"Best of" season choreographed to appeal to Valley audiences
By Richard Schultz

Ballet Arizona celebrates its 25th anniversary with a nod to nostalgia while expanding the repertoire and showcasing the talents of its dancers.

In assembling the season, artistic director Ib Andersen admitted that he kept in mind “the best of all time” in selecting works for performance. Andersen, who was named artistic director of Ballet Arizona in 2000, said he selected ballets based on audience feedback and artistic goals in hopes of also reaching the organization’s revenue goals.

The season, during which the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra will accompany four of the six productions at Symphony Hall, opens with a revival of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, followed by the holiday favorite The Nutcracker and the highly-anticipated encore of Don Quixote.

2011 will bring the Phoenix premiere of George Balanchine’s electric and intricate Monumentum pro Gesualdo and Movements for Piano and Orchestra, as well as Andersen’s Mosaik.

The new season is defined by the diversity of the styles of choreography in each program, which weave together to form a showcase of Ballet Arizona’s 25-year history.

Katrina Olson, Ballet Arizona’s public relations manager, acknowledged that subscriptions are slightly behind last season. “After last season, we noticed a trend that people were purchasing later and later, so our marketing cycle has been adjusted for this season,” she said.

Last season, Ballet Arizona had record-breaking ticket sales and sold out dates for three of the five performances of Sleeping Beauty, Olson said. The company learned that local audiences were most interested in the preservation and celebration of classical dance, along with the creation of new and innovative art, she said.

In addition to its performance schedule, Ballet Arizona will continue its commitment to community outreach with Ballet Under the Stars, a Valley tradition that presents dance in a unique outdoor setting at five local parks and is free and open to the public.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the organization’s Student Matinee Series, which invites school children to experience a ballet production at Symphony Hall.

Ballet Arizona’s season

Ib Andersen’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nov. 5-7 with the Phoenix Symphony at Symphony Hall): A hilarious masterpiece of dream and illusion, love and fantasy based on William Shakespeare’s tale. Choreography by Andersen and Music by Felix Mendelssohn.

Ib Andersen’s The Nutcracker (Dec. 10-26 with the Phoenix Symphony at Symphony Hall): Celebrate the holiday season with Arizona’s 25-year beloved tradition. Choreography by Andersen and music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Don Quixote (Feb. 11-13 with the Phoenix Symphony at Symphony Hall): Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the romance of dance and an energetic storybook ballet. Choreography by Olga Evreinoff after Marius Petipa and music by Ludwig Minkus.

Modern Masters (March 25-27 at the Orpheum Theatre): A mix of artistry, audience favorites and premieres, as well as the return of the seductive Polyphonia by Christopher Wheeldon, one of the world’s most in-demand choreographers, with live piano accompaniment. Choreography by Andersen and Christopher Wheeldon.

Ib Andersen’s Mosaik (April 29-May 1 at Symphony Hall): Andersen’s first completely original full-length ballet with its colorful costumes and conceptual scenery received acclaim from critics and patrons at its premiere in 2004. Choreography by Andersen and music by Chopin, Berlioz and Schubert.

Celebration of Balanchine (June 3-5 with the Phoenix Symphony at Symphony Hall): A collection by George Balanchine, the father of American ballet, includes La Valse, the Phoenix premiere of Monumentum pro Gesualdo and Movements for Piano and Orchestra. Choreography by George Balanchine and music by Stravinsky and Ravel.

For more information, visit www.balletaz.org.