HILL EXPANDS HIS HORIZONS WITH BALLET PROJECT.

Robert Hill, a classical leading man at American Ballet Theatre and a rising contemporary choreographer, is forming a new company called Project Ballet Theatre. Plans are in the works for the troupe's debut in summer 2001 in Europe.

The aim is to show the classical tradition resonating with contemporary significance, especially in new work. "We'll be doing some established contemporary works," Hill says, "but we won't be doing any Don Qs and Black Swans. Essentially, what we want is to workshop new works. That's what we want to grow into." Funding details were unavailable at press time.

The repertoire will include Hill's Baroque Game, his galvanizing and virtuosic ballet commissioned by ABT in fall 1999 and repeated in 2000, as well as his recent Marimba, a joyous piece made for ABT's Studio Company.

"We want to keep to twelve dancers or less, many from ABT when they're available," says Hill. "It's great to have such terrific dancers to draw on. Creating new expression in dance is as much a necessity as is preserving the classical form. With artists capable of working in both genres, a robust balance can be found."