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Ballet Acadiana

Oct 05, 2015 05:56PM ● By Flint Zerangue, Sr.
The dream was a dance company providing excellence in the area of pre-professional training and performance opportunities accessible to all dancers in Acadiana. The vision was to create performances that not only celebrated the arts but also provided training through enrichment of young dancers, thereby helping to nurture strong minds and healthy bodies in an artistic environment. After several years of concentrating on training dancers Ballet Acadiana now reemerges as a performance company. 

  Beverly Spell has now teamed with co-artistic director Dadier Aguilera, an award winning dancer and contemporary choreographer trained at the world renowned Cuban National Ballet and who has toured and performed internationally with Ballet de Camaguey, Centro ProDanza de Cuba of Cuba and Palacio das Artes Dance Company of Brazil. As a re-entry into the performance realm, Spell and Aguilera will codirect Classics to contemporary, a performance consisting of both original and classic works at the historic Opera House of the South in Crowley, Louisiana November 7 at 7:00 pm and November 8 at 2:00 pm. Internationally recognized dancer, Arionel Vargas, formerly of the English National Ballet, will join Ballet Acadiana for this premier performance, dancing alongside local Company Members Ashley Bourque, Danielle Faciane, Emily Faciane, Emily Faciane, Rachel Geiger, Emily McConnell, Madeline Miller, Kathy Pooler, Michelle Sellers, Anna-Cayton Womble, Erin Barras, London Deats, Nia Edwards, Coryne Foreman, Amanda MacFadyen, and Vivian Thibodeaux. 

Looking beyond its November performance, Ballet Acadiana has set high goals for 2016. With plans for an original work highlighting our local culture and history while promoting the education of children on this unique history through the art of dance, this now small, but growing, cultural and artistic force called Ballet Acadiana may very well move past anyone’s expectations. The trinity of focus on art, education, and culture now has a new energy, a new expression, and a new voice with the strength of international ties. 

Tickets for Classics to Contemporary range 
from $15 to $35 each and are available through the Grand Opera House of the South at www.thegrandoperahouse.org or by calling 337-785-0440. A “Fireside Chat” with Artistic Directors and guest artist will be conducted in the lobby Saturday at 6:00. A “Meet & Greet” with the serving of cookies and punch will take place immediately following the Sunday performance. All are invited to attend these two events
.