Ballet company to lose director after this season

Lisa Ferguson

Thursday, Sept. 19, 1996 | 5:49 a.m.

Vassili Sulich, founder and artistic director of Nevada Dance Theatre, is stepping down after this season, the company's 25th.

Sulich cited a disagreement between the chairman of NDT's executive board, Nancy Houssels, other board members and himself over "the plans for the future of the company" as the cause for his resignation, but chose not to elaborate.

"It's not my choice," the 66-year-old choreographer contends, "but it's best for everyone."

Nevertheless, the decision was not an easy one.

"When you create something which you loved and nurtured for 25 years, you do not abandon it easily," he said.

In its early days, NDT concerts lacked budgets and featured classically trained dancers from shows on the Strip, who performed Sulich's choreography gratis.

"When this started, I was alone with dancers and there was no money involved," he said.

Support for the company came from the community, and backed by NDT's board of directors, it grew into a professional company of 24 dancers who perform during its 34-week season.

Sulich has created more than 45 ballets for NDT during the last quarter-century, including "Bolero," "Carmen" and "Los Ninos."

He's currently creating a ballet titled "In Paradise's Garden" that he's dedicating "to all of the people in this community who have supported me."

"I have always felt that from year to year, our productions grow quality-wise. It's a company right now that I think is stronger than it's ever been. I hope it will continue to grow."

"This is the end of an era," says company manager Norman Cain, who's worked with Sulich for 19 years.

Among NDT's achievements are performances on the Strip with Liberace and eight national tours (the company is readying to embark on another this year).

In the past, the 66-year-old Sulich has choreographed productions for the San Francisco and Seattle opera companies.

Prior to arriving in Las Vegas to serve as principal dancer and ballet master for "Folies Bergere," Sulich's career as a classical dancer and choreographer was already well established in Europe.

In France, he was a soloist with Janine Charrat's "Ballet de Paris," "Ballets de Paris de Roland Petit" and Massine's "Ballet European," among others.

In 1962, he choreographed Maurice Thiriet's production of "Oedipus the King," and later created works for the Lyon and Geneva Operas. He also made films in France, Germany and Hollywood.

Sulich's ballets have been included in the repertoire of the Royal New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong ballets as well as companies in Canada, Yugoslavia and the United States. They've also been performed at international ballet competitions in Varna, Bulgaria, and Moscow.

During his tenure with NDT, he was honored as "Outstanding Individual Artist" with the Nevada Governor's Award, Distinguished Nevadan by the University of Nevada Systems Board of Regents, and received a U.S. Senatorial Achievement Award.

Sulich plans to continue his involvement with NDT while working with other companies in the U.S. and abroad.

"I wish Nevada Dance Theatre success and I hope I can still be involved. It depends on the director and the direction of the Nevada Dance Theatre."

But Cain assures, "He'll still be involved in the company and hopefully we'll still be using his choreography."

The company's season begins Tuesday with guest artists from Smuin Ballets/SF and concludes in April with an East Coast tour.