Ballet Theatre Company will present ‘Speranza’ on May 14, 2016. 

Submitted photo

Submitted

Ballet Theatre Company of West Hartford, CT, announces its spring production featuring original dance, live music, and magic. BTC will team with professional dancers and award winning illusionists and composers to present the debut of Speranza, along with Abravanel and the wedding scene from Don Quixote. Performances will be at the Hoffman Auditorium of University of Saint Joseph, West Hartford, CT, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on May 14, 2016.

Dancing alongside professionals from New York City are West Hartford residents: Jozie Alter, Mason Capone, Bella and Aidan Dorian, Quinlan Greenbaum, Graison Han, Amy Hidalgo, Jillian Hubbard, Susannah Major, Vanessa Meikle, Evie Messenger, Lia Nichols, Chen Chen Ouyang, Mollie Petrizzo, Sophia Radmanovich, Natalia Rolon, Isa Rolon, Maya Rose, Samantha and Lilah Rychling, Sophie and Stella Scurr, Helena and Eden Shenk, Sarah Stone-Zelman, Amelya Tucker, Sofia Wargo, Ela Whalen, and Camille Wimpe. Conard High School students Mollie Petrizzo, a junior, and Camille Wimpe, a sophomore, are featured in the role of Queen of the Dryads. Hall High School freshman Maya Rose and Susannah Major are dancing the role of Cupid. Kingswood Oxford eighth grader Vanessa Meikle is dancing the role of Dulcinea.

Speranza, an original folktale written by master illusionist and Tony nominated director and producer Mark Mazzerella, fuses live music, magic, and dance. Speranza features New York-based professional dancers alongside BTC II and Junior Company dancers and more than 25 children from the Greater Hartford Community.

“Mr. Mazzerella has built several illusions for Speranza that will make dancers float, appear, and disappear,” Roman Baca, BTC’s Artistic Director said. “The audience will enjoy the experience that is half ballet, half magic show.”

BTC is excited to announce that Emmy award winning composer, Sean Pallatroni, a graduate of the Hartt School and West Hartford resident, will write and conduct the music for Speranza. This performance will include live musicians performing Mr. Pallatroni’s original score.

Abravanel, by New York City based Syren Modern Dance, is inspired by the journey of the Sephardic Jewish people. Banished from their homelands during the Inquisition and forced to settle in foreign lands, they settled in Turkey, North Africa and the Middle East. Theirs is a story of perseverance, family, love, and tremendous resolve. This dance encompasses emotion and movement that reflects the story of an epic journey and extraordinary will. Syren Co-Directors and Connecticut residents Kate St. Amand and Lynn Peterson will set the piece on BTC dancers.

The repertory concludes with the classic pas de deux and variations from the wedding of Kitri and Basil from the second and third acts of the comedic ballet, Don Quixote.

Ballet Theatre Company would like to thank the following organizations for their generous support: The Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation, the Greater Hartford Arts Council, and the State of CT Dept of Economic Development, Office of the Arts.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.dancebtc.org or call 860-570-0440.

About Ballet Theatre Company

Ballet Theatre Company is an independent, non-profit ballet company and ballet training school established in 1999 providing the Greater Hartford community access to professional quality dance education and performance opportunities.