The "bad guys» hisdancethey return in wild moods toAthenafor three spectacular performances on27, 28 & 29 January 2012 in the Badminton theaterand for two appearances atThessalonica, in theOpera Houseat31/01 and 1/02 2012.
A modern one, full of energy and sensual dance performance with beat music that passes like a storm wherever it finds itself (America, Europe and Australia) and leaves audiences and critics raving and charting hymns!
The same thing happened in Athens last year, in November 2010, when the -always generous with authentic vanguard- Greek audience filled Badminton for four nights (10-14/11) and welcomed for the first time the "ballet of the 21st century".
To “Rock the Ballet” it is a creation ofRasta Thomas, classical ballet soloist, who decided to throw away the "tight" leggings, to forget Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev for a while, re-examine the legacy of Rudolf Nureyev with a fresh eye and unleash his unparalleled talent dancing to the rock beats of Lenny Kravitz, of U2, of Journey, of Queen and many, many others! With Adrienne Canterna, husband and companion, to sign most of the choreography and the Bad Boys of Dance a group of excellent male dancers (and a dancer) to contribute to the scenes, Rasta Thomas as a worthy leader, present a "work", in which the traditional techniques of classical ballet coexist and "mix" with the wild, intense movements of modern dance, the difficult and dangerous stunts of gymnastics, but also the rhythmic figures of hip hop or the atmospheric ones of a jazz interlude. Giving like this, a kick in the knees of the strict rules that raised him. And they created him!
From the 2008 until today, Rock the Ballet has performed more than 600 sold out shows all over the world, among them those of Greece, rising above 300.000 spectators!!!
RASTA THOMAS
(Director/Founder)
Rasta Thomas was born in San Francisco, California in 1981 and grew up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He studied at the world-renowned Kirov Academy in Washington and as a teenager made dance competition history with awards including the Special Jury Prize from the Paris International Dance Competition in 1994, the Gold Medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna 1996 in the junior category and the Gold Medal in the men's category in Jackson, MS USA-IBC. The 1995 became a member of Le Jeune Ballet de France and the 1997 was invited as a Principal Dancer with the Hartford Ballet. He has appeared in several television documentaries, at the Academy Awards, in a commercial for GAP's international campaign, as well as in the film 'One Last Dance' starring Patrick Swayze. She has danced at the White House for the President of the USA and opened for Aretha Franklin at Harlem's famous Apollo Theater. The 2005, Rasta starred in the musical 'Movin’ Out' by Twyla Tharp on Broadway, while the 2007 guest danced the title role in "Othello" with American Ballet Theatre
He has collaborated with many dance groups, such as: American Ballet Theatre, Victor Ullate Ballet of Spain, National Ballet of China, Joffrey Ballet, Lines Contemporary Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company και Pacific Northwest Ballet. He has danced many roles, such as “Albrecht” in Giselle, “Basilio” in Don Quixote, “Ali” at Le Corsaire, and in works by Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Debbie Allen, Ulysses Dove and Jerry Mitchell.
He was the first American to join the Mariinsky Ballet (pr. Kirov) of Saint Petersburg (2001), while subsequently, two years later, was the first soloist at the Dance Theater of Harlem. His latest project is the group Bad Boys of Dance and "Rock The Ballet" (co-created with Adrienne Canterna).
