Dancing Wheels Present World Premiere of Anti-Bullying Piece DARING TO BE DUMBO, Now thru 5/11

As the top recipient of the Cuyahoga County Arts and Culture's "Creative Culture" grant, The Dancing Wheels Company will initiate a year-long campaign to bring new hope and a vision of possibility to those who have struggled with the indignities of bullying and other social injustices.

The springboard for the campaign is the world premiere of Daring to be Dumbo, an eye-opening production performed by Dancing Wheels' dancers with and without disabilities and choreographed by the esteemed film maker, director and choreographer David Rousseve.

Premiering today, May 9 through May 11, 2013 at the Saint Ignatius Breen Center, Dancing Wheels' version of this timeless classic will be set in a modern junior high school. With its heartwarming moral lessons of embracing differences and conquering adversity, this story will be a welcomed addition to the Dancing Wheels' family-friendly repertory.

Complete with a vibrant "dream sequence" featuring the "Pink Elephants on Parade", the multi-media production brilliantly encompasses a video backdrop, new musical orchestration by Steve Eva and the Chagrin Valley Studio Orchestra, and larger than life-size puppets by Robin VanLear to create a truly magical story for the young--and young-at-heart.

Dancing Wheels' cast of 15 dancers will play multiple roles, with the featured role of the outcast Dumbo character played by Dancing Wheels' 5-year veteran dancer Dezare Foster, and her "side kick" Timothy played by Jen Sikora, the Company's first student and now professional wheelchair dancer.

The production will open today, May 9 & 10 with 10:30 a.m. student matinee performances for over 1,000 school age children from across Northeast Ohio who will be bused in for the performance. Following the student matinees will be two public performances Friday evening, May 10 and Saturday afternoon May 11.

In addition to the premiere performances, Dancing Wheels is also presenting two fun-filled events available to the public; the opening night (Friday, May 10th at 6:30 p.m.) Cirque Soirée benefit event will be held in the Cirque du Soleil style with an array of inventive gourmet circus fare, cocktails, and special Cirque guests. Patrons will enjoy the performance at 8:00 p.m. and then continue the festivities in the lobby with desserts, a silent auction, and lively music.

Saturday afternoon (May 11th at 2:00p.m.) will be dedicated to children and families for Dumbo's Circus Celebration! Attendees will experience the dynamic production of Daring to be Dumbo, followed by a truly entertaining party with circus games, prizes, and circus treats such as cotton candy, popcorn, and pink lemonade.

About the Creative Culture Project: Prior to the performance and during the three-day run, camera crews will be on hand to film rehearsals and the production and to capture interviews from artists and patrons. The goal is to find real-life stories of those who have risen above ridicule and isolation of "being different" to discover lives of dignity and achievement. These interviews, along with a series of others from notable individuals in the community, will then be included in a made-for-television documentary slated to air on WKYC TV-3 in Spring of 2014. After the airing, the documentary and the production of Daring to be Dumbo will be excerpted and taken out to schools, libraries, and community groups throughout Northeast Ohio, and eventually nationwide. The entire project is intended to inspire and evoke positive conversation around the importance of accepting everyone as equals-- especially those who dare to be different!

About the Company & School: As America's first and foremost physically integrated Dance Company, the Dancing Wheels Company travels the globe performing, teaching, and speaking to over 30,000 people each year. The Company of 15 dancers has performed more than 50 works from esteemed choreographers throughout the world and has had the honor of working on stage with such luminaries as Ben Vereen, Christopher Reeve, Tommy Tune, Robin Williams and Gloria Gaynor- to name a few. The School of Dancing Wheels serves more than 2,000 children and adults with and without disabilities each year. In Cleveland, the Company & School has built strong partnerships with such organizations as Achievement Center for Children, United Cerebral Palsy of Northeast Ohio, Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio, Cleveland Clinic's Arts & Medicine Institute and Akron Children's Hospital. The Company and School have a distinctive mission to bring arts opportunities and experiences to children and families who might not otherwise have the equal advantage to participate. As an innovative art form, the Dancing Wheels Company has brought joy and hope to over 5 million people worldwide for more than 3 decades.

Production and event tickets for Friday, May 10's opening night performance and Cirque Soirée pre-party, performance, and after party are $100. Tickets to only the performance and after party are $55. Saturday, May 11 matinee performance and Dumbo's Circus Celebration after party are $25 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Student matinee performances are $5 per student. For more information and to purchase tickets log onto www.dancingwheels.org or call (216) 432-0306. Performances play The Breen Center for the Performing Arts at St. Ignatius High School, 2008 West 30th Street, Cleveland, OH.

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