1 week Ago By Daily Republic Staff
BENICIA — Benicia Ballet, celebrating its 39th season, presents a special family-friendly adaptation of the timeless classical ballet, “Swan Lake,” on May 10. Benicia High senior Nanami Stewart and Rodriguez High's Ineza Marekani headline the troupe of more than 35 dancers. They share the roles of Odette/Odile.
The ballet also features regional professional guest dancers, Tian Tan, in the role of Prince Siegfried, and David Bier as Von Rothbart. “Our goal with this performance of ‘Swan Lake’ is to bring the magic, whimsy, strength and beauty of this classical ballet to all audiences, especially families. We want to share with the East and North Bay what we’ve always believed at Benicia Ballet: Dance – classical ballet – is for everyone.
I’m so proud of the dedication of our dancers and the amazing support we receive from our dancers’ families and army of volunteers,” Teresa Taylor, artistic director and Benicia Ballet studio owner, said in a statement. The shows are at 1 and 5 p.m.
at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, 1010 Ulatis Drive. Tickets are available for purchase at http://vpat.showare.
com/beniciaballettheatre . Benicia Ballet was established in 1986. Taylor, once a professional dancer with Ballet Theatre of Boston, Ballet New England and Boston Dance Company, also taught for Boston Ballet and is a long-standing member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science.
"She empowers her students to unleash their creative dynamism and unlock their potential with a strong foundation of proper technique and scientifically-validated best practices, especially for pre-pointe and pointe work," the theater said in a statement. "All Benicia Ballet faculty and teaching staff bring rigorous professional and pre-professional experience, helping prepare students for their pre-professional/professional ballet journey, developing skills that can be applied beyond the studio and the stage. Benicia Ballet also hosts a performance showcase in June and multiple summer programs, including a Summer Dance Workshop, Ballet Intensive, and Twilight Camp, from July 14 to Aug.
1, with an end-of-program performance on Aug. 2 that is free to the public." Summer programs are available at a reduced cost thanks to a partial sponsorship by the City of Benicia Arts and Culture Commission.
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