Ballet Ariel to Present FIREBIRD in April

Ballet Ariel will add another original, magical ballet to its repertoire with the premiere of Firebird. Performed to Stravinsky's electrifying score, Firebird is the timeless tale of a Prince and his Princess and the beautiful firebird that rescues them from the torments of an evil magician and his nefarious goblins. Ballet Ariel's production is an intriguing fusion of Michel Fokine's original choreography and Artistic Director Ilena Norton's reimagining of this ancient Slavic fairy tale set in an enchanted, shadowy forest. The result is a stunning ballet that pays tribute to its roots, opening with Fokine's Firebird dance with the Prince.

The Fokine choreography will be staged and coached by Oleg Dedogryuk Rehearsal Director, and Ballet Master Patricia Renzetti. The evil magician Koschei will be created and danced by Gregory Gonzales.

Also on the program is the Grand Pas Classique from the ballet "Paquita". Ballet Ariel will be performing Marius Petipa's version from the Imperial Ballet with staging by Oleg Dedogryuk. Yoshiko Brunson and Marcelina Guadini-Lancaster will be featured company artists. Anton Iakovlev and Alexandru Glusacov will be guest artists for the ballets.

Performances:

Saturday, April 8 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Elaine Wolf Theatre at the JCC, Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver, 80246

Saturday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 30 at 2:00 p.m. at Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood, 80226.

Tickets are $28-30 for adults, $24-26 for seniors/students, and $20-22 for children. For more information call (303) 282-9828 and to purchase tickets please go to www.balletariel.org.

ABOUT BALLET ARIEL

Ballet Ariel was founded in 1998 by Artistic and Executive Director Ilena Norton. Now entering its 24th year of performance, Ballet Ariel has evolved into a laboratory for developing original classical ballets, a collaborative environment where the beauty of classical ballet comes together with narrative storytelling and a contemporary vision. This professional company is known for its graceful and elegant, yet dynamic, choreography and staging.

Ballet Ariel emphasizes diversity in its company and education programs and offers an eclectic repertoire to attract broad spectrum audiences and participants. Located at the Denver Dance Center at 2496 W. 2nd Ave. #3, the company employs twelve professional dancers under Rehearsal Director Oleg Dedogryuk and Ballet Master Patricia Renzetti. Ballet Ariel's repertoire features original ballets such as Ballerina by Degas, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, and Tale of Molly Brown along with classical works including Coppelia, La Fille Mal Gardee, and Les Sylphides. For more information, visit www.balletariel.org or call (303) 945-4388.

Ballet Ariel receives funding from Denver, Jefferson, Adams, and Douglas Counties through the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Colorado Creative Industries, and Denver Ballet Guild.

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