Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Kirsten Bloom, Changing Roles.

For the last 14 years, Kirsten Bloom has been the most familiar face of the Sacramento Ballet. Audiences have admired and respected her abilities as a dancer and an athlete in numerous roles. She has performed in Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Carmina Burana, A Streetcar Named Desire, Concerto Barocco, Etosha, and of course, The Nutcracker, each one demanding a different personna. Vulnerable, tender, feisty, sympathetic, headstrong, or regal, Kirsten showed the essence of the character in her dance. She partnered with Jared Nelson, Jack Hansen, Luis Napoles, Bobby Briscoe, Michael Vester in many of the dances adding the collaborative dimension to her abilities.

Kirsten will be taking on her greatest role, that of a mother next April and will begin her maternity leave after her final performance October 24th during the Capital Choreography Competition at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento. She says she is not retiring and plans to return to dance in the future.

I have been fortunate to photograph Kirsten on and offstage for most of the time she has been dancing with the company. Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda, the Artistic Directors of the company will work with the current dancers and mold them into world-class artists as they have with Kirsten. Who will dance the role of the "Sugar Plum Fairy" in this year's edition of the Nutcracker? Whoever she is will have one of the best ever to emulate.

13 comments:

Kent said...

Very nice! Thank you for sharing.

Nelson said...

Jay; thank you so much for that wonderful tribute to Kirsten. It was powerful, beautiful, funny, and full of fantasic memories. It brought us tears and joy.

Nelson & Susan Bloom

Unknown said...

Congratulations Kirsten and good luck in your new role as a mother. I'm sure you will be a great mom!

Unknown said...

Thank you for that moving tribute to Kirsten. As someone who has been watching her dance since she was 5, I can honestly say, she is the best of the best.

Ben Sigworth said...

Beautiful!!! That was an incredible tribute to Kirsten. I wish you well in becoming a new mother.

Unknown said...

WOW! Simply Amazing! Such talent! Congratulations Kirsten on the pregnancy and best of luck in your new role as Mom! Thanks for sharing!

Dave and Melanie Bloom said...

What an amazing tribute to our cousin - thank you for sharing!

Rob Kerr said...

beautiful jay, love the closing photo choice. beautiful take on whole.

Sherry said...

beautiful photographs-beautiful young woman-beautiful sentiment-it gave me goosebumps-thanks so much

Anonymous said...

Iris Berets

Ralph and I loved watching Kirsten perform. She has a warm and engaging presonality. Her obivious love for children makes her choice to be a mother a wonderful one.

Anonymous said...

I cannot thank you enough Jay for this moving and beautiful tribute. You have been there for so much of my career and I have you to thank, always, for the wonderful photos which bring back memories I will hold the rest of my days.
-Kirsten Bloom

Anonymous said...

Wonderful!! All our best wishes for the future. Your Canadian cousins....Liz and Larry Kliman

Anonymous said...

We miss you Kirsen.. beautiful images a wonderful tribute.