Rogers-Lowell Area News

NWA Ballet Theatre Presents NEXT: Classically Contemporary Dance

Experience a magnetic mixture of music and movement as NWA Ballet Theatre, Northwest Arkansas’ premier dance company, presents NEXT: Classically Contemporary Dance – two special evenings of exciting performing arts entertainment in Bentonville, Ark.

NEXT: Classically Contemporary Dance features four bold, original choreographic works by NWA Ballet Theatre Artistic Director Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye, former Hubbard Street dancer Karen Castleman, and Venezuelan choreographer Gillmer Duran – all performed by a dynamic company of professional dancers from around the country.

NEXT will take the Arend Arts Center stage on Thursday, June 13, and Friday, June 14. Showtime is at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person and on sale now at stubs.net/events/52/nwa-ballet-theatre.

Don’t miss these fresh and authentic performances that promise to take dance in Northwest Arkansas to the NEXT level!

NWA Ballet Theatre is a multidimensional arts organization that is exciting audiences around the region with vibrant, innovative contemporary ballet. Founded in 2011 by Margie Bordovsky, NWA Ballet Theatre’s dance company is made up of highly trained, diverse artists who share a collective passion for dance. Under the artistic direction of Jolicoeur-Nye, NWA Ballet Theatre is pioneering original works to enhance the audience experience, and enrich the cultural landscape. The NEXT repertoire of four world-premiere works is a collaboration by Jolicoeur-Nye, Castleman and Duran as well as the ballet company’s dancers.

“Original works are the basis for creativity and development in any company, and what better way to do that than to give the dancers the freedom to collaborate in the creation process,” Jolicoeur-Nye says. “Each choreographer brings his or her unique voice and style to the stage. This diversity of styles accentuates the dancers’ enthusiasm, technical ability and creativity – all while providing an eclectic mix of dance in one extraordinary evening.”

NEXT is a part of NWA Ballet Theatre’s Dance Anywhere/Everywhere initiative, which is funded through a project grant by the Walton Family Foundation. Dance Anywhere/Everywhere features outdoor and theater performances, a series of creative events for young children, as well as social events to raise awareness and connect artists with the community.

Dance Anywhere/Everywhere’s exciting community programs include Dance Beat and Once Upon a Dance.

Dance Beat takes dance outside the theater setting and into Northwest Arkansas’ scenic outdoor and urban spaces with free, pop-up public art performances. Dance Beat performances are as follows:
• April 24 – Scott Family Amazeum, Priceless Wednesdays, Bentonville | 4-7:30 p.m.
• May 1 – The Jones Center, Springdale | 6 p.m.
• May 9 – Downtown Rogers Art on the Bricks Art Walk | 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
    -VP of Downtown Development Karen Wagaman recently sat down with NWA Ballet Theatre on the Chamber Voice of Business Podcast. Listen to it here: https://soundcloud.com/rlacc/chamber-voice-podcast-ep-26-nwa-ballet-theatre.
• May 11 – Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville | 1 p.m.
• June 1 – Fayetteville Public Library, Summer Reading Kickoff | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• June 7 – Bentonville First Friday, Downtown | 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• June 8 – Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Garden Party, Bentonville | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• June 18 – Botanical Garden the Ozarks, Terrific Tuesday Nights | Fayetteville | 5-8 p.m.
• June 27 – Gulley Park Summer Concert Series, Fayetteville | 7-9 p.m.
• June 29 – Rogers Farmers Market, Downtown | 9-11 a.m.

Once Upon a Dance is a library-based program introducing dance as an art form, involving little ones in storytelling and see-and-do activities. Once Upon a Dance performances are:
• June 18 – Bentonville Public Library | 10:30 a.m.
• June 24 – Springdale Public Library, 4th-6th grades | 2 p.m.
• June 25 & 26 – Springdale Public Library, K-1st grade @ 9:30 a.m. | 2nd-3rd grades @ 11 a.m.
• June 25 – Siloam Springs Public Library | 11 a.m.

For more information about NWA Ballet Theatre, Dance Anywhere/Everywhere or the NEXT performances, contact Thalia Madewell, project manager, at thalia@nwaballettheatre.org or visit nwballettheatre.org.