River City Youth Ballet Ensemble, the official youth ballet of the state of West Virginia, will team with several local performers to bring a bit of the Big Top back to Charleston next month.
Cirque Du Ballet, an original production developed by River City Youth Ballet Ensemble, will be presented Dec. 6 at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater.
More than 60 young dancers from the ensemble will perform in a variety of circus-themed acts that promise to be entertaining for all ages. They’ll be joined on stage by a local magician, an acrobatics team, tightrope walkers and a unicyclist, and a highlight of the show will be a fire dance! Thunder the Stiltwalker, a Charleston favorite, also will perform with one of the ballet’s own, 10-year-old Juliet Brown.
Several choreographers have contributed to the production, including founding director Michelle Raider-Simon and River City Youth Ballet instructors Margaret Lieberman, Emily Hanna and Abbie Payne.
“Our intent for this production is to give audiences that old-school circus feel with a modern twist,” Raider-Simon said. “There should be something for all ages to enjoy!”
Cirque Du Ballet performances will be held at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, December 6 at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center’s Little Theater. Festival seating tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12. For information on reserving tickets, call (304) 925-3262 or email rcybe@aol.com.
