The Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB) performs today at the Lyric Theater in Assiniboine Park with unique performances to mark their 50th anniversary of Ballet in the Park.
This is RWB’s 83rd season and it begins with dance performances from the company, the RWB school’s professional division and the school’s recreational division.
“2019 was our last performance at Ballet in the Park, so we are honored to finally return and light up your world with the art of dance,” said André Lewis, Artistic Director and CEO of RWB. “Year after year we witness the sea of support at the Lyric Theater and are thrilled to give a gift back to the community. There is something for everyone at Ballet in the Park and it will be even more special as we celebrate the 50th anniversary.”
The Company will perform the ballet of Agnès de Mille Rodeo, a theatrical tale of love triangles and empowerment. The RWB School’s Professional Division will perform the Spanish-flavoured classic Paquita pa de Trois. The Recreational Division will perform Budwhich is choreographed by former company artist Yosuke Mino for the Contemporary Class of the Advanced Intensive Training Program and Sparkling diamondschoreographed by Nicole Kepp, director of the recreational division of the Jazz Junior Dance Ensemble.
“The first big difference is that you can reach a lot more people here and I’ve always liked doing shows outside,” says Jaime Vargas, ballet master for the company. “For the dancers, it’s a very different environment, so as a dancer, I’ve always enjoyed seeing outside and seeing all the people come in and out. It’s a much more relaxed performance and from the perspective of public view, I also think it’s a good thing that you can lay on the grass with your kids, have a picnic while you watch Ballet, so it’s a great way to engage with the community.
Vargas says Ballet in the Park gives audiences the opportunity to see different styles of ballet. Such as the classical styles seen in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, but there is also a folk dance theme found in the performance Rodeoas well as pieces of contemporary jazz.
“The school does a more classical and neoclassical style, and some songs are jazz. So we have a little bit of everything from all levels, the school, the recreational division, the professional division and the company. C are three different parts of our organization.”
The showcase was originally scheduled to run for three days, July 27-29, however, Wednesday’s show was canceled due to weather.
“Honestly, it’s so much fun to do a ballet like this, especially in a park setting because the piece is about being outside on the ranch kind of thing and you really get that kind of feeling. when you’re on an outdoor stage and there are times when I have to hide the sun from my eyes and look around and I’m actually going to hide the sun from my eyes because it’s a beautiful day today” , says Katie Bonnell, the second soloist who performed yesterday on Show.
“Ballet in the Park is one of my favorite shows to do for a number of reasons, especially this year because we haven’t been to the park since the summer of 2019. But what’s special about these shows is is that we can see our In a theatre, it’s so dark, you only see the silhouettes of people, but here, although it can be a little distracting, sometimes you see the young children get up and dance with you and you see people’s reactions to what you do. It’s a really unique opportunity, I think, for people to see what we do in a free setting. We know that dance isn’t always accessible to everyone , so I think it’s a really great way to bring this art form to as many people as possible, and then we hope to inspire some people to buy tickets and see what other shows we have to offer in the rest of the season.”
Before the show, the RWB offers pre-show activities for young children and hosts a Creative Movement Class from 6:45-7:15 p.m. in Ballet in the Park’s children’s pre-show area each evening.
There’s also face painting, crafting, and spike decorating. There’s also an ultimate prize of an RWB five-season subscription worth $400, a winner is drawn each night, and guests can enter this contest at the Liquor Mart tent at Ballet in the Park. Food trucks are present when the crowd is hungry before, during or after the show.
Guests should bring their lawn chairs, blankets and their own snacks if they prefer.
