HUNTSVILLE BALLET OPENS THE 2021-2022 SEASON WITH UNPLUGGED FEATURING CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS OCTOBER 22ND – 24TH AT THE DREAM THEATER LOCATED ON THE CAMPUS OF THE ROCK FAMILY WORSHIP CENTER
3401 Holmes Ave, Huntsville, AL 35816
Parking is free
All tickets are $35 and are available at www.huntsvilleballet.org/tickets
For more information call Huntsville Ballet at (256) 539-0961
Huntsville Ballet is pleased to open the 2021-2022 season with the much anticipated Unplugged series showcasing both classical and contemporary choreography including Carnival of the Animals and two premiering works: Moral Virtue and Unconfined Images. Unplugged is scheduled for Oct. 22-24 at the Dream Theater in Huntsville, Alabama.
Carnival of the Animals was composed in 1886 by Camille Saint-Saёns to musically express some of the silly habits his friends shared with animals. The piece consists of 14 movements each of which uses the sounds of the orchestra to imitate the sounds of an animal, from roosters to elephants to kangaroos. “Carnival of the Animals promises to delight children and adults alike,” said Phillip Otto, Artistic Director for Huntsville Ballet. “Each year, we try to capture the imagination of our audience by introducing them to a variety of ballets and compositions. For this performance, we have enlisted the help of local favorites, Ron Roberts and Wilson Luquire to narrate the humorous verses inspired by this popular piece,” Otto said. Phillip Otto, Rachel Butler, and Cathy Curry collaborated to create stylized choreography for the different animals brought to life.
Moral Virtue, a new work by Artistic Director, Phillip Otto, is set to the music of Antonin Dvořák’s String Quartet No.10 in E flat, Op.51. Speaking of his choreography, Otto said, “Moral Virtue tells no story. The dancers move like water transformed by music, flowing graceful arcs, limbs in constant motion, painting a picture sound alone cannot achieve. They bring wordless interpretation of the beats, of the soft strings in a way the audience can understand no matter what language they speak. In that way, dance isn’t simply movement but the most honest form of communication I know.”
Unconfined Images, a new upbeat piece by Stephanie Braly-Beutjer, is set to music by Karl Jenkins. It was inspired by the many dancers Braly-Beutjer taught in the Images Dance Ensemble at Grissom High School over the past 25 years. “The work represents moving joyously and with abandon using unrestrained, uninhibited yet powerful movement through time and space,” Braly-Beutjer said. “I dedicate this piece to my former students who inspired and pushed me to not only be a better teacher and choreographer, but also a better person.”