Friends of the Sarasota Ballet celebrate a new season

Friends of the Sarasota Ballet members gathered at Bird Key Yacht Club Monday, Nov. 7 to learn what they can expect from a new season at the Sarasota Ballet. Director Iain Webb reviewed the company’s schedule for the next several months, and Christopher Hird, the new director of education for the Ballet, explained what it was like to go to Brazil to recruit new dancers.

Hird moved to Sarasota from Boston in July, and after just a week here, he left for Brazil. In Brazil, Hird attended dance competitions where he found four new dancers for the Sarasota Ballet: one Corps de Ballet member, Weslley Carvalho, and three trainees: Alexandre Barbosa, Taiguara Goulart and Mayanie Magri. Hird says the Brazilians are a bit homesick, but they’re incredibly thankful to be here. When asked what their favorite part of being in Sarasota is, Hird says the trainees said “every day.”