Atlantic City Ballet Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre
Welcome Press release Current events Director The dancers Repertoire History Support us 713 West Moss Mill Rd Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215 (609)804-1995 acbt@acbt.org			NUTCRACKER The Nutcracker an annual event has been in the repertoire since 1982. Choreographed by Artistic Director Phyllis Papa with lighting design by Harley Halpern.  It is performed locally as part of the Stockton State College’s regular season. In addition, the production travels to theaters, colleges and casinos. The costumes and scenery are magnificent. It is a spectacular ballet worth seeing. Nutcracker is a family tradition that embodies the holiday spirit.  It has been enjoyed by young and old, and remains the most well attended ballet in history. Many theater goers make it an annual event to kick off the holiday season. It is based on the story of Hoffman to the music of Tchaikovsky.  George Balanchine was the first to bring this ballet to the United States from Russia where it was initially unsuccessful. Nutcracker is now the most famous of all ballets. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM More than just a play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is Shakespeare at his best, and filled with actors, singers, and dancers in beautiful period costumes and exquisite scenery. Phyllis Papa, ACBT's founding director, and recipient of the 1998 Brazilian Gold Medal directed and choreographed the play. HAMLET William Shakespeare’s play comes to life again with a full length interdisciplinary production of original music and original choreography. TEMPEST The Tempest based on the story by William Shakespeare’s is a comic play of humans shipwrecked on an island inhabited by mythical creatures and sprites. The production is a full length interdisciplinary program including ballet repertoire with in the play itself, with original score by John Conforti and directed and choreographed by Phyllis Papa. DRACULA Dracula will premiere Fall 2006. Phyllis Papa’s choreography is based on the story of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The story takes place in Eastern Europe when a young lawyer, Jonathan Harker is captured and imprisoned by Dracula. Dracula inspired by a photograph goes to London to meet Jonathan’s  finance Mina and victimize her. Dracula drains the life of Mina’s best friend Lucy Westenera.Dr.Van Helsing leads all on his crusade to free Mina and the world from Dracula.The ballet takes place in the 15th century which is the time Dracula lived based on the story The Sorcerer’s Apprentice The Sorcerer’s Apprentice was taken from a poem written by Goethe a German poet. This is a favorite story for children thanks to Disney. The ballet will be presented for the first time this October 2006 as a children’s performance along with Night on bald Mountain.  Night on Bald Mountain Night on Bald Mountain is based on the music by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsk PETER AND THE WOLF This children's favorite for all ages is filled with laughter and fun. The music is Prokofiev with choreography by Phyllis Papa. Both young and old enjoy Peter and the Wolf. The dancers are dressed in costume and masks representing the particular character that is being portrayed. The music also describes each member of the company, such as a duck by the oboe and Peter by the string section. SLEEPING BEAUTY This full length production is among the favorites among dancers for all it’s variations and beautiful Tchaikovsky music. Phyllis Papa reset it using mostly her own new choreography and it is in three Acts. SWAN LAKE This is the full length of Swan Lake in four Acts. Phyllis Papa reset this wonderful classic using the ending where the Swans turn into young girls. It was first performed in Spring 2004 at the Richard Stockton College. Lightning for the ballet was designed by Harley Halpern and the Music is the famous Tchaikovsky. ABYSS The choreography is by Stuart Hodes to the music of Richter. This ballet is based on the story by Leonid Andreyev with its moods of violence. Yet the theme is innocence too fragile and too beset by the perils of extreme youth and passion to survive a brutal encounter with bestiality. AIRBORNE Airborne marks the second piece in the company repertoire with music by Mike Oldfleld. It is a plotless contemporary work, which combines jazz, classical, Scottish, Russian, and Oriental overtones. Phyllis Papa choreographed it. DRUMS Vibrant swirling costumes and pulsing drumbeats characterize this phantasm of an African festival. ECLIPSE Eclipse is a rock ballet that is vibrant and exciting. Eclipse explores the contemporary and celebrates the summer solstice. The ballet takes place in the Nordic Lands where people experience six months of darkness. The celebration of light is one of the biggest Holidays of the year. The ballets climax is a very breathtaking pas de deux that finishes with the couple flying through the air in a lotus blossom. IMPRESSIONS Impressions