Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida‘s season is coming to an end with a very special Spring Gala. So get ready for clowns, intrigue, and magic, not to mention more wonderful dancing, as the company gears up for its last performance of the season.  Artistic Director, Vladimir Issaev, is bringing back Harlequinade, a ballet that has been all but forgotten, and once again, his creativity and ingenuity combine with his reverence for the classics, allowing him to create a ballet that sparkles with fresh inspiration while still remaining true to its roots.

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida is an awarded, young and vibrating ballet company founded in 1997, under the direction of Russian-born Ballet Master and Choreographer Mo. Vladimir Issaev.

The company repertoire includes works by such Classical Ballet Masters as Petipa, Bournonville and Fokine. The Company’s performance repertoire also includes original choreographic works by its director, Vladimir Issaev.

The Company performs at important venues such as the Julius Littman North Miami Beach Performing Arts Theatre, The Parker Playhouse and the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. It also has special outreach community projects that bring art closer to children.

A Forgotten Ballet, Brought to Life Again

Dancer: Melissa Wrinkle, Photographer: Joey G Photography

Originally made into a ballet in 1900, by Marius Petipa, with music by Riccardo Drigo, Harlequinade follows Harlequin (Shannon Smith or Jun Tanabe) and his lover, Columbina, (Kaori Fukui or Miho Yoshioka) as they outwit Columbina’s father, Cassander.  Cassander wishes Columbine to marry a rich suitor, so he keeps her locked up inside the house, away from Harlequin.  He entrusts the key to his servant, Pierrot (Fan Shi).  Columbina’s friend, Pierretta (Erin Simons-Brown) comes to the house and steals the key away from Pierrot.  She unlocks the house and lets Harlequin in, allowing the two lovers to reunite and more dancing to ensue.

Harlequinade has have a few restorations within the past hundred years, most notably Balanchine’s version in 1965.  However, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida’s production of the ballet will best represent the original storyline, and will uphold the classical style in which it was first choreographed, while still maintaining a fresh and exciting atmosphere.  The rich, sumptuous music awed the audiences in the Russian Imperial Court at the premier of the ballet, and Drigo’s music continues to be loved and well-received by audiences all over the world.

A little more until next Season

Along with Harlequinade, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida will be presenting a few smaller pieces.  The company is bringing back the neo-classical Glinka Suite Fantastique. Also, a number of pas de deuxs will be presented, including the fiery Don Quixote Pas de Deux, Issaev’s sensual and award-winning El Encuentro, which the dancers, Smith and Simons-Brown will be bringing to Denmark this summer, and the energetic and spiritely Spring Waters.

Don’t miss another wonderful opportunity to see another of Issaev’s brilliant creations, danced by an amazing and talented ensemble of dancers!

Performances will be Friday 14th 7:00 PM and Saturday May 15th 6:00 PM at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW 5th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL and Sunday May 16th 6:00 PM at the Julius Littman North Miami Beach Theater, 17011 NE 19th Ave, North Miami Beach, FL.

Tickets are $25 and under. Group rates are available, and also for children organizations And of course, It’s in Miami.com will be giving away a few tickets for our fans to enjoy it.

Broward  954 462 0222 or www.browardcenter.org

Miami-Dade 1 800 494 8497 or www.boxofficetickets.com

Or visit Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida

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