Beck Center's Dance Workshop and Dance Education Program to Present SLEEPING BEAUTY, 4/12-13

Beck Center's Dance Workshop and Dance Education program proudly present a condensed, encore production of Tchaikovsky's classic ballet Sleeping Beauty Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13, 2014. In honor of Beck Center's 80th anniversary this special production will take place on the Mackey Main Stage. Show times are 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Saturday, and 3:00 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are on sale now.

Choreographed especially for children by Marius Petipa with additional choreography by Melanie Szucs, associate director of Dance Education and artistic director of the Dance Workshop at the Beck Center, this condensed version of Sleeping Beauty is a romantic fairy tale that tells the story of the beautiful princess Aurora. Cursed at birth by a wicked fairy, Princess Aurora will sleep for 100 years, but true love and the kiss of a handsome prince can wake her. The ballet concludes with a wedding celebration visited by fairy tale characters. "This story appeals to all ages regardless of their familiarity with the ballet, but it speaks directly to children who love fairy tales and happy endings," remarked Szucs.

Beck Center contemporary dance instructor, Kara Madden, will appear in the role of Princess Aurora. Aside from teaching, Kara also dances with Verb Ballets in Cleveland. Jason Wang will awake Aurora from her slumber, dancing as Prince Desiré within this production. Jason has danced with the Cincinnati Ballet and Louisville Ballet, and currently teaches boys' dance and hip hop at Beck Center. Members of the Beck Center Dance Workshop and select dance education students will also appear onstage throughout the ballet. "Sleeping Beauty" is a wonderful vehicle for our dancers to develop their classical ballet technique," said Szucs.

Tickets are $12 for adults/seniors and $10 for students/children 18 and under. (Ticket prices include service fees.) For tickets, visit beckcenter.org or call the Beck Center box office at 216.521.2540 x10. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Celebrating its 80th anniversary, Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional theater on two stages, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies, and gallery exhibits featuring local, regional and international artists. For more information about Beck Center, visit beckcenter.org.

Photo Credit: Beck Center