Olmsted Performing Arts to Present SWAN LAKE and SLEEPING BEAUTY

Olmsted Performing Arts (OPA) - http://www.olmstedperformingarts.com - will present "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake" July 17, 18 and 19. Two of Peter Tchaikovsky's most famous scores come to life in this story ballet double feature, adapted and choreographed by Janet Strukely-Dziak. Audiences will experience light-hearted fairy tales and dramatic love stories set to beautiful music in this night of amazing ballet The stories of "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake" involve princesses, princes, good fairies, evil fairies, sorcerers, spells, true love and more.

Princess Aurora, played by Kathryn Tokar, is a main character in the ballet double feature.

"In my belief, dance expresses the human condition often in more profound ways than words can," says Tokar, who believes ballet is a transcendent art form that can be enjoyed by everyone. "All of us have experienced joy, heartbreak, loss, love and difficult decisions, which constitute the main themes of story ballets. Dance is one of the most basic and expressive forms of communication - and it's often one of the first ways we learn to communicate as children. We all move, we feel strong emotions, and we all depend on relationships with one another. All of this lies at the heart of ballet and makes it something audiences of all ages and walks of life can relate to on one level or another."

Visit http://www.olmstedperformingarts.com/events/event/sleeping-beauty-and-swan-lake/ to see a commercial promoting the ballet double feature, with footage shot in rehearsals.

Strukely-Dziak is a dance instructor at OPA and has been dancing professionally, teaching and doing choreography for more than a decade. She put together the two-act ballet double feature and cast the dancers, who come from all across Greater Cleveland, Erie PA, and other places.

The "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake" cast is comprised of professional and amateur dancers, including Matt Hueffner as Prince Desire, Elizabeth Radchi as Lilac Fairy, Strukely-Dziak as Odette/Odile, Kassie Lee as Princess Florina, Michael Garber as Bluebird, Josh Landis as Catalabutte and Von Rothbart, Clayton Cunningham as Prince Siegfried and