set to the music by the Beatles, and choreographed by Phyllis Papa, is a tribute to John Lennon. It shows the athleticism of American dancers and their freedom and daring on stage. MIDNIGHT Premiered August 1998 to celebrate the island swim in Atlantic City. Midnight is a contemporary ballet with three lead dancers and a corps of ten dancers. It was choreographed by Phyllis Papa for Marilyn Korte with Christopher Kardell and Alicia Gomes. STARS FOREVER Choreographed by Phyllis Papa to the music of John Phillip Sousa Stars Forever is an All American ballet full of fun, technique and daring. Choreographed to a series of well known songs from  American culture, Stars Forever is a ballet in eight movements with a grand finale of red, white and blue. There are five couples in the piece. The whole ballet is uplifting, exciting and is a great finisher for any program. DIVERTIMENTO Divertimento was choreography by Phyllis Papa. Divertimento is a classical pas de deux mixing 18' century dance form and contemporary style. KARA Choreography Phyllis Papa Music Albinoni Kara is a pas de deux about two lovers. It was first premiered in August 1986. Lyrical and flowing, the piece tells the story of the strong emotion between the dancers within their roles. RENCONTRE The music is Chopin and the choreography is Stephen Simmons. Rencontre is a classical pas de deux that portrays two lovers meeting after some time, reminiscing their past love affair and parting forever, knowing in their hearts they will never meet again. CIRCUS Circus is a story of a young girl who enters a circus late at night. She encounters clowns from centuries past and travels back in time. Although she appears normal just like you or I, she does not fit in their society. True to today's society, we learn that what appears beautiful to some, may not be to someone else. We are also reminded of our need to feel accepted by the society in which we live. CONCERTO VIVALDI Concerto Vivaldi a plotless ballet in five movements, displays a harmonious combination of classical and modern dance. Phyllis Papa received a fellowship grant for this work. JUENESSE Juenesse, which means youth, was originally choreographed by Phyllis Papa for the apprentices of the Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre to show off their progress in dance. However it became so successful it was later set on the main company. The music is Handel. LA FAMILIA Music is Johan Pachelbel and choreography is by Phyllis Papa. La Familia shows the intricacies of family relationships in a group of four- mother, father, and adolescent son and daughter. MOUNTAIN LEGEND This ballet captures the flavor of life in a rural American town in the 1930's. The opening movement shows the affinity of the people to the earth and the weather. The strong story line dramatizes emotions and fife situations shared by all people everywhere. The story was written and choreographed by Phyllis Papa to the music of Aaron Copland. PANOPLY Choreography Phyllis Papa with music by  Lynn Steinberg. Panoply is an array of short pieces of music. The ballet is plot less and has touches of humorous movements throughout. Panoply is the choreographer's interpretation of the music. VALSE FANTASIE Valse Fantasie was choreographed by George Balanchine to the music of Glinka. Valse Fantasie was premiered on January 5, 1953 in New York City. It is a plotless ballet, emphasizing grace and beauty. CLEAR WATER Choreographed by Phyllis Papa, for a fellowship grant she received from the New Jersey Council for the Arts. This little masterpiece to the orchestration of John Denver's music is a favorite to many. It is done in an American Indian style with three couples. DANZON CUBANO With music by Aaron Copland, Danzon Cubano is choreographed for three couples and emphasizes the Cuban culture and their stylish flair for movement Phyllis Papa choreographed it. PAS DE TROIS Choreography by Petipa and Music Tchaikovsky. This pas de trois, or dance for three is taken from Act I of "Swan Lake." It is an all time favorite among audiences everywhere. TRINITY Trinity is a ballet with beautiful lifts and beautiful music. It set with sections of trios. The musk is Rachmaninoff and the choreography is by Phyllis Papa. COME JOIN THE DANCE The excitement of dance and costumes of the Scottish Highlands brings theater audiences to their feet. HUAPONGO With music by Pablo Moncayo this ballet is full of life and color of a Mexican town at Fiesta time. It has two lead dancers and two couples. TANGO Tango a beautiful ballet in three movements captures the elegant tango done on pointe with both contemporary and classical movement. The music is traditional and the choreography is by director Phyllis Papa SULHAH SHENTI Sulhah Shenti means redemption. Original music by John Conforti. Choreography by Phyllis Papa. It demonstrates the unrest in the ancient Arabian world, which today’s conflicts modern Middle East. The ballet’s first two movements incorporate exciting lifts while the last three movements demonstrate the dancers’ technique.