The New Jersey Civic Youth Ballet Presents a Double Feature of Ballets

The New Jersey Civic Youth Ballet will be presenting a double feature of ballets on Sunday, June at 4:00 pm. The performance will be held on the Sitnik Stage of Centenary Stage Company's Lackland Performing Arts Center at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ. Tickets are $25.00 for adult orchestra seating, $22.00 for adult mezzanine seating and $15.00 for children under 12. Tickets are available on line at centenarystageco.org or by phone at (908) 979 - 0900.

Peter and the Wolf is a timeless classic that delights both children and adults alike. It is a story of unexpected friendships, teamwork and bravery. This ballet serves as a great introduction for children to learn the instruments of the orchestra because each character is represented by a different instrument. The dance, narration and musical themes help to guide the story which has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world. Peter and the Wolf features all new choreography this year by the new Co-Artistic Directors Alexandra Thorpe and Ashley Feyrer. The part of Peter is played by Lily Papendick (12) of Stanhope. The part of the Wolf is played by Violet McMeen (13) of Long Valley. It is the first time for both of them in this role.

Carnival of the Animals is a charming ballet that tells the story of a young girl who falls asleep and dreams her favorite stuffed animal, a lion, has come to life! The Lion leads the young girl to his magical kingdom, where all of his animals friends live. The young girl loves to dance and is delighted when all the magical animals dance for her. There are spirited chickens pecking about, beautiful fish swimming around, adorable turtles peeking out of their shells, a kangaroo that energetically bounces to and fro and silly penguins that slip and slide all over. The young girl wakes up realizing that just because it was a dream, doesn't mean it wasn't real. We are reminded that you should always believe in your dreams. The entire ballet is a gem that leaves the audience feeling enchanted and inspired.

It has been 6 years since NJCYB has last danced Carnival of the Animals. We are excited to bring it back into the repertoire. Choreography is by Elisabeth Holowchuk Sollog. The part of the lion is played by Anne Mohan (17) of Newton. And the part of the Little Girl is played by Kristina Gallagher (8) of Hackettstown.

The cast is comprised entirely of students from the surrounding area (Hunterdon, Morris, and Warren Counties) ranging in ages from 6-17. Both ballets feature narration making the performances accessible to children.

For more information please visit The New Jersey Civic Youth Ballet at njcyb.org or by phone at (908) 850 - 0709. To purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call the CSC box office at (908) 979 - 0900. The Centenary Stage Company box office is open Monday through Friday from 1 - 5 pm and two hours prior to every performance. The box office is located at 715 Grand Ave. Hackettstown, NJ in the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University.

Photo Credit: The New Jersey Civic Youth Ballet

To post a comment, you must register and login.