Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events, and Boston Public Schools, presents two free performances featuring Boston Ballet company dancers, Boston Ballet II dancers, and Boston Ballet School students at The Strand Theatre at 543 Columbia Road in Dorchester, MA on Friday, March 11, 2011 at 11:00am and 7:00pm.
“Boston Ballet is thrilled to make our second annual performances at The Strand Theatre,” said Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “Boston Ballet is ever-proud to be the city’s ballet company, and our deep roots in the community continue to grow through our extensive outreach programs and our mission for excellence and access to the art form of dance. We look forward to celebrating the Dorchester community with the Mayor’s Office on March 11.”
“The City of Boston is proud to be home to some of the best arts and cultural institutions in the country, including Boston Ballet,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “It is important that our youth are given the opportunity to learn about dance through a productive and healthy form of self-expression. I want to thank Boston Ballet for continuing to offer great resources to our community and for bringing this beautiful art into our neighborhoods.”
Boston Ballet’s performances, developed specifically for The Strand Theatre, will feature a dynamic introduction to a variety of dance forms through an interactive and diverse program. The 11:00am performance has been reserved for Boston Public Schools students. The Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events has generously waived the Strand’s standard rental fee. The first performance will be emceed by Boston Ballet School Marblehead Principal Evelyn Cisneros-Legate and will feature a new work by Boston Ballet second soloist Jeffrey Cirio, works by George Balanchine and Jorma Elo, as well as an audience participation piece lead by Jeffrey Cirio and soloist Joseph Gatti. Boston Ballet II and Boston Ballet School students will perform with special guests from the Company.
The 7:00pm performance is free and open to the general public. It will feature performances by Boston Ballet company dancers specially prepared for this one-night-only presentation. Works presented in the evening performance will include Cirio’s new work From Zero 2 Five in 43, excerpts of George Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15 and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Helen Pickett’s Tsukiyo, and Jorma Elo’s Plan to B. Dancers performing in the evening include principals Kathleen Breen Combes, Lia Cirio, Misa Kuranaga, Larissa Ponomarenko, James Whiteside and Yury Yanowsky.
The two performances are an extension of Boston Ballet’s unparalleled community outreach initiatives which include the nationally acclaimed Citydance, Adaptive Dance and Taking Steps programs. Boston Ballet is proud to reach more than 10,000 children every year through its education and outreach programming.
The event is sponsored by Boston Ballet and The Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events.
Tickets to the 7:00pm performance must be picked up in advance at either The Strand Theatre, 543 Columbia Road, Dorchester (M-F, 10am-5pm) or Boston Ballet box office, 19 Clarendon Street, Boston (M-F, 9:30am-5:00pm).
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2010-2011 Season Tickets
Subscriptions and individual tickets are on sale now. Subscriptions and all tickets will be available for sales online 24 hours a day at www.bostonballet.org or by phone at 617.695.6955 or in person at the box office at 19 Clarendon Street, Boston, Mon–Fri, 9:30am-5pm and on performance days on Sat and Sun, 11am – 4pm. Prices for season ballets start at $25. Tickets to The Nutcracker start at $35. Discounted group tickets (10 or more for season ballets and 20 or more for The Nutcracker) are available by calling the box office at 617.695.6955.
About Boston Ballet
Since 1963, Boston Ballet has been one of the leading dance companies in the world on stage, in the studio and in the community. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Barry Hughson, the Company maintains an internationally acclaimed repertoire and the largest ballet school in North America, Boston Ballet School.
Boston Ballet maintains a repertoire of classical, neo-classical and contemporary works, ranging from full-length story ballets to new works by some of today's finest choreographers. Boston Ballet's second company, Boston Ballet II, is comprised of dancers who gain experience by performing with the Company and independently, presenting special programs to audiences throughout the Northeast.
Boston Ballet School, the official school of Boston Ballet, has a long-standing dedication to excellence and access and reaches more than 10,000 students ages 2-adult each year through Boston Ballet School classes, Summer Dance Workshop, Summer Dance Program, Citydance, Taking Steps, and Adaptive Dance. The wide array of dance programs are held at three studio locations in Boston, Newton, and Marblehead with additional programs throughout New England, as well as community centers and in Boston Public Schools.
The Mayor’s Office of Arts Tourism & Special Events
The Mayor’s Office of Arts Tourism & Special Events is responsible for advancing the arts, tourism and culture in the city of Boston by providing advocacy, support, promotional and technical assistance, and by producing special events and public celebrations that reflect the city’s rich diversity.
The Strand Theatre
The mission of the Strand Theatre is to serve as a cultural and educational resource to artists and audiences regardless of race or cultural background, age, ability, gender, economic level, or sexual orientation. Central to the Strand's mission is the development and implementation of youth arts educations programs. The Strand Theatre has a special commitment to the surrounding communities of Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan.
Boston Ballet gratefully acknowledges the following institutional partners:
State Street Corporation, 2010 Presenting Sponsor, The Nutcracker
Jane’s Trust
Massachusetts Cultural Council
National Endowment for the Arts
