Join Our Mailing List! Fourth Annual Celebrity Dance Challenge Thursday, February 11, 2010 7:30 p.m. Fregeau Auditorium, Marshall School 1215 Rice Lake Rd. Tickets: Adult $20, Child $12 Buy tickets at: Minnesota Ballet, 529-3742, or click above on Online Payment. Jitters Coffee & Teahouse Touch of Plasch Waters of Superior Younkers, Miller Hill Mall Ltd Jewelers, Superior Cash Bar Cocktail Hour 6–7:15 p.m. Made possible in part by: American Transmission Company Northland celebs pair with Minnesota Ballet company dancers in this for-fun competition that has the whole Twin Ports speculating and the audience voting for the winning couple. Celebs rehearse for weeks their ballroom style from elegant waltz to sassy Broadway to jumpin’ jive. And while the votes are counted, the Minnesota Ballet presents a lively mini performance. 2010 Celebrity Contestants: Laura Langemo Morning Anchor, Northland’s NewsCenter Roger Reinert Minnesota State Representative, District 7B Larry Johnson President/CEO, North Shore Bank of Commerce Tara Alfonsi Executive Director, Northshore Inline Marathon Jana Hollingsworth Reporter, News Tribune Ryan Kern President, Duluth Air Show Melissa Kadlec Executive Director, Duluth Sister Cities Abe Curran Actor; Teacher, Summit School Eric Huie Master Stylist, A Touch of Plasch Dan Hawkin Sergeant, Superior Police Department Sheila Sutton Operations Manager, Fitger’s Brewhouse Brewery and Grille Morgana Davis Assistant Buyer, Maurices Emcee—Pat Kelly Spring Performance Saturday, March 20, 2010, 7 p.m. Sunday, March 21, 3 p.m. DECC Auditorium Duluth, Minnesota Sponsored by North Shore Bank of Commerce Celebrate the power of love and the charm of animals Giselle Act II, the romantic masterpiece performed over the world, depicts the triumph of love and forgiveness to reach beyond the grave. The beautiful maiden Giselle falls in love with Albrecht, a duke disguised as a peasant. As a spirit the beautiful Giselle must save her beloved Albrecht from Myrtha, queen of the Wilis, the spirits of young women who died before their wedding day. Robert Gardner premieres his production of Carnival of the Animals, set to the delightful Saint-Saëns music, a fun-filled romp through the animal kingdom—from the elephant to the kangaroo—sure to delight young and old alike. Creating the animal masks for the premiering work is Mary Plaster, who studied masks at Chabot Conservatory near San Francisco, California, and with El Estudio Busqueda de Pantomima-Teatro, in Guanajuato, Mexico. Performances We Have Enjoyed This Season Bayfront Dance Festival 1 – 7 p.m. Saturday, August 29, 2009 Bayfront Festival Park Duluth, Minnesota FREE Admission Celebrate the Twin Ports creative energy and vitality There’s something for everybody to enjoy in this glorious day of dance—from professional performance by Duluth’s own Minnesota Ballet company, to Highland dance by the Duluth Scottish Heritage Association, to a musical number by the Children’s Theatre of the Duluth Playhouse, to striking contemporary works by Northland choreographers, to “stars of tomorrow” presentations by dance students—as well as live accompaniment by area musicians. Also presenting works in the festival will be Lila White and Rebecca Katz Harwood, both assistant professors of dance in UMD’s Theatre Department; Over the Top Productions, directed by Juliana Bertelsen; and Nancy Gibson, choreographer/instructor at the Madill Dance Center and former artistic director of the Minnesota Ballet. Nobody can sit still when the Minnesota Ballet jumps into its jivin’ Rough Cut Swing, choreographed by Allen Fields, with live accompaniment by the North Shore Big Band. The Minneapolis Star Tribune praised Rough Cut Swing: “No bunheads or pointe shoes here. The women let their hair down and step lightly in their heels. And the men…show style and confidence.” The Ballet will also perform a classically beautiful pas de deux from Act II of Swan Lake, plus the earthy Summertime, choreographed by Allen Fields with live vocal accompaniment by opera soprano Rachel Inselman. Capping the festival will be the Northland premiere of the Minnesota Ballet’s production of Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra Suite, a Broadway ballroom work following two urban sophisticates through stages of their edgy relationship, set to vintage Sinatra songs from “Strangers in the Night” to “One for My Baby.” The acclaimed work was set on the Minnesota Ballet by Shelley Washington, former dancer with Twyla Tharp Dance Company. Known for blending a surprising range of dance styles and music, Ms. Tharp has choreographed for Broadway, most recently the acclaimed Movin’ Out and The Times They Are A-Changin’, and also for film, television, and ballet companies such as American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet. After many awards in her long, distinguished career, in December she received a Kennedy Center Honor; at the ceremony, two American Ballet Theatre dancers performed her Sinatra Suite. Acquisition of Sinatra Suite and presentation of the Bayfront Dance Festival are funded by the 25th Anniversary Celebration Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. Special support by Visit Duluth. Special media support by Northland’s NewsCenter. Fall Performance 7 p.m. Saturday, October 17, 2009 DECC Auditorium Duluth, Minnesota Supported by U.S. Bank Celebrate the beauty and joy of live ballet Don’t miss this grand evening featuring Sinatra Suite, choreographed by Tony Award-winning Twyla Tharp and set by Shelley Washington, former dancer with the Twyla Tharp Dance Company. Set to five vintage Sinatra songs from “Strangers in the Night” to “One for My Baby,” the