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Ballet Austin II Dances Annual Spring Production on April 6, 7

Updated: Monday, March 19 2012, 02:06 PM CDT
By Rob Faubion, AustinOnStage.com

Ballet Austin II, Ballet Austin’s second company, will perform its annual spring production - Ballet Austin II @ AVST - on April 6 and 7 at AustinVentures StudioTheater in Ballet Austin’s downtown Butler Dance Education Center. 

This year’s performance features works by George Balanchine, previous New American Talent/Dance finalist Victor Kabaniaev and Ballet Austin Artistic Director Stephen Mills.

The program will open with "Valse Fantaisie," hailed by The New York Times as “the essence of Balanchine’s style: speed and momentum.” A classical work filled with quick, airy movements, the piece is set to Russian composer Mikhail Glinka’s “Valse Fantaisie in B minor”and was staged for Ballet Austin II by SMU associate professor and acclaimed dancer Leslie Peck - one of only a few dancers worldwide authorized to stage Balanchine ballets by the Balanchine Trust.

The second piece on the program, "Phrases," features music by Arvo Pärt set to contemporary choreography by New American Talent/Dance finalist Victor Kabaniaev.  The work returns to the AustinVentures StudioTheater three years after its world premiere in 2009.

The program will conclude with Stephen Mills’ "The Naughty Ones," a sizzling performance set to the 1950s-style rock music of local band, The Naughty Ones. Originally commissioned by Ballet Pacifica in 1997, the work features lively choreography peppered with popular dance moves of the 1960s as it chronicles the love affairs of four couples.

April’s performance caps off a remarkable season for Ballet Austin II including an Orange County tour with Thang Dao’s critically-acclaimed work Quiet Imprint and the recent sold-out world premiere of Nelly van Bommel’s Hansel & Gretel.  Established in 1999, Ballet Austin II is Ballet Austin’s second company/apprentice program, nurturing 10 apprentices - ranging in age from 18 to 23 - who are employed for 34 weeks and perform with the main company in larger productions as well as presenting their own roster of repertoire and educational programming throughout Texas.

Coming from across the United States, the apprentices are contracted with Ballet Austin II for up to two years, during which time they receive artistic guidance, career management counseling and job placement assistance.  Nearly 70 percent of Ballet Austin's main company current roster includes graduates of Ballet Austin II.

Performances will begin at 7 p.m. each night, and tickets are $15 for general admission.  AustinVentures StudioTheater is located at 501 West Third Street in Ballet Austin’s Butler Dance Education Center.  For more information and reservations, call 512-476-2163 or visit BalletAustin.org.

(Photo by Tony Spielberg)Ballet Austin II Dances Annual Spring Production on April 6, 7