Ballet Art Exchange Project between Bulgaria and the USA
On 13 January 2011, the Bulgarian Ambassador to the USA Elena Poptodorova hosted the first of series of such presentations in the USA – of the Ballet across the World – Balanchine & Farrell – American Ballet for Bulgaria. The project for cooperation and exchange among Suzanne Farrell Ballet, the choreographers Momchil Mladenov and Kathryn Posin and the Bulgarian National Ballet for the 2011-2012 season is that of the Cultural Bridges Association, on the initiative of the Bulgarian choreographer, ballet-dancer and soloist at the Suzanne Farrell Ballet in Washington – Momchil Mladenov. The initiative envisages the staging of ballet performances in the National Opera and Ballet in Sofia, the tuition of master classes to the students of the Sofia National School of Dance Art, as well as other forms of artistic exchange.
The presentation was attended by Suzanne Farrell – founder of the resident ballet company at the John F. Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts in Washington, Sara-Nora Krasteva – Director of the Bulgarian National Ballet, Momchil Mladenov, Kathryn Posin and Nikolay Ilchev – Cultural Bridges Association. A short documentary was shown, dedicated to the project and directed by Momchil Mladenov.
The supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria project is the first of its kind initiative for artistic exchange in the sphere of ballet art between Bulgaria and USA. In collaboration with the organisers - the Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria in New York – Radoslav Tochev, and the Honorary Consul of Bulgaria for the State of Massachussetts – Adam Portnoy, the Embassy coordinates as well the organisation of American Ballet for Bulgaria presentations in New York and in Boston.