Minnesota State Arts Board & National Endowment for the Arts:   "This activity is made possible in part by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts."


Government Funding
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council
Minnesota State Arts Board
Nattional Endowment for The Arts
St Paul Cultural STAR Program

Corporate Sponsors
Allied Vaughan
Barsuhn
Cynthia Betz - Edina Realty
Fratallone's Ace Hardware
Jerry's Printing
Grand Jete
Minneapolis / St Paul Magazine
Minnesota Public Radio
Nordstrom
Parallel Technologies, Inc
Pioneer Press
Roger Beck Florist
St Paul Hotel
Target
RBC Dain Rauscher
UBS Financial
Absolute Trailer Sales
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2007 CONTRIBUTORS
Fred & Cynthia Betz , Guillermo & Patricia Chang, Michael Carriedo & Anita Langlois Carriedo, Daniel & Kelly Kubes, Eric & Everlyn Valen, Scott Davies, Carol Brunzell & Paul Garrett, Nathaniel Longley & Karen Phillips, Kenneth & Christine Simon, Peter & Stacy Chase, Jerry Trooien & Janice Simmonds, Dent & Mary Underwood, Andrew & Angie Barker, Valerie Meyer, Mary & Dale Klem, Carolyn Will, Stephen & Anita McKeown, Mary & Paul Sandness, Dan & Lisa Gray, Gary & Lindsey Dreyling, Emily & Robert Nieters, Mona & Dominique Brown, Deirdre & Scott Gieser, Dale & Julia Lawagie, Tom & Judy Grant, Todd & Michelle Wildenauer, Andrew & Cheryl Rist, Richard & Mary Stanger


NEWS UPDATES

     March 6, 2008

Bryant-Lake Bowl Concert
     Ballet Minnesota was invited to perform at the Bryant-Lake Bowl on Wednesday, March 5, 2008. The theater is small but ambitious and the company was made to feel right at home. The company performed sketches of 'Rite of Spring", a ten minute selection of the full length ballet. Rite of Spring will be presented in its entirity next October 2008 with choreography by Andrew Rist.

       The 20th Anniversary Ball Committee has done an excellent job organizing Ballet Minnesota's 20th Anniversary Ball at the St Paul Athletic Club. For more information please Click Here


     October 22 . 2007

Ballet Minnesota Fall Concert
     Ballet Minnesota performed its fall concert at the Fitzgerald theater to celebrate the opening of its 20th Anniversary Season. Works featured were 'Italian Symphony' & 'Black Dog Cafe' featuring folksinger Charlie Magurie & Spoken Word Artists Desdamona & Carnage (Ill Chemistry). The performance was a great success, attracting many new audience members. Below are a few pictures from the performance. More photos will be posted over the coming days on the Black Dog & Symphony pages.
 


    August 17. 2007

Ballet Minnesota dancers return
     The company returns Monday, August 20, to begin rehearsals for Ballet Minnesota's fall concert. Works to be presented on October 19-20 will be 'Italian Symphony', 'Black Dog Cafe' and a new work "SurSeine". Desdamona, 4 time winner of the Minnesota music awards 'best female spoken word artist' will be collaborating with Andrew Rist on Sur Seine as well as the Minnesota group "Jello Slave".

Salo Park, Minneapolis
     Salo Park is nestled in a new shopping developement with a stage built in front of a small pond. It is really quite a wonderful location. By performance time, all the seats had been filled. It was a sunny afternoon, Charlie had just arrived from doing a gig at the State Fair and the dancers were warmed up and ready to go. This was truly an enjoyable evening for dancer and audience member alike. Ballet Minnesota is grateful to Shelly Harris for selecting Ballet Minnesota to perform.

Washington County Fair, Lake Elmo
     The afternoons were hot and sweaty, but the dancers perfromed well. It is really a good feeling taking dance to the general public, allowing one and all to see what the wonder is all about.

