Complete with traditional favorites and a variety of other
performances, ballet season is set to kick off in The Woodlands.
Festival Ballet of The Woodlands has announced its 2002-2003 season, which will
kick off in December with the annual favorite "Nutcracker." The ballet will be
held Dec. 13 through 15 at the Montgomery College Theater.
"We are simply excited about once again bringing great art to the stage at
the college," said Deborah Rayburn, artistic director for Festival Ballet and
the owner of The Woodlands Dance Academy. "We have a great group of dancers."
Festival Ballet's season will continue Feb. 15 and 16 with its mixed repertoire
performance, "Classics to Contemporary." The performance will be highlighted by
a Valentine's Day theme, and will include works by choreographer Rob Davidson
and returning work by Houston Ballet principle dancer Tim O'Keefe.
The season will conclude with the June 14 and 15 performance of "Puss in Boots,"
with original choreography by Rayburn.
All concerts will be held at the Montgomery College Theater.
"We have a season planned that really speaks to the hearts of children, starting
with 'Nutcracker' and ending in June with 'Puss in Boots,'" Rayburn said. "It's
very much centered around children."
Festival Ballet is a six-year-old semi-professional ballet with its residence at
The Woodlands Dance Academy. Festival Ballet is comprised primarily of
professional dancers, but also incorporates advanced students from The Woodlands
Dance Academy and other local dance schools.
"Even though we operate as a company, it's a great learning experience for
dancers who think they might want to pursue a career in dance," Rayburn said.
Professional dancers with Festival Ballet include Norbert Nirewicz, a principle
guest artist, and Rebecca Payne, who has danced with the ballet in the past.
Payne portrayed the Snow Queen in last year's "Nutcracker" and took on the lead
role in the recent presentation of "Cinderella."Payne will return this year in
the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in "Nutcracker."
The centerpiece of the upcoming season, Rayburn said, will be the group's
performance of "Nutcracker."
"With most ballet groups, that is the case," Rayburn said. "You can't deny it;
it's a tried and true treasure. You cannot have ballet without 'Nutcracker.'"
Festival Ballet began auditioning dancers earlier this month, and will begin
rehearsing for the holiday show as early as Sept. 21.
The majority of the roles will be performed by professional dancers and local
dancers. Many young children, as young as age 5, will perform in the second act
of the ballet as well, Rayburn said.
In order to promote "Nutcracker," Festival Ballet will hold a Sugar Plum Fairy
tea on Nov. 16 at Montgomery College. Many of the dancers will appear in costume
to interact with children who attend the tea.
"For the children, it's just a wide-eyed experience," Rayburn said. "The kids
love it."
Rayburn said that all four presentations of "Nutcracker" typically sell out each
year. This season, Festival Ballet will begin selling tickets to "Nutcracker" in
mid-October.
"To help people out and plan better, tickets will be going on sale much earlier
this year," Rayburn said.
For more information on Festival Ballet or The Woodlands Dance Academy, call
979-292-0117 or visit www.festivalballet.info