Creating Art

Meet Ballet Austin's New American Talent/Dance finalist: Bradley Shelver

It's no surprise that New York City is a hotbed for creative innovation. So it's understandable that, after Ballet Austin sent out a nationwide call for dance choreographers to enter their fourth annual New American Talent/Dance series, all three of the finalists chosen to compete in the 40-hour residencies here in Austin call the Big Apple home.

Along with his fellow finalists Gregory Dolbashian and Loni Landon, choreographer Bradley Shelver is an up-and-coming choreographer that can benefit greatly from this competition. Not only will Shelver be able to debut his latest choreographed masterpiece for Austin audiences and an industry-renowned jury on the Long Center stage, but he has the opportunity to walk away with the $24,000 grand prize.

Shelver, who hails originally from South Africa, holds advanced diplomas in Tap, Jazz and Ballet through the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in London and attended the National School of the Arts in Johannesbug. He is the Artistic Director of the Bradley Shelver Contemporary Dance Theater and on the teaching faculty of The Alvin Ailey School in New York, and still finds time to conduct master classes across the globe.

His international perspective and daring physicality are exhibited in his latest work, set for its world premiere at the Long Center on Feb. 17 - 19. "This piece was inspired by ancient Jewish folklore," Shelver explains. "The story goes that in every generation, 36 men are born and shoulder the responsibility, the pain, the anguish, the disasters that mankind faces."

The piece features all male dancers, providing unique challenges and also some interesting possibilities. As shown in the video above, the rehearsals during the choreographer's 40-hour residency have been grueling and demanding on the dancers.

Ballet Austin company dancer Jordan Moser says, "We knew that it was going to be really aggressive. It was like, awesome, an all men's piece, let's really dig into it. But we were also a little bit scared. The bruises come and go..."

Shelver's work is visceral and urgent, as the assembled dancers thrash and rage and explode against the approach of the impending apocalypse. With such high stakes, the piece is sure to take the audience on an evocative journey with which they may not be familiar .

"I think that some people come to the theater and have a very passive experience with the art. And with this particular project, they can't do that," explains Ballet Austin Artistic Director Stephen Mills. "They have to be engaged, they have to very carefully analyze what they're seeing."

After each night of performances, audience members will be invited to cast their votes via text message as to which choreographer should be declared the winner. In the end, the champion will be awarded the national acclaim and the bragging rights to take back home to New York City.

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There are three chances to see New American Talent/Dance at the Long Center for the Performing Arts, Feb. 17 - 19. Tickets are available at the Ballet Austin website, starting at just $15.00.

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Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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