Ballet Minnesota Inc

TO ENRICH LIVES BY CREATING & SHARING ARTISTRY IN DANCE THROUGH PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS & EDUCATION.

THE CLASSIC NUTCRACKER BALLET: A HOLIDAY TRADITION FOR ALL AGES, THE 34TH NUTCRACKER STAGED FIVE PERFORMANCES AT THE O'SHAUGHNESSY AT SAINT CATHERINE'S UNIVERSITY. THE PRODUCTION HELD ONE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY GROUP PERFORMANCE, WHERE THERE WERE 1,200 ATTENDEES FROM A VARIETY OF SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS FROM ALL OVER THE TWIN CITIES METRO. 2,800 PATRONS ATTENDED THREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES. THE CAST INCLUDED OVER 100 DANCERS AGES FOUR TO ADULT, INCLUDING FOUR BALLET MINNESOTA COMPANY DANCERS, TWO SPECIAL GUESTS FROM AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE, AND DANCERS FROM CLASSICAL BALLET ACADEMY, OUR OFFICIAL SCHOOL. THE NUTCRACKER GIVES YOUNG STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS AND LEARN DIRECTLY FROM THEM. OUR NUTCRACKER CONTINUES TO BECOME AN ANNUAL FAMILY TRADITION FOR THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, BALLET MINNESOTA PERFORMED EXCERPTS OF THE NUTCRACKER AT THE MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ONE DAY OVER THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, ENTERTAINING PASSENGERS AS THEY NAVIGATED THE TERMINAL BETWEEN FLIGHTS.

MINNESOTA DANCE FESTIVAL: RETURNED TO AN IN-PERSON EVENT, WITH THREE PERFORMANCES AT THE ANNE SIMLEY THEATRE AT HAMLINE UNIVERSITY. THIS EVENT CELEBRATES DANCERS, ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, DIRECTORS, SET AND COSTUME DESIGNERS FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF DANCE ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SHARING IDEAS, TECHNIQUES, CREATIVE HOPES, AND AMBITIONS. THIS YEAR'S PRODUCTION THREE BALLET MINNESOTA COMPANY DANCERS PERFORMING THE CLASSIC BALLET LES SYLPHIDES, DANCE SACREE ETC DANSE PROFANCE, BALLET MINNESOTA PERFORMED WITH STUDENTS FROM CLASSICAL BALLET ACADEMY. GUEST PERFORMERS INCLUDED EVA IGO, JULIANA JOHNSON, ELENA HOLLENHURST, CAAM CHINESE DANCE THEATER, KALA VANDANAM, JIM LIEBERTHAL, KEANE SENSE OF RHYTHM, KENDALL KRAMER, UNIVERSAL DANCE DESTINY, AND O'SHEA IRISH DANCE.