Miami City Ballet, one of the country’s premier ballet companies, is proudly looking ahead to upcoming performances with two world-class cultural festivals.  In May, the company will open Charleston’s 42nd Spoleto Festival USA before traveling to Paris for performances with the prestigious Les Etés de la Danse Festival.

In other upcoming news, the company is preparing for the February 9th World Premiere of One Line Drawn, choreographer Brian Brooks’s newest work, featuring 16 MCB dancers and a commissioned score by Michael Gordon. The new work was commissioned by Chicago’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance as part of Brook’s three-year Choreographer in Residence Fellowship.

THE 42ND ANNUAL SPOLETO FESTIVAL USA: MAY 25 - 27

If I could see just one show at Spoleto this year, here’s where I’d go. MCB has entered the top tier of American ballet companies.” – Charlotte Observer

The 42nd Annual Spoleto Festival USA, in Charleston, South Carolina will open with a special program commemorating the centenary of legendary choreographer Jerome Robbins, hosted by MCB Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez.   The evening will pay tribute to an historic program Robbins organized and hosted for the 1973 Spoleto Festival in Italy entitled Celebration: The Art of the Pas de Deux, which featured world-class performances interspersed with Robbins’s commentary.  Lopez will assume Robbins’ mantle as host and commentator as the company performs three of Robbins’ works: Other Dances, In the Night and Afternoon of a Faun.

The company will also present second program of works, featuring Alexei Ratmansky’s Concerto DSCH, Justin Peck’s Heatscape, Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Carousel Pas de Deux and George Balanchine’s Walpurgisnacht Ballet.  https://spoletousa.org

LES ETÉS DE LA DANSE FESTIVAL: JUNE 28 - 30

The Company’s tribute to Jerome Robbins continues with performances at Les Etés de la Danse Festival (Summers of Dance) in Paris, as part of the Festival’s Robbins Centennial Celebration.  This is a return engagement for the company, following its acclaimed three-week engagement in 2011. MCB will present Other Dances and In the Night as part of the Festival’s second program, which will also feature performances by New York City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and Perm Opera Ballet Theatre. http://www.lesetesdeladanse.com/en/presentation

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About Miami City Ballet:

Miami City Ballet, now in its 32nd season, has been led by Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez since 2012. Lopez was recently named one of “The Most Influential People in Dance Today” by Dance Magazine. MCB was founded in 1985 by Miami philanthropist Toby Lerner Ansin and Founding Artistic Director Edward Villella. The Company has 51 dancers and a repertoire of more than 100 ballets. MCB performs for nearly 100,000 patrons annually during its South Florida home season in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Naples, and tours to top theaters domestically and internationally.

Miami City Ballet School, the official school of Miami City Ballet, is one of the most respected ballet training academies in America. The School’s renowned faculty, challenging syllabus and affiliation with Miami City Ballet make it a place where all students – from children to adults – can receive comprehensive dance training. The School trains approximately 400 students, ages 3-18, in its year- round program, and 400 during its summer programs, granting nearly $500,000 in scholarships annually. More than 500 adults participate in a vibrant community division.

Miami City Ballet is headquartered in Miami Beach, Fla., at the Ophelia & Juan Js. Roca Center, a facility designed by renowned architectural firm Arquitectonica. http://www.miamicityballet.org