NORTH LITTLE ROCK (April 28, 2021) – Due to weather forecasts, Ballet Arkansas Presents Live at the Plaza classes and performances scheduled for Sunday, May 2, at Argenta Plaza (510 Main Street, North Little Rock) will be postponed. A “pop-up” performance will be held Friday, April 30, at 6 p.m. at Argenta Plaza. Recreational classes and performances will still occur on Saturday, May 1, as planned.
Ballet Arkansas Presents Live at the Plaza is a two-weekend educational and performance program in North Little Rock sponsored by North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of North Little Rock, First Orion, ACANSA Arts Festival of the South, Taggart Architects, Fit 2 Live and Argenta Downtown Council.
“Live at the Plaza performances feature seven world-premieres and highlight both international and Arkansas choreographers,” said Michael Fothergill, Ballet Arkansas’s Executive and Artistic Director. “Two of the contemporary works were created in the winter of 2019 and this will be the first time they will be performed, while five of the works were created by Ballet Arkansas choreographers and dancers.”
Live performances by Ballet Arkansas on Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, will feature a “Raymonda” suite; Hannah Bradshaw’s “Solace”; Paul Tillman’s “Echo”, and a contemporary world premiere titled “Aperture” by international choreographers Alice Klock and Florian Lochner’s of Flockworks. The finale of each performance will be “Water Work,” a new work choreographed by Deanna Stanton featuring the Argenta Plaza water wall. All performances are free and open to the public. Attendees may bring their own lawn chairs and are encouraged to patronize North Little Rock restaurants before and after the performances. The plaza is located within the Argenta Outdoor Dining District, so downtown restaurant patrons may carry libations to Argenta Plaza.
Morning recreational classes, sponsored by ACANSA Arts Festival of the South, will be held 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, in front of the Argenta Plaza stage. Classes include Pilates, Stretch & Strengthen, Jazz at the Plaza and Ballet on the Grounds. All classes are free and open to all ages and abilities. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats and bottled water as needed.
“Viewing a performance is a source of inspiration and joy for many, but Ballet Arkansas Presents ‘Live at the Plaza’ goes a step farther by presenting experiential opportunities for the public to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the art form of dance,” Fothergill said. “We hope that the public will join Ballet Arkansas dancers in a series of movement-based classes for all ages in a variety of disciplines.”
Arkansas Department of Health guidelines will be enforced for a safe learning and viewing experience. Attendees will be asked to practice social-distancing and wear masks when closer than six feet. Dancers will be masked and will maintain appropriate distance from audience members.
Ballet Arkansas Presents Live at the Plaza Updated Schedule (Weekend #1)
Friday, April 30 (NEW)
6 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Evening Performance
Saturday, May 1
8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Pilates at the Plaza
9 a.m. – 10 a.m. | Stretch & Strengthen
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. | Jazz at the Plaza
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Ballet on the Grounds
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. | Matinee Performance
7 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Evening Performance
Sunday, May 2
Classes and performances postponed (dates TBA)
Ballet Arkansas will release the new dates for Sunday’s postponed classes and performance before the second weekend of Live at the Plaza, which will be held Friday, May 21 – Sunday, May 23. For updates, visit www.balletarkansas.org/plaza.
“The arts are crucial to quality of life in North Little Rock,” said Karen Trevino, President & CEO of the North Little Rock CVB. “We are excited to partner with Ballet Arkansas and North Little Rock government, businesses and nonprofit organizations to bring Argenta Plaza to life this year. We hope the program will bring the local community together as well as attract visitors by highlighting North Little Rock’s thriving arts and culture.”
501 Day is Saturday, May 1, and locals are encouraged to celebrate all things local in North Little Rock, by participating in Ballet Arkansas Presents Live at the Plaza and enjoying other events around town. For a full list of 501 Day events and deals in North Little Rock, visit northlittlerock.org/celebrate-501-day-in-north-little-rock/.
About the North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
The North Little Rock CVB is the destination marketing organization for North Little Rock, Arkansas. It promotes North Little Rock as a positive tourism and hospitality experience thus enhancing economic growth and quality of life for its citizens and visitors. For more information about where to stay, where to eat and what to do in North Little Rock, visit NorthLittleRock.org.
About Ballet Arkansas
Consisting of 15 professional dancers, Ballet Arkansas is the foremost professional ballet company of the State of Arkansas and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Over the last 42 years, Ballet Arkansas’ world class education programs and performances have touched the lives of more than 300,000 Arkansans, nearly 25,000 per year. Today, Ballet Arkansas presents the most celebrated works in American dance, including a vibrant and diverse repertory of classical, neoclassical, and contemporary works by world renowned choreographers. Ballet Arkansas’s mission is to provide world class diverse innovative dance programming and education programs to Arkansas and beyond. For more information, visit BalletArkansas.org.
