A conversation with Nutmeg’s Joan Kunsch
January 9, 2014
With the beginning of each calendar year, The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory begins a new adventure — that of discovering talented and hopeful young dancers from distant places, who want to further their training during the summer months as well as in the year-round professional training programs.
The very first weekend of the New Year, The Nutmeg Ballet kicked off the 2014 National Audition Tour in Boston, Massachusetts, Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vermont. Audition season is always an exciting time at The Nutmeg Ballet and Artistic Director, Victoria Mazzarelli and Associate Director, Joan Kunsch, along with Timothy Melady, Ballet Master, took to the icy roads despite the frigid weather courtesy of the storm called “Hercules,” to put many motivated aspiring young dancers in these East Coast cities to the test.
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When describing the whirlwind journey, Kunsch, who is embarking on her 22nd audition tour for The Nutmeg Ballet, said, “I undertake an itinerary that covers a good part of the continent. Last year, the cities on my itinerary took me from Boston to Anchorage and San Francisco to Birmingham, with many other studios along the way.”
This well-traveled talent scout who rejoices at the discovery of promise in young dancers, points out that many auditioning dancers who take her audition classes are beautifully prepared by their home studio. “Shining eyes, excitement, all attempting to put their best foot forward,” she elaborates. During the audition tour Kunsch talks with parents, providing a thorough orientation about life at Nutmeg. The audition schedule takes almost a year to organize and for the most part, Kunsch assures that things go quite smoothly.
She tells of jet flights that are smooth while others that miss connections. In the end, however, it all works out, she says. “The comfort of hotel rooms, the hospitality of friends — it is a different adventure each year.”
Sometimes, spending so many days on the road during a season of unpredictable weather conditions keeps things quite exhilarating. “This past February, the flight from San Francisco could not land for the Boise audition, due to thick fog cover. We were flown to a remote part of Idaho and bussed 200 miles through the desert at 75 mph.” Always thinking on her feet, Kunsch notified the pianist in Boise to request that the auditioners give themselves barre as they awaited her arrival, hoping that she would arrive in time for center work.
“When I finally arrived and stood in the studio doorway,” she recalled, “there were twenty auditioners executing a clean, clear musical adagio at the barre, totally on their own.” Needless to say, Kunsch was quite pleased with these self-motivated youths and of this anecdote said, “It was a challenge for me to keep from exclaiming instantly – ‘You are all accepted!”
The 2014 National Audition Tour is currently underway with auditions in 30 U.S. cities including Boston, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington D.C. Of course, there are also auditions being held at home in the beautiful studios of The Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory in Torrington. For those who cannot attend a live audition, submitting a DVD audition video is another option.
If this coming summer is anything like the last, the studios will be filled with astonishing young talent and a summer Male Division stronger in numbers than ever before. The influx of students from all corners of the nation brings a renewed sense of purpose not only to The Nutmeg, but to Torrington itself.
The summer trainees and their families marvel at the charming shops, restaurants, and businesses in Downtown Torrington providing an energetic spark and welcome boost to the local economy. Many of these dancers-in-training are so inspired by their summer experience that they end up staying for the year-round program to further their classical ballet training in a small town atmosphere that holds so much big city promise.
The Nutmeg Ballet Admissions Office is run by Jo Anne LaVine, with auditions held by current faculty members such as Victoria Mazzarelli, Joan Kunsch, Tim Melady and Eleanor D’Antuono as well as Nutmeg alumni including Phillip Skaggs.
For information regarding the 2014 National Audition Tour or year round day and resident training programs, visit www.nutmegballet.org or contact Nutmeg Ballet Registrar, JoAnne Lavine at 860-.482-4413 x304.
IN THE MEDIA
After 50 years of building a reputation for professionalism in dance instruction, Nutmeg Ballet was forced to put that reputation to the test this year. Audition tour director Joan Kunsch injured her arm and was unable to go on her annual 18-city nationwide recruiting tour. But, “Nothing will be canceled,” she promised in early December. “It was up to me to solve it,” said Kunsch. “I thought, ‘Who better to represent Nutmeg than the former students who are making professional company careers around the country?’” She compiled a list of about a dozen Nutmeg alumni around the country and called them. They eagerly accepted the challenge. For example, Kunsch said, “We have a Nutmeg graduate, Amy Potter, who is a principal dancer in the Oklahoma City Ballet, and I called her and she’s ecstatic to do it. She said, ‘Proudly, I would do it. Proudly.’” Another former student, Thel Moore, trained at Nutmeg from 2012 to 2015. He agreed to cover three of Kunsch’s scheduled cities, including Richmond, Va., where he is a danseur at the Richmond Ballet Company. Moore said in an email, “What I typically look for in an audition is a base in classical ballet but also a love for ballet as well. I’m looking for a spark that you usually can’t teach but mold into something beautiful.” He said students are nervous at first, but “when they see the brochure [and] how beautiful the building is and how incredibly professional the staff is, they usually lighten up and get really excited for the audition.” The far-flung team of Nutmeg-trained dancers are directing auditions in January and February in nearly 40 cities in the United States and Canada. Some of these cities are on Tim Melady’s usual itinerary as audition tour co-director. Melady, Nutmeg’s principal ballet master, is also standing in for Kunsch in several cities. Speaking by phone from an airport near St. Louis, Mo., Melady said, “I have been to the West Coast. Seattle had a good turnout. Portland had a good turnout. San Francisco had a good turnout, and they are all so interested in Nutmeg and Torrington!” He said, “We’re so lucky that we have such a respected reputation.” When an auditioning dancer asks about Nutmeg, he refers them to former Nutmeg students in the area, who are happy to talk about their experiences. Melady said the constant influx of students from thousands of miles away is enriching for them, for Nutmeg and for Torrington. “People come to Nutmeg and say, ‘Oh my God, we’re meeting people from Wyoming! From California! This is crazy.’ Everybody knows about Nutmeg Ballet. It’s wonderful!” Kunsch said that when she has gone on the audition tour – which she has done every year since 1993 – she tells dancers, “Not only are you auditioning for Nutmeg; Nutmeg’s auditioning for you.” She tells them, “We’re not looking for perfection. If you were perfect, would you need us? We’re looking for trainability.” Moore said, “Bringing talent from all over is very important because it keeps Nutmeg as one of the best schools to train at in the United States.” Melady said, “[The auditioners] have heard of us, and they’ve heard of our reputation. And that’s a real advantage. Our reputation is golden. There are more and more schools just vying for this slice of talent. And there is always talent.” Victoria Mazzarelli, artistic director, said Torrington auditions at the Nutmeg Conservatory attract not only local aspirants but dancers from New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Pennsylvania for both the summer and year-round programs. Remaining auditions at the Conservatory at 58 Main Street are Feb. 1, 15, 29 and March 7, from 9 a.m. to noon. And by the way, said Mazzarelli, locals are most welcome! “During these next few months, our year-round students and faculty are rehearsing and preparing for our Spring Studio Series that will be held on March 18, 19, 20 and 21,” she said.