'Folklore & Fairytales' Performance to Include West Hartford Dance Students

The"Diana and Acteon" Grand Pas de deux, excerpts from "Don Quixote," and a premiere performance of "Grimm's Fairytales" will highlight the stage of the Hoffman Auditorium, Carol Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities at on Saturday, June 4.

This show, the 13th Spring Season performance of the , combines contemporary as well as classical ballet.

The premiere of the contemporary one-act dance, "Grimm's Fairytales," features artists in the leading roles. Members of Ballet Theatre's junior company and and 20 students from Ballet Theatre Academy perform in supporting roles. According to a release from Ballet Theatre Company, the dance chronicles a path through several fairytales as "Hansel and Gretel will lead the way through the tales of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Red Riding Hood and the Frog Prince."

"Grimm's Fairytales" was created by Carolyn Paine, Artistic Director of CONNetic Dance, a contemporary ballet company based in Hartford. The dance also features choreography by Carolyn Paine, and Amy Merli.

According to the release, the performance will also include excerpts from the dream scene of the full-length classical ballet, “Don Quixote.” The Grand Pas de deux from “Diana and Acteon” will be danced by Ainsley Sorenson and Jason Ambrose, guest artists from New York City’s Ellison Ballet.

The performance will also include “M-Theory – Beyond String Theory,” a new contemporary ballet by Ruth Vesenka Lewis based on the scientific premise.

“Season’s Suite,” a four-part dance features segments choreographed by Tracy Dorman, Roman Baca and Kate Sulikowski, and performances by Exit 12 dancers as well as the Ballet Theatre Company junior company and Ballet Theatre Company students. 

Ballet Theatre Company is a 501 (C-3) not-for-profit organization. These performances are supported in part by the CT Commission on Culture and Tourism, Greater Hartford Arts Council, Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation,  the Fund for Greater Hartford and the Ensworth Charitable Foundation. 

Performances will be held on Saturday, June 4, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30, $25 for seniors, $20 for children 12. Tickets are available online at www.dancebtc.org or by calling 860-570-0440. Tickets are also available at the box-office one hour before performance time.