Los Angeles Ballet announces March performances

Los Angeles Ballet [LAB] Artistic Directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary are pleased to present Celebration, which comes to Los Angeles in March, featuring Balanchine's luscious Raymonda Variations and riotous Western Symphony, plus another World Premiere created specifically for LAB dancers by the returning Sonya Tayeh. Mr. Christensen and Ms. Neary chose the title Celebration in honor of LAB's 5th Season presenting dance in Southern California.

Raymonda Variations was inspired by George Balanchine's admiration of Glazounov's music. He loved what he called its "grand and generous manner, its joy and playfulness." Western Symphony, also by Balanchine, is set on a rugged Old West street populated by cowboys and dance hall girls! Steps Balanchine uses from traditional ballet vocabulary allude to the steps, formations, and gestures of American folk dancing. The lively, familiar score consists of classic American folk songs orchestrated and arranged by Hershy Kay.

LAB proudly presents its next commissioned World Premiere (Title TBD), created by one of the country's most beloved choreographers, Sonya Tayeh, who makes her return to Los Angeles Ballet after the tremendous success of her first LAB commissioned work in last May's New Wave LA performances. LAB’s artistic directors Thordal Christensen and Colleen Neary had the vision to ask Tayeh to adapt her exceptional skills as a successful pop/commercial choreographer to the world of ballet and ‘pointe work', to thrilling results.

The much-anticipated March performances will take place at venues across Los Angeles from March 5 to March 20 (please see full performance schedule below).
For more information, please visit www.losangelesballet.org or call 310.
998.7782.


**THE MARCH 2011
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE**

Alex Theatre, Glendale
216 North Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91203
Saturday, March 5, 2011 @ 7:30 pm

Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
1935 Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Saturday, March 12, 2011 @ 7:30 pm

Freud Playhouse
MacGowan Hall-UCLA Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Saturday, March 19, 2011 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 20, 2011@ 2:00 pm

**Performances subject to change

**The performances of Raymonda Variations and Western Symphony, all Balanchine® Ballets, are presented by arrangement with The Balanchine Trust and have been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® service standards established and provided by the Trust.