Coastal City Ballet

Coastal City Ballet will present a newly-commissioned choreographic version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream on two nights and in two venues early next month. Set to Felix Mendelssohn’s beautiful music, the enchanting full-length ballet is choreographed by Irene Schneider, former Artistic Director of Germany’s Magdeburg Ballet, and will feature students from throughout the Lower Mainland.

Schneider previously worked with Coastal City Ballet while creating last year’s production of Hansel and Gretel, which played to audience acclaim in both Maple Ridge and North Van theaters.

Coastal City Ballet is a pre-professional ballet company based in Vancouver since 2011, providing young aspiring dancers with professional-level performance and training opportunities in preparation for a career in dance.

“Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is among his most beloved plays,” according to Li Yaming, CCB Artistic Director. “His beautiful words dance on the page with their depictions of impassioned lovers, graceful fairies, and harrowing forest chases. With this production, we aim to translate the elegance of his language into the joyous, expressive form that is dance.”

Coastal City Ballet

Perfect for families and children of all ages, Coastal City Ballet’s full-length version of the adventurous tale features lavish sets, spritely costumes, and Felix Mendelssohn’s utterly enchanting score. The ballet will be brought to life by the Coastal City Ballet company dancers, as well as local dance students from across the Lower Mainland.

The ballet’s story is one of magic, mischief, and mistaken identities. Two sets of lovers have fled the city for the forest where they become entangled in a lover’s quarrel between the Fairy King and Queen. Matters swiftly become more complicated with the introduction of the incorrigible Puck, a haphazardly applied love potion, and a crew of rough craftsmen attempting to rehearse a play. In the end, naturally, love conquers all and each character enjoys their own happy ending.

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Dates/Venues: May 5, 7:30 pm; ACT Maple Ridge, 11944 Haney Place, Maple Ridge
May 7, 7:30 pm; Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver
Tickets: Adults, $30; Students/Seniors, $22; group discounts available
Box offices: Centennial Theatre online or phone 604.984.4484; ACT Maple Ridge online or phone 604.476.2787

All photos by David Cooper.

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