sophisticated work follows a couple through stages in their relationship. Delight in Agnes de Mille’s delightful morality satire Three Virgins and a Devil. One of the few female faces among renowned choreographers, Ms. de Mille infused classical dance with the stamp of more popular dance movements and the American spirit, choreographing such Broadway musicals as Carousel, Oklahoma! and Brigadoon Also delight in the captivating pas de deux from Sylvia—the timeless love duet between a nymph and a mortal shepherd. Also experience the world premiere of Robert Gardner’s Northern Lights, this far-north dance company bringing to life the “dancing” Aurora Borealis, its science, mythology, and wonder. Costumes are by Anna Finke, a native of Carlton, Minnesota, and wardrobe supervisor/ costume designer for New York’s Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Acquisition of Three Virgins and a Devil made possible by a gift from Dr. John Holcomb and a grant from the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. Ms. Finke’s costumes for the Northern Lights ballet made possible by a grant from the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. The performance of SINATRA SUITE Tharpsm Ballet is presented under license with W.A.T. Limited, and has been produced in accordance with Tharpsm Service Standards; and SINATRA SUITE Choreography by Twyla Tharp, © 1999 Twyla Tharp. >The Nutcracker Friday, Dec. 11, 2009, 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, 3 p.m. DECC Auditorium Duluth, Minnesota Celebrate the BRAND NEW Nutcracker production You won’t want to miss the world premiere of Allen Fields’ Nutcracker set in New York City in the early 1900’s, complete with Edwardian costumes, a lively historic Street Scene, the Party Scene in an elegant Manhattan townhouse, the Snow Scene in a snow-capped Central Park reminiscent of a Currier and Ives print. There are all the characters you love, plus the spice of a few new ones. Uncle Drosselmeier, an eccentric toymaker, arrives at the Stalbaums’ holiday party, producing a puppet show and bearing gifts he has made in his hometown of Duluth, notably a soldier nutcracker for niece Clara. Brother Fritz and Madeleine, the Butler’s daughter, are immediately jealous of the gift. Later that night, a battle begins between toy soldiers led by the Nutcracker and mouse warriors led by the Mouse King. Masks cannot fully disguise the resemblance of the Mouse King to the Butler or three of the warriors to Fritz, the Butler’s wife, and Madeleine. The battle turns against the soldiers, but with Clara’s help, the Nutcracker triumphs; and the pair goes on a magical journey to wondrous places of whirling snowflakes, gorgeous cherry blossoms, and waltzing flowers costumed with a Degas look. And you’ll want to see who emerge from Mother Ginger’s enormous skirt! It’s all to the glorious Tchaikovsky score played live by The Festival Orchestra, sponsored by UMD. ICO—Inter City Oil Proud to underwrite the Minnesota Ballet’s new Manhattan Nutcracker scenery. Heating Oil ~ Bulk and Transport Loads ~ Residential ~ Commercial ~ Industrial and the ICO Travel Centers This new production was also made possible by major funding from: St. Mary’s/Duluth Clinic Health System Depot Foundation This production was also funded in part by: Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation Minnesota Power Foundation And Especially Generous Contributors PARKING FOR THE NUTCRACKER PLEASE allow extra time for parking. Due to the construction at the DECC Auditorium, parking is available only in the DECC parking ramp or in one of the ramps in downtown Duluth (then take the Skywalk to the Auditorium). Please also be aware that there is UMD Hockey on Friday @ 7:00, Saturday @ 7:00, and Sunday @ 3:00 in the DECC Arena. Late Arrivals – If the performance is underway, late arrivals will be seated in the back of the auditorium and may claim their reserved seats after intermission. Ticket Information Season tickets (up to 30% off single ticket prices), group rates, and further information: call the Ballet, 218/529-3742. There are three (3) age categories: Adult, Student (age 13 – college, with current I.D.), and Child (age 12 and under). For Ballet Performances at the DECC Auditorium: You may purchase tickets in person at the DECC ticket office. You may also purchase tickets by mail or phone at: Minnesota Ballet office Board of Trade Building 301 W. First St., 8th floor 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (218) 529-3742 You may order tickets by phone from TicketMaster, 1-800/982-2787. You may also purchase tickets online and view the seating chart at the Ticketmaster website: ticketmaster.com. Ticketmaster website Ticket categories for 2009–2010 performances There are four (4) seat-location categories: Platinum Gold A B Single tickets prices for Fall Performance Spring Performance Adults: $42, $35, $27, $17 Student: $32, $27, $22, $12 Child: $27, $25, $18, $10 Single tickets prices for The Nutcracker Adults: $42, $35, $30, $20 Student: $32, $27, $25, $15 Child: $27, $25, $21, $13 Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the programs of the Minnesota Ballet is provided to all individuals regardless of race, national origin, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, or disability. If you have special accessibility needs to attend a Minnesota Ballet Performance, please let us know, so we can accommodate you. Our main office and all performance sites of the Minnesota Ballet are Wheelchair Accessible for parking and seating.

Minnesota Ballet 301 West First Street, Suite 800, Duluth, MN 55802

218 / 529-3742 fax: 218 / 529-3744 info@minnesotaballet.org