Unprecedented Performance at the Conservatoire de Paris includes Choreography by UCI’s David Allan, Eloy Barragan and Donald McKayle

Irvine, Calif., May 5, 2003 — For the first time in its history, the prestigious Danses de Mai festival at the Conservatoire de Paris will exclusively showcase dance students from the United States — all of them from UC Irvine.

The American dancers, from the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, will be performing under the direction of David Allan, associate professor of dance and director of the department’s international exchange program.

“This is an extreme honor and an unprecedented opportunity for our students,� Allan said. “Paris is going to be very impressed by our students and the professional integrity of the repertoire we are showcasing on their stage.�

On May 10, one graduate and 18 undergraduate students will be traveling to Paris for rehearsals and staging. On May 16-17, the students will offer three performances, including classical ballet and modern dance works by renowned choreographers George Balanchine, Michel Gervais, David Allan, Donald McKayle, Eloy Barragan and William Forsythe.

The dancers will present Balanchine’s “Valse Fantaisie� and the world premiere of Gervais’ “Abulia.� Dance pieces by UCI faculty include an excerpt from Allan’s “O-La-Know,� two works by McKayle titled “Angelitos Negros� and “Nocturne,� and Barragan’s “Memorias.� Douglas Becker, a highly-acclaimed choreographer from Brussels, prepared the dancers for their performance of Forsythe’s “New Sleep.�

“For many of the Conservatoire students attending this festival, it will be the first time they see young American dancers interpret some internationally famous works,� Allan said.

Allan played a key role in establishing a relationship with the Conservatoire after being invited to choreograph a new work for the Conservatoire’s Junior Ballet Classique. Subsequently, he helped launch an international dance exchange program that enabled six UCI students to study in Paris and eight Conservatoire students to study at UCI. The offer to perform at Danses de Mai was made after officials from the Conservatoire observed the depth of the Irvine program.

“The invitation is a reflection of our nationally ranked dance program, world-class faculty and outstanding students who represent the best of UCI,� said Nohema Fernandez, acting dean of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts.

In 1994, the Conservatoire de Paris, an esteemed preparatory academy for dance and music, expanded Danses de Mai from a regional festival into a showcase for internationally known schools of dance. Past performers have included troupes from London, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Canada, China, Hong Kong and Australia.