Imagine Ballet Theatre hits the stage

Ashleigh Richardson and Tessa ParkinsonImagine Ballet Theatre, an Ogden, Utah-based ballet company, is bringing spring to the stage of Peery’s Egyptian Theatre with its upcoming whimsical production including Fairyopolis, Mad Rush and Bartok Dances. It will also present a work by PALS, dancers with special needs. This Spring Repertory Program will be April 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance on April 28 at 2 p.m.

 

Twilla, the main character of the Fairyopolis story ballet, is a lonely girl looking for meaning in the dreary gray world she lives in. She is brought to life by young dancer Ann Umbrell (an IBT company dancer since 2015) and Elle Erling (an IBT company dancer since 2017).

 

Next, Mad Rush is a ballet about bullying in the dance world. Set to the music of Philip Glass, this impactful work had its IBT premiere in 2013.

 

Then Bartok Dances, a ballet based on Romanian folk dances and the art of match making, is set to a score by Bella Bartok. IBT Artistic Director Raymond Van Mason, a former principal artist with Ballet West, choreographed all three of these works.

 

Finally, PALS dancers with special needs will also perform, with roles still to be determined under the direction of Noelle Shaw.

 

Former Nevada Ballet Theatre company member Christina Stockdale will be a guest artist for this production. She’s currently dance captain for the longest running show on the Las Vegas Strip, Tournament of Kings, where she dances 10 performances per week. She continues to guest perform with companies all over the country, including Ballet Bellevue in Seattle.

 

Tickets to IBT’s Spring Repertory Concert range in price from $15 to $29 and are available by telephone at 801-689-8700 or at www.smithtix.com.

 

Raymond Van Mason created IBT in 2004 to offer a company of dancers unique opportunities to work with professional artists and to foster professional performing experiences. This summer, IBT will host one such unique opportunity through a Bournonville Workshop with Masters, bringing talented teachers from all over Europe to educate dancers. To learn more about IBT, visit www.imagineballet.org

 

Photo: IBT company dancers Ashleigh Richardson and Tessa Parkinson in Mad Rush. Photo by Bryan Smith.