If there is one thing everyone has missed over the last year, it is coming together with friends and family.
And so, in a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Ballet Des Moines and Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa have come together to create Dance Into Spring, a state-crossing collaboration featuring outdoor performances in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Muscatine. These free performances offer the opportunity for attendees to gather together for beautiful performances celebrating the spirit of renewal.
The stage will be set up in the downriver side of Riverside Park (large grassy area south of the basketball courts) where patrons will be able to social distance and enjoy the music and dancing of these outstanding performers. The concert begins at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 2, with the venue opening to the public at 4 p.m. Be sure to arrive in plenty of time and bring a blanket or chairs to sit on while securing your vantage point for the performance.
The company will also perform on Friday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park in Des Moines, and on Saturday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. on Hancher Green located outside Hancher Auditorium on the UI Campus in Iowa City.
Each performance will include five works highlighting a diverse range of performers, all with ties to Iowa, the professional company dancers of Ballet Des Moines, performers from the University of Iowa’s Dance Company, and special guests from the acclaimed Miami City Ballet, Carlos Quenedit, a former Ballet Des Moines dancer, and Katia Carranza. Musicians from the Roseman String Quartet, featuring members of the Des Moines Symphony, will join Ballet Des Moines to provide live music for one ballet.
While Hancher and Ballet Des Moines are excited to welcome in-person audiences for these performances, both organizations are committed to supporting public health. Masks and social distancing are required at all three performances for the health and safety of audiences, staff, and performers. Audience members should also bring their own chairs or blankets.
PROGRAM
In Formation – Ballet Des Moines
Choreography – Ma Cong
Music – Philip Glass
Sliding Figures (Andante con moto) – Ballet Des Moines
Choreography – Serkan Usta
Music – Roseman Quartet (live)
Pas de deux from Don Quixote – Carlos Quenedit and Katia Carranza of Miami City Ballet
And Let’s Go – UI Dance Company
Choreography – Alex Bush, UI Department of Dance
Music – Hawkeye Marching Band
De Antônio, de Brincante e Vira Mundo – UI Dance Company
Choreography – Armando Duarte, UI Department of Dance
Music – Antônio Nóbrega
About Ballet Des Moines
Ballet Des Moines was launched as a professional ballet company in 2012, bringing world-class performing artists to the Des Moines community for classical and contemporary main stage productions. Ballet Des Moines offers training opportunities for pre-professional dancers and engages thousands of local youth each year through rich educational and outreach programs. The mission of Ballet Des Moines is to enrich lives through inspiring dance performances, inclusive education and outreach programs, and innovative community partnerships. www.balletdesmoines.org
About Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa
Hancher is a multidisciplinary performing arts presenter committed to connecting artists and audiences with transformational artistic experiences. For nearly 50 years, Hancher has been the cultural hub of the University of Iowa campus—presenting world-class dance, music, and theater. Along the way, Hancher has extended its reach far beyond campus, engaging thousands of Iowans each year, on campus, throughout the community, and across the state. Hancher is one of the leading university presenters of the performing arts in the nation and has earned an international reputation for excellence.
