PAUL FEINER

GreenburghTownSupervisor   914 993 1540

            You are invited to attend a free celebration of the Balanchine Centennial on Saturday evening, April 17^th at 7:30 PMat the Warburg estate (Central 7 –WoodlandsHigh School).  The Town of Greenburghwill be celebrating the centennial anniversary of George Balanchine, the great choreographer whose works are at the core of the NYC Ballet reperatoire. The celebration, a unique event for the town government, will feature a performance of a historic work by Balanchine first performed in 1934 on the Warburg estate, now the home of Greenburgh school district 7.

            Little known by the general public (and many dance historians) is the fact that the first performance of Balanchine’s masterpiece “SERENADE” took place in June, 1934 at the Warburg summer home by a student group from the School of American Ballet for whom Balanchine had choreographed the work. It was performed on a temporary outdoor stage built on the lawn before a distinguished gathering of invited guests. Prominent members of the audience were Edward Warburg and Lincoln Kirstein, two young Harvard graduates, who were instrumental in bringing George Balanchine from Europeto the USin 1933.

            The evening event will center around a performance of SERENADE by the SUNY Purchase Dance Corps under the direction of Betty Jane Sills, former soloist with the NYC Ballet. The performance will take place at the Woodlands High School Auditorium which is on the Warburg campus. A reception for the audience and performers will follow in the Warburg mansion, now the home of the school administration.

            Admission to the performance is free but reservations are required. For information and reservations call 914 948-4787. You can also email Supervisor Feiner at pfeiner@greenburgh.com or can call his office at 914 993 1540.  Greta Levart, founder and director of the Manhattanville College Dance Theatre Department and Miriam Bernabei, Director of Arts for WoodlandsHigh Schoolare co-chairing the event. The event is being underwritten by Rachel and George Gumina.