July 1 & 2 at The Tarkington. Please support my art in this very personal concert. Thank you to all the friends of my mother who attended a special event at my home last evening to help support this new work.
Within this new piece, company dancer Abigail Lessaris will be portraying the beautiful human and spirit that was Florence Hancock. THE VIOLIN UNDER THE BED brings to life some of Mr. Hancock’s favorite memories of his mother, along with some of Florence’s favorite things including a softball warm-up and game.
THE VIOLIN UNDER THE BED premieres in METAMORPHOSIS on July 1st and July 2nd at the Tarkington Theatre. Tickets for this performance are on sale now.
Congratulations Students!
Congratulations to the students of the Academy of Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre and the members of G2! The talented young students put on a beautiful and energetic performance this past weekend. The Academy Showcase and G2 In Concert took place June 4th at the Tarkington. Different from past years, where the show was held at AGHDT, the students got to perform on a proscenium stage. It was exciting for both parents and teachers to see all of the students showcase their hard work over the past year on stage.
The Hard Work Continues
The end of the year show may have already happened, but the students at AGHDT are hard-working and continue to train throughout the summer. Registration for Summer Intensives is open now through July 4. Information on intensives, including dates, can be found here.
(Photos by Lydia Moody)
G2 In Concert
G2, the pre-professional company, put on their annual show this past weekend. Usually, G2 In Concert is performed for two weekends at AGHDT, but this year they performed their show for one night only at the Tarkington. Students, age 13-18, performed company repertoire such as Birth of the Gods, along with pieces made for G2 including Repurposed and The Lonely Goatherd. 
Interested in G2?
Auditions for the pre-professional company for the 2016-2017 season are being held Tuesday July, 26, 4pm-5pm. Please inquire at theacademyofghdt@gmail.com for audition requirements, forms, and information.
Diane Buzzell
Diane Buzzell has joined Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre as the Major Gift Officer. She will be working with the company and board of directors to strengthen the
level of giving from private donors and grow business sponsorships. A successful gift officer currently at Bloomington Hospital Foundation, Diane will be sharing her professional expertise with GHDT. Diane is a trained dancer and choreographer with a Master’s Degree from Butler University. She danced with Gregory and the company in the early 1990’s. She is active in theater and recently received The Cardinal Stage Company Director’s Award for Artistry 2016 for her choreography.
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre, along with the board, are thrilled to have Diane as a part of our team!
Spring Dance Session
Enrollment is now open for a 9-week season of classes. This class, open to students age 4-10, is welcoming both old and new students!
The 9-week class choices are:
Wednesday 5:30-6:30 – Preballet/Tap (Erica Steward)
Saturdays 11:00-12:30 – Ballet & Modern 1-2 (Kirsten Ferger & Erica Steward)
Classes run March 30th-May 28th
For more information about these classes – click here!
To register, please contact Ms. Ferger at:
theacademyofghdt@gmail.com
If you have been involved in the arts at all – as a patron, performer, producer or volunteer – you are familiar with this reality: the price you pay for a ticket usually covers just 30% or LESS of what it actually takes to produce the experience of live performances. It is a fact, no matter what arts organization you support, your ticket price covers just a fraction of what it costs to see what’s on that stage.
That is why YOUR SUPPORT matters so much.
We have had an exciting and fulfilling year in 2015 at Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre – producing such amazing experiences as the World Premiere and Encore performances of “LA CASA AZUL – The Musical” at The Tarkington at The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel; and, we are finishing our season in a strong fashion with Superhero – The story of a man called Jesus – and, Metamorphosis, showcasing a new and original work by Gregory Hancock, June 24-25 at The Tarkington.
Spring Into Action. Your Support Matters.
Currently we are winding up our Spring into Action Giving Campaign with a goal of raising $15,000 by March 31. A donation as simple as $25 or as generous as $2,000 would go a long way to support our goals. Each dollar helps us to continue to create remarkable and original dance performances – and, your contributions are tax deductible (as allowed by law).
Our performances are valued for their ability to truly evoke emotions, explore thought provoking issues and touch the souls of our patrons. You can join our Angel Society on-line and make a secure donation via Paypal, if you choose.
The Academy of GHDT announces open enrollment for a series of New 9-Week Session Programs
- Beginning Ballet and Modern Dance (90 minute Saturday sessions)
- Pre-Ballet and Tap (60 minute sessions – Saturdays or Wednesdays)
Come dance with us and join the fun. Performance opportunities in The Academy of GHDT’s Spring Showcase.
New Tuition Price and Session Format:
Beginning Ballet and Modern Dance – Ages 6-10
Spring Session April 2-May 28, 2016
Saturdays 11a-12:30p
9 week session tuition: $225.00
New Tuition Price and Session Format:
Pre-Ballet and Tap – Ages 4-7
Spring Session March 30 – May 25, 2016 – Wednesdays 5:30p-6:30p
9 week session tuition: $188.00
The Academy of Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre – more than just dancing!
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre
329 Gradle Drive
Carmel, IN 46032
317.844.2660
e: ghdt@sbcglobal.net
SUPERHERO – The Story Of A Man Called Jesus opens this Friday, March 25th. Today, the company moved into the theatre. Three car trunks full of costumes and props is what it takes to get everything transported. Once at the theatre, costumes were organized into the dressing rooms.
Preparations – On and Off Stage
A specific cost
ume piece, worn by the apostles along with all of the student dancers in the show, are white shrouds. These white shrouds have scriptures handwritten on them by Mr. Hancock himself. At
the start of every tech week for
SUPERHERO, each shroud gets ironed. Director Gregory Hancock and company dancer Hannah Brown got the honors of doing this job today.
While the dancers were working hard to get everything ready in the dressing rooms, the tech crew was busy on stage. Lightning designer Ryan Koharchik and his team spent the day getting the stage ready by hanging long white shrouds, also with handwritten scriptures on them, that create the backdrop for SUPERHERO.
Guest Artists
This year for SUPERHERO, we are very fortunate to have two returning guest artists, James Gilmer and Lia
ng Fu
, performing with the company.
James Gilmer, originally from Pittsburgh, is a soloist with Cincinnati Ballet. He first appeared as Jesus in last year’s SUPERHERO, and will be reprising the role this year.
Liang Fu, originally from Qingdao, China, is currently a dancer with Kansas City Ballet. Fu first appeared as Judas in 2014, and again in 2015. He will once again be reprising the role of Judas in this year’s SUPERHERO.
SUPERHERO is March 25th and March 26th at 7pm at The Tarkington Theatre at The Center for the Performing Arts. Click here for tickets.
Returning to The Tarkington Stage for Holy Week is Superhero: the story of a man called Jesus.
Superhero: the story of a man called Jesus
March 25 & 26 @7pm
The Tarkington
at The Center for the Performing Arts
Buy Tickets
Together with GHDT company dancers, Guest Artists, James Gilmer from the Cincinnati Ballet and Liang Fu from the Kansas City Ballet, will return in their leading roles. Superhero uses dance, music and theater to tell the emotional and moving story of how one man’s life and destiny changed the world. Please join us for GHDT’s new spring tradition.
