“It's exciting. This is our 50th year, and we're kicking it off with ‘Beauty and the Beast,’” said Kyler Dibben, executive director of the ballet. “We’ve also got a partnership with Dr. Michael Murray from Missouri State University.”
That collaboration is titled “Echoes at Dusk,” a contemporary work composed by Murray and choreographed by Springfield Ballet co-artistic director Jose Soares. The piece will be accompanied by a live string quartet.
“This has been a long time coming, bringing live music back to the Springfield Ballet main stage, and we're thrilled to have it,” Dibben added.
The ballet recently completed its 40th season of “The Nutcracker,” which Dibben said was the production’s best-selling year to date.
Outreach coordinator Emily Orr said the ballet also welcomed nearly 1,000 Springfield Public Schools second graders to a matinee performance of the show as part of its outreach efforts.
“There are around 2,000 second graders in the Springfield Public School system, and half of them come on a field trip to see ‘The Nutcracker’ in December while the other half get to come to our spring show,” Orr said.
Orr said the student matinees also serve as valuable dress rehearsals for the dancers before public performances begin.
Through rehearsals and performances alike, Orr said students build confidence, discipline and independence.
“‘Beauty and the Beast’ is a really cool opportunity because it's not a classical ballet, so it doesn't have a fixed canon of music,” Dibben said. “We get to compile our own music and choreograph our own material around it.”
He added that the production also allows dancers to incorporate elements of more traditional ballet in ways audiences may not immediately recognize.
“With ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ we get the opportunity to use music and variations from classical ballets and sort of sneakily put them in,” Dibben said.
“At Springfield Ballet, we want everyone to know that dance really is for everyone,” Orr added. “Regardless of gender, age or experience level, we'd love to have you.”
For more information on Springfield Ballet performances or classes, visit springfieldballet.org or check out their Instagram and Facebook.