     July 28. 2007

ONLINE Store
     Ballet Minnesota / Classical Ballet Academy now has an online store which you can visit at any time to purchase related items and apparel. The store is made possible by Icon-Designs. To visit the store, click on the Online Store photo in the upper left hand boarder of this page

Highland Fest
     Ballet Minnesota performed River Songs on the Treasure Island Stage at the Highland Festival on Friday, July 20 at 5:30pm. Charlie Maguire, songwriter of River Songs, was there to sing. The works presented were: Light the River, Pass The Bowl, Reverend Hickman's Hands, Fall is Here, Tow Boat, I'm From Minnesota and Roll River Journey. It was a warm afternoon in the 80s and even though the stage was a bit small from front to back, the dancers performed very well to an audience of about 250.
     Dancers performing were: Erin Warn, Marisha Johnson, Maren Gray, Rachelle Horowitz, Megan Simon, Rebecca Pelletier, Sarah Pelletier, Margaret Ulland, Jacqueline Lis, Anna Betz, Olivia Brunzell-Garret, Paige Sandness and Maddie Klein.
     A group of younger dancers, from CBA, also appeared dancing to I'm From Minnesota: Margaret Underwood, Rebecca McDonnel, Elleana Wiering, Hanna Wagner, Sara Ezzell, Sophia Mitchell and Elle Klein.

Erin Warn, Taylor Dreyling & Maren Gray
     These dancers will be performing with Jim Lieberthal at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis this coming weekend, July 26-29.

Karmyn Grant to San Francisco Ballet
     Karmyn, an advanced student at Classical Ballet Academy, spent the summer at San Francisco Ballet studying.

Ballet Minnesota company members to Return August 20
     Ballet Minnesota company members will return August 20 to begin rehearsals for the Fall Concert at the Fitzgerald Theater. A new work by Andrew Rist and an old favorite, Italian Symphony', will be presented on the concert.


      June 3. 2007

Pioneer Press / StarTribune
     The St Paul Pioneer Press & Mpls Star Tribune featured 1/3 page photos of the Ballet Minnesota dancers riding atop the float in the 100th Anniversary Cathedral Celebration Parade. The photos were take with the Catherdral in the background and dancers waving to the cr

Grand Old Days
     It was a cool, windy rainy morning when the Ballet Minnesota float pulled up on Grand Avenue to find its place, number 60, in the parade. Many thought the parade would be rained out, but it turned out to be a good day, even if overcast without any rain during the 2 1/2 mile parade route. Young dancers from Classical Ballet Academy carried the Swan Lake sign in front of the float while the advanced dancers stood en pointe on the float in Swan Tutus waving to the crowd. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake act 1 music rang out loud and clear to all onlookers. The crowd response was overwhelmingly filled with genuine excitement to watch the dancers on the float go by. It was another very good day for Ballet Minnesota and Classical Ballet Academy. We would like to thank all who helped to make this another great event.

Classes Begin Tomorrow
     Regular summer session classes begin tomorrow: Monday, June 4.

    June 2. 2007

Oksana Konobeyeva, Dmitry Tuboltsev & Lisa Thurell to teach
     Oksana Konobeyeva, (formerly Bolshoi & American Ballet Theater), Dmitry Tuboltsev (formerly Bolshoi) and LIsa Thurell (formerly Martha Graham Dance Company) will teach at this year's Minnesota Dance Camp. The camp runs from June 25 - July 13, 2007.

100th Anniversary of Cathedral of St Paul Parade & Performance
     The parade was well worth it. Dancers posed on the Minnesota Capitol steps for some interesting Swan Lake photos. Than, beginning at the Capitol, the parade made its way to the Cathedral of St Paul. Onlookers waved constantly as the Ballet Minnesota Float passed by. Dancers in Swan Tutus stood atop the float, while Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake music flew through the air. It was a lovely sunny morning with occassional clouds and a feel of mositure in the air.
     At about 2:00pm, Ballet Minnesota performed excerpts from Black Dog Cafe to a crowd of onlookers standing and sitting on the ground in front of the Cathedral. Almost on cue it began to sprinkle. Throughout the performance the rain was light, the dancers were on a covered outdoor stage and the audience remained. Than, as soon as the bows were over a strong downpour began, as everyone ran for cover. It was a good day to walk in a parade and perform for appreciative audience.

SWAN LAKE & Minnesota Dance Festival
The 19th Minnesota Dance Festival was a great success. Attendance at the Spring Classic Ballet, Swan Lake, performed during the Minnesota Dance Festival, doubled. Ballet Minnesota is the first Minnesota Dance Company to produce the full length Swan Lake (Acts 1-4). The audience response was so favorable that Swan Lake will be presented again next year at the 20th Anniversary of Ballet Minnesota and the Minnesota Dance Festival.


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