The UGA Ballet Ensemble will present a one-night performance March 22 at 8 p.m. to commemorate its 20th anniversary on campus.
The special concert, featuring both classical and contemporary ballet works performed by current company members with special appearances by ensemble alumni, will be held in the New Dance Theatre in the dance building located on Sanford Drive.
Tickets are $16, $10 for students. They are available through the Performing Arts Center box office, by calling 706-542-4400, by visiting pac.uga.edu, at the Tate Student Center cashier’s window or at the door before the performance.
Four “pas de deux” (dance for two) will be performed: the “Aurora’s Wedding” sequence from Act III of Sleeping Beauty; the pas de deux from Don Quixote performed by alumna Kristin Grubbs and her partner Samuel Chester, both with the Carolina Ballet Theatre; the Russian pas de deux “Spring Waters”; and an original work “Awakened,” created by alumnus John Streit.
For classical ballet lovers, several variations will be performed including solos from “Flames of Paris,” “Paquita,” “La Bayadere” and “La Esmeralda.” Alumna Alisha Cardenas will bring dancers from Central New Jersey Ballet Theatre to the stage in “Waltz of the Hours” from Coppelia and “Troubles,” a contemporary work by Cardenas.
As part of the concert, the ensemble will perform “Of Hummingbirds” and “Channel Swimmers,”a neo-classical work by dance department instructor Alix Miller. The modern ballet “Departure from 5th” will be revived by alumni from the original 2001 cast.
Current ensemble members will perform “Natoma X 4,” a contemporary ballet with choreography and lighting design, alongside founding artistic director Joan Buttram and technical director Christopher Fleming.
In honor of the early years of the ensemble, Buttram has reconstructed the Romantic era ballet “Pas de Quatre,” choreographed by Jules Perrot, which premiered in 1845. Two dancers will be featured in Farah Nixon’s theatrical modern work “Yes/No/Maybe.” Finally, Athens community actor and dancer Allen Rowell brings an original short film centering on the performance career of ballet ensemble alumna dancer Amy Harold.
