Canton Ballet presents Celebrate Dance! at the Canton Palace Theater on October 15. The program features a diverse selection of dance genres and new creations choreographed by today’s most talented dance creators.
Guest choreographer Zachary Catazaro has created a new performance piece in the neoclassical style using pointe shoes and tennis shoes for an innovative and avant-garde piece, set to music by SebastiAn.
Canton Ballet’s choreographer-in-residence, Angelo Lemmo, has two works on the program. Her first piece “Accelerate”, inspired by the acceleration of energy, was selected for presentation at the Regional Dance America/Northeast Festival in May 2022. Her second piece is a highly energetic neoclassical ballet on pointe aimed at highlighting the strengths and abilities of the dancers. capacities.
Canton Ballet’s Executive and Artistic Director, Cassandra Crowley, has created a new work for the young apprentices. The ballet, set to “Morgenblätter” by Strauss, highlights the dancers’ youthful exuberance and joy of movement.
Canton Ballet dance instructor Chelsea Shump brings her impressive moves and knowledge of jazz to her piece for an energetic new work, set to the sounds of “Boogie Fever.”
Company member Mya Frank, a high school student from Louisville, will perform an enchanting solo from the ballet Don Quixote: “Queen of the Dryads.”
Canton Ballet’s modern dance teacher, Allison Beler Michalos, has created an exciting new modern piece set to music by Zoe Keating.
The dancers will also perform “Puss in Boots and the White Cat” from the ballet Sleeping Beauty – a classic ballet piece with a unique comedy twist.
Finally, the Canton Ballet is delighted to welcome cast members of Annie from the New Direction Performing Arts Academy to the program, who will perform “It’s a Hard Knock Life”, choreographed by Molly Weidig. Annie is directed by Carrie Alexander Spina and will open on the main stage of the Canton Cultural Center in November. Canton Ballet looks forward to many more collaborations and partnerships with this arts education organization.
Special thanks to VisitCanton for supporting Celebrate Dance!
Tickets to Celebrate Dance! are $22 – available online at www.cantonballet.com or by calling the Canton Ballet office at 330-455-7220. Tickets are general admission.
The Canton Ballet has encouraged appreciation of the art of dance throughout the region for over 50 years. Under the direction of Artistic and Executive Director Cassandra Crowley, the Ballet is considered one of Ohio’s most admired pre-professional dance companies, and her school offers the highest quality of instruction for all ages. and skill levels, from toddlers to adults. Every year, the Canton Ballet presents public and school performances at the Canton Palace Theater for the enjoyment of the public.
Zachary Catazaro was born in Canton, Ohio, and began his dance training at the School of Canton Ballet under Cassandra Crowley, Angelo Lemmo and his mother Jennifer Catazaro Hayward. Zachary studied at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet in 2006. In October 2007, he apprenticed with New York City Ballet and joined the company’s Corps de Ballet in October 2008. He was promoted to Soloist in February 2014 and elevated to Principal Dancer in 2017. Notable roles at New York City Ballet include the titular role in George Balanchineof Apollo, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, Romeo in Peter Martins‘ production of Romeo + Juliet as well as Prince Siegfried in the complete Swan Lake production of Martins, among many others. Zachary was also featured in Jerome Robbins‘ West Side Story Suite as Tony and Bernardo and starred in Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering and NY Export: Opus Jazz. In 2018, he was featured in waltz disneyThe Nutcracker and the Four Realms Film Dances with American Ballet Theater Foggy Copeland. More recently, he was principal guest at the Bayerische Staatsballett and at the Etoile Ospite with the Teatro Dell’Opera di Roma. Zachary joined Cleveland Ballet in 2021.
