The CW: TV Now

The Second Season Will Feature Returning Favorites and New Faces Going Toe-To-Toe as the Competition Heats Up On and Off the Stage

May 29, 2013 (Burbank, California) — The CW Network’s critically-acclaimed docu-series “Breaking Pointe,” which follows the world of ballet through exhausting rehearsals, gorgeous stage performances and behind-the-scenes drama, returns on Monday, July 22 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET) with  new dancers and a new production.

The second season of the show will follow the inner workings of Salt Lake City’s elite ballet company, Ballet West, showing what really goes on when the curtain closes.  Witness the dark side of this seemingly perfect world – the jealousy, intensity, and competition. With the long grueling hours, these statuesque dancers work hard and play hard.

Leading the main company once again is Artistic Director Adam Sklute, a former dancer with The Joffrey Ballet.  This season he and the dancers tackle their largest and most demanding production to date, “Cinderella.”  The competition is fierce as the dancers audition for the life-changing roles of Cinderella and Price Charming.  Featured dancers include returning favorites Principal Christiana Bennett, First Soloist Ronnie Underwood and Demi-Soloists Allison DeBona, Rex Tilton and Beckanne Sisk.  The new dancers joining them include Corps Artist Joshua Whitehead, Guest Dancer Silver Barkes and Ballet West II dancers Zachary Prentice and Ian Tanzer.  Also returning is Principal Christopher Ruud in his new role as Artistic Director of Ballet West II, a two-year training program for young dancers aspiring to dance professionally in the main company.

RETURNING “BREAKING POINTE” DANCERS:

Christopher Ruud, 31

Principal and Ballet West II Artistic Director

Hometown:  San Francisco, California

Christopher Ruud joined Ballet West in 1998 and has been a Principal dancer for eight years.  Christopher’s mother danced for Ballet West and his father was one of the company’s first male principal dancers.  He was recently appointed as Director of Ballet West II, a two-year training program for young dancers who aspire to dance professionally in the main company.  Christopher is working on learning how to balance both responsibilities on a personal and professional level.

Christiana Bennett, 32

Principal

Hometown:  Townsend, Massachusetts

Ballet West’s Prima Ballerina, Christiana Bennett, joined the company in 1999.  She trained at the Pennsylvania Ballet, School of American Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet.  Bennett is the recipient of the Coca-Cola Foundation Arts Award and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts award in dance.  At 32, Bennett is near retirement, yet insists her time is definitely not up.

Ronnie Underwood, 30

First Soloist

Hometown:  Tulsa, Oklahoma

Ronnie Underwood joined the company in 2011 as a Soloist.  Underwood shatters all pre-conceptions of professional ballet dancers.  He is an alpha-male and takes pride in breaking the rules.  After being sidelined with a serious injury, Underwood is vigorously working to recover and reclaim his standing within the company.

Allison DeBona, 29

Demi-Soloist

Hometown:  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Currently one of Ballet West’s rising stars, Allison DeBona joined Ballet West in 2007 and was promoted to Demi-Soloist in 2011.  She trained at The Parou Ballet Company and the Pittsburgh Youth Ballet.  She hopes to be a Principal dancer at Ballet West.  DeBona is at a crossroads in her life, trying to choose between settling down to start a family or continuing with her career.

Rex Tilton, 25

Demi-Soloist

Hometown:  San Diego, California

Rex Tilton joined Ballet West in 2008 as an apprentice.  He is currently a Demi-Soloist and has performed several lead roles alongside the company’s principal dancers.  Tilton comes from a large family of nine, with six out of the seven children dancing professionally.  The stakes have never been higher for Tilton, who suffered a serious foot injury during a performance of “The Nutcracker” last year.

Beckanne Sisk, 20

Demi Soloist

Hometown:  Longview, Texas

Considered to be the future of Ballet West, Beckanne Sisk joined Ballet West II in 2010, followed by Ballet West in 2011.  She began her training at the Studio of Creative Arts and, at age 13, was awarded a full scholarship to The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia.  Recently, she was handpicked by the Youth American Grand Prix to dance at New York City’s Lincoln Center for its annual gala.  Confident and more ambitious than ever, Sisk wants to be crowned “Cinderella” in Ballet West’s upcoming production and to be promoted to Soloist.

NEW “BREAKING POINTE” DANCERS:

Joshua Whitehead, 25

Corps Artist

Hometown:  Portsmouth, Virginia

Joshua Whitehead was recently promoted to Ballet West after finishing his training with Ballet West II.  Growing up in some of Virginia’s worst neighborhoods, Whitehead is the first person in his family to pursue a life in ballet.  Although becoming a professional dancer has not been easy, he is determined to find his place in Ballet West and become its first black male Principal Dancer.

Silver Barkes, 32

Guest Dancer

Hometown:  Novato, California

Silver Barkes is a Guest Dancer with Ballet West.  After being let go two years ago to make room for a new generation of dancers, she was invited back to dance in this season’s production of “Cinderella.”  Like her fellow dancer and roommate Ronnie Underwood, Barkes likes to party and have fun.  She also enjoys mentoring the younger dancers of Ballet West II.

Zachary Prentice, 19

Ballet West II Dancer

Hometown:  Modesto, California

Zach Prentice is a dancer with Ballet West II.  It has not been an easy journey for this young charismatic and openly gay dancer.  In his last year in Ballet West II’s two-year training program, the stakes have never been higher for Prentice as he fights for one of the few open spots in the main company.

Ian Tanzer, 19

Ballet West II Dancer

Hometown:  Cheney, Washington

Ian Tanzer is a dancer with Ballet West II.  He is completing his second year with Ballet West II and has his personal and professional life riding on receiving one of the few coveted spots in the main company, going toe-to-toe with fellow Ballet West II dancer Zach Prentice.

BREAKING POINTE is produced by Adjacent Productions, with executive producers Leola Westbrook (“Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “America’s Next Top Model,” “Taking the Stage”), Izzie Pick Ashcroft (“Dancing with the Stars,” “Strictly Come Dancing,” “Big Brother”), Jane Tranter (“Dancing with the Stars,” “Top Gear,” “Da Vinci’s Demons”) and Matthew Vafiadis (“What Not to Wear,” “Big Brooklyn Style,” “Construction Intervention”).

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May 23, 2013 (Burbank, California) — The CW has announced that its critically acclaimed docuseries, BREAKING POINTE, will return for a sophomore season one week earlier than previously announced.  The new premiere date is Monday, July 22 (9:00-10:00p.m. ET).

Shot in a rich, cinematic style, BREAKING POINTE pulls the viewer directly into the inner workings of the elite Salt Lake City ballet company, Ballet West, to experience the exhausting rehearsals, the behind-the-scenes drama and the vibrant and dynamic main-stage performances.  BREAKING POINTE is produced by Adjacent Productions, with executive producers Leola Westbrook (“Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “America’s Next Top Model,” “Taking the Stage”), Izzie Pick Ashcroft (“Dancing with the Stars,” “Strictly Come Dancing,” “Big Brother”) and Jane Tranter (“Dancing with the Stars,” “Top Gear,” “Little Dorrit”).

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The CW Network Partners with Penske Media Corporation to Present This Year’s Young Hollywood Awards, Thursday, August 1

As it celebrates its 15th Year, The Young Hollywood Awards, long regarded as the “Oscars of Young Hollywood,” will partner with The CW Network to broadcast this year’s star-studded red-carpet event on Thursday, August 1 (8:00-10:00p.m. ET/PT).  The announcement was made today by Jay Penske, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Penske Media Corporation (PMC), owner and Executive Producer of the award show, and Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW.

“I’m so pleased PMC and The CW will partner for our biggest year yet of the Young Hollywood Awards, spotlighting our show’s proven evolution in honoring and celebrating the accomplishments of the entertainment industry’s rising stars,” said Penske. “YHA celebrates emerging young talent, and The CW Network has established the careers of some of the brightest young stars – making this alliance all the more perfect for the significant 15th anniversary of this eminent event.”

“The CW is thrilled to be able to join forces with Jay and PMC to broadcast young Hollywood’s premier award show, as we continue to eventize our summer schedule,” said Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW.  “Not only does this allow us to celebrate the year’s best emerging talent in film, music and television, but it perfectly fits with The CW’s brand and further establishes us as the place to find many of today and tomorrow’s up-and-coming stars.”

Since its inception, this vibrant red carpet show has served as a launch pad for the future careers of many of today’s top actors, directors, and entertainers. A must-attend for Hollywood’s A-list talent, industry executives, and fans, the annual Young Hollywood Awards draws extensive media coverage from national and international press. The list of previous Young Hollywood Awards recipients and presenters is a who’s who of Young Hollywood with names such as Scarlett Johansson, Armie Hammer, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Swift, Ryan Gosling, Zac Efron, Justin Bieber, Jake Gyllenhaal, Dakota Fanning, Jessica Alba, Liam Hemsworth, Ashley Greene, Emma Stone, Nick Jonas, Mila Kunis, and Shia LaBeouf, among many others.

The 15th Annual Young Hollywood Awards will be held in Los Angeles and the host and nominees will be unveiled in June 2013.

About Penske Media Corporation (PMC)

PMC is a leading digital media and publishing company founded by Jay Penske in 2004. Today, PMC engages with audiences across the web, television, mobile, print and social media—reaching more than 119 million consumers monthly according to Comscore. PMC owns a unique and growing portfolio of lifestyle brands that provide the web’s best original content in categories including entertainment, sports, breaking news, media, finance, tech, health, shopping, fashion, beauty, and automotive. PMC Studios, Deadline.com, Variety, OnCars, HollywoodLife, ENTV, India.com, Movieline, TVLine, BGR, AwardsLine, LA411, NY411, Young Hollywood Awards, The Style Awards, and Breakthrough of the Year Awards are all part of the expanding PMC portfolio. For more information on PMC and its brands, please visit: www.PMC.com or its digital properties directly.

About The CW

THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, made its debut on September 20, 2006 as America’s fifth broadcast network and is the only network specifically targeting viewers ages 18-34, a demographic highly sought after by advertisers. Delivering a total of 30 hours of programming a week, The CW offers a five-night, 10-hour primetime lineup that runs Monday through Friday. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block, and a five-hour Saturday morning block.  For more information, visit www.cwtv.com

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The CW Orders First New Series of Next Season with “The Originals”

“Beauty And The Beast” and “Hart of Dixie” Picked Up For Next Season

The CW Network has given early pickups to three additional dramas for next season, including the first new series order of the season with THE ORIGINALS, the highly anticipated spin-off of The Vampire Diaries, which was introduced during last night’s episode.  The network also gave advance orders for the second season of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and the third season of HART OF DIXIE. The pickups were announced today by Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW.

“As soon as we saw last night’s episode of ‘The Vampire Diaries,’ we knew we wanted more of ‘The Originals’ – Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson have done a fantastic job with ‘The Vampire Diaries,’ which is as fast-paced and well-written as ever, and Julie has created an equally compelling world for ‘The Originals,’” said Pedowitz.  “We’re also very excited to bring back ‘Beauty And The Beast’ and ‘Hart of Dixie’ for next season – both series continue to be creatively strong and compelling, and their fans are incredibly passionate.  I’m very happy to have all three series on the schedule for next season.”

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, starring Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan, was this year’s People’s Choice Award winner for Favorite New Drama, and HART OF DIXIE, starring Rachel Bilson, is one of The CW’s top performers on digital platforms, behind only THE VAMPIRE DIARIES.

All three of these series see big lifts in Live+7 Day delayed viewing versus Live + Same Day, with THE VAMPIRE DIARIES jumping 52% increase among adults 18-34 and a 56% gain among women 18-34 once all time-shifted viewing is included.  HART OF DIXIE averages a 53% increase among adults 18-34 and a 61% gain among women 18-34, and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST seeing a 43% jump in adults 18-34 and a 45% bump in women 18-34 from the overnight Live+SD to Live+7.

The CW has already given advance orders to ARROW, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and SUPERNATURAL for next season.

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“WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?” AND “PERFECT SCORE” PREMIERE TUESDAY, JULY 16

“BREAKING POINTE” RETURNS FOR SECOND SEASON ON MONDAY, JULY 29

INTENSE WILDERNESS COMPETITION “CAPTURE” PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, JULY 31

Continuing its commitment to more original year-round programming, The CW set premiere dates for its new summer 2013 primetime series, it was announced today by Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW.  The network’s summer line-up is strategically planned to start in mid-July and continue rolling out into the fall launch.

The CW’s summer slate officially kicks off on Tuesday, July 16 with two all–new half hour shows, including the return of the hit improv comedy series WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? and the new dating competition PERFECT SCORE. Premiere night will feature back-to-back original episodes of WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? (8:00-9:00p.m. ET) and PERFECT SCORE (9:00-10:00p.m. ET).  Starting the next Tuesday, original episodes of WHOSE LINE will air from 8:00-8:30p.m. ET (with encores at 8:30p.m.), and PERFECT SCORE original telecasts will air at 9:00-9:30p.m. ET (with encores at 9:30p.m. ET).

Hosted by comedian Aisha Tyler, WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? will also feature the return of cast members Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady and Colin Mochrie, who along with a special guest each episode, must put their comedic skills to the test through a series of spontaneous improv games, prompted only by random ideas supplied by the studio audience.  Based on the wildly successful U.K. format, which also spawned a previous incarnation in the US that ran for eight seasons on ABC, WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? is executive produced by Dan Patterson, Mark Leveson, Jimmy Mulville, Ryan Stiles and Wayne Brady.  Co-created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson, WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? is from Angst Productions and Hat Trick Productions.

PERFECT SCORE, hosted by fan-favorite actress Arielle Kebbel (“John Tucker Must Die,” “The Vampire Diaries”), puts a unique twist on dating game shows by not only giving players a chance to win a date, but also the opportunity to win cold hard cash — IF they can successfully identify their perfect match.  In each half-hour episode, two friends compete to see who can pick their ideal mate from a group of 12 prospective singles, after both the players and the contestants have taken compatibility tests.  These tests are used to assign cash values to each possible match, and the player who selects the most compatible single – with the highest cash value – wins the cash prize and the date!  Created and executive produced by Scott St. John (“America’s Got Talent,” “Deal or No Deal,”), Thom Beers and Jennifer Mullin.  PERFECT SCORE is from FremantleMedia North America (“American Idol,” “The X Factor,” “America’s Got Talent”).

On Monday, July 29 (9:00-10:00p.m. ET), the acclaimed reality series BREAKING POINTE returns for a second season.  This critically-acclaimed docuseries rips back the curtain on the inner workings of the elite Salt Lake City ballet company, Ballet West.  BREAKING POINTE obliterates the notion that ballet is a dated art form and shatters pre-conceived stereotypes about the men and women who give their lives to the world of ballet.  Underneath the tights and tutus lie warriors who battle in a gritty world of extreme athleticism, focus and dedication while hunting for the unattainable…perfection.  In this close-knit community, the dancers’ lives intertwine both inside and outside of the studio, often putting intense pressure on friendships and romance. BREAKING POINTE is produced by Adjacent Productions, with executive producers Leola Westbrook (“Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “America’s Next Top Model,” “Taking the Stage”), Izzie Pick Ashcroft (“Dancing with the Stars,” “Strictly Come Dancing,” “Big Brother”) and Jane Tranter (“Dancing with the Stars,” “Top Gear,” “Little Dorrit”).

CAPTURE will premiere on Wednesday, July 31 (9:00-10:00p.m. ET). In this intense new wilderness competition, 12 teams of 2 will enter a fenced-in enclosure in the middle of the wild, where they must live for one month and compete against each other for scarce resources.  With $250,000 on the line, it’s a winner-take-all battle in which the teams must hunt each other down to survive.  Executive produced by David Garfinkle (“Ready for Love”), Jay Renfroe (“Ready for Love”) and Greg Goldman (“Ready for Love”), CAPTURE is from Renegade 83 and Blackbird Television in association with Warner Horizon Television.

TUESDAY, JULY 16

8:00-8:30 PM                 WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? (Series Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM                 WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? (All-New Original Episode)
9:00-9:30 PM                 PERFECT SCORE (Series Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM               PERFECT SCORE (All-New Original Episode)

BEGINNING TUESDAY, JULY 23

8:00-8:30 PM                 WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? (Original Episode)
8:30-9:00 PM                 WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? (Encore)
9:00-9:30 PM                 PERFECT SCORE (Original Episode)
9:30-10:00 PM               PERFECT SCORE (Encore)

MONDAY, JULY 29

9:00-10:00 PM BREAKING POINTE (Season Premiere)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 31

9:00-10:00 PM               CAPTURE (Series Premiere)

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