To kickstart their second year, New York City-based Project III will be holding its very first discussion-based program – Empowering Elegance – to explore sexualized femininity in classical dance.
Via dialogue moderated by The Ballet Herald’s Nadia Vostrikov, American Ballet Theatre’s Cassandra Trenary, Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Alexandra Hutchinson, and Complexion Ballet’s Candy Tong aim to unpack how dancers assert their agency and how the classical ballet world can advance in light of its intricate gender history.
Empowering Elegance Program & Panelists
Held at Midtown’s Intimissimi Cafe, the event will include the panel and a meet & greet as well as include coffee and pastry provided by Dell’Aria.
Kierney McAllister, Dell’Aria Caffe’s and Intimissimi Cafe’s event coordinator and also an artist with Project III adds:
“Dell’Aria Caffe is excited to welcome Project III and its panelists. Intimissimi Cafe, with its close association with the femme fashion industry, can think of no better collaboration. Empowering the femme community is more important than ever and what better place to do it than here.”
Cassandra Trenary began her professional dance career with the American Ballet Theatre in 2011, rose to Soloist in 2015 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2020. Along with her recognition in notable roles in the classical and contemporary canon, Trenary’s accolades include being named a National YoungArts Foundation Winner (2011), a Princess Grace Dance Honorarium recipient (2015) and Trenary was honored to receive the final Annenberg Fellowship for Dance (2017).
Alexandra Hutchinson is a ballet dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem who is currently featured in Robert Garland’s New Bach ballet and enjoys the distinction of being one of the last dancers to work with the legendary Arthur Mitchell before his death. She enjoys photography and projects to encourage young black girls to dance and is a member of the International Association of Blacks in Dance.
Candy Tong, a San Francisco native, is in her fifth season with Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Along with her dance career, she is a signed model with State Management in New York City and the founder and designer of Candy Tong Collection, a premier luxury dancewear company that launched in the middle of the pandemic.
Featured Photo for Empowering Elegance of products provided by Intimissimi and Gaynor Minden by Kierney McAllister. Creative Direction by Kasey Broekema. Courtesy of Project III.
