The Rite of Spring Project

On November 17 and 18, 2007, approximately 120 New York City school students took to the stage of The United Palace Theater in Upper Manhattan for an exciting dance performance of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker, and an additional 80 students premiered a new musical composition entitled Songs: Ritual Rhythms. The performance, featuring choreography by Royston Maldoom, was the culmination of a transformational educational project that took place over two months in the fall of 2007.

The Dance Project Video Journal

The first weeks of rehearsal
Students discuss their first impressions of The Dance Project

Time: 4:39   |   Play ›

Joint Rehearsal
Students from the five schools involved in the Dance Project rehearse together for the first time.

Time: 4:24   |   Play ›

Final Dress Rehearsal
Eight weeks of rehearsal come to an end as the Dance Project students practice one last time before their debut on November 17.

Time: 4:03   |   Play ›

The Performance
Over 120 elementary, middle, and high school students from upper Manhattan dance to the Berliner Philharmoniker’s live performance of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring.

Time: 6:31   |   Play ›

About The Rite of Spring Project

A transformational education project presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with Zukunft@BPhil, the Berliner Philharmoniker education program, The Rite of Spring project culminated in performances with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker. The Rite of Spring Project, featuring The Dance Project and Songs: Ritual Rhythms, engaged 200 New York City public school students in a two-month exploration of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring through movement and music. Beginning in September of 2007, approximately 120 students spent eight weeks in rehearsals with choreographer Royston Maldoom and his team in preparation for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—the chance to dance The Rite of Spring at two exciting performances with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker at The United Palace Theater in Upper Manhattan. In a parallel program, 80 high school students worked with the Berliner Philharmoniker’s education staff and musicians in the development of an original composition, using conceptual themes and musical elements from Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring to create an entirely new piece. Premiere performances of this new work, entitled Songs: Ritual Rhythms opened The United Palace Theater performance program on November 17 and 18, 2007.

Royston Maldoom

Royston Maldoom began his career as a choreographer in 1975, when his first work gained the Foundation of France Prize for Outstanding Artistic Achievement. There followed commissions for the Dance Theater of Harlem New York, The Scottish Ballet, Irish National Ballet, National Ballet, and Ballet San Marco in Peru, as well as many other dance ensembles in Great Britain and abroad. In 1980, he was appointed dance-artist-in-residence for Fife in Scotland. He produced many workshops, summer schools, and festivals; set up youth and adult community dance groups; and established his philosophy of Community Dance—the belief in dance art as a contributor to life and society. During the course of his career, Mr. Maldoom has worked with marginalized children in Peru; Catholic and Protestant youth in Northern Ireland; prison inmates; children and adults with learning difficulties; and young people excluded from mainstream education and children in exile.

In the 1990s Mr. Maldoom began working in Germany. He was the choreographer and artistic director of the German-British Youth Dance Exchange in Berlin (1989–97), choreographer of the European Youth Dance Festival in Duisburg (1990–97), and visiting choreographer to the Academy for Performing Arts at Frankfurt University. Twice he worked with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle, and 250 young students from Berlin schools, including refugees and immigrants, as documented in the acclaimed film Rhythm Is It! The Berlin project was the most recent in a series of works for orchestra that included the London Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Scottish Chamber, and Natal Symphony Orchestra.

In 2005, Mr. Maldoom received the German Honorary Prize in Dance for his continuous and groundbreaking contribution to choreographic, cultural, and social development. In 2006, the Queen presented Royston Maldoom with the Order of The British Empire (OBE) for Services to Dance.

The Berlin in Lights festival is made possible by a leadership gift from the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation.

Major funding has also been provided by Mercedes and Sid Bass, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Fundación Mercantil (Venezuela), with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding provided by Axel Springer AG and GWFF USA Inc.

The Rite of Spring Project is made possible, in part, by generous gifts from Martha and Bob Lipp, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Jerome Robbins Foundation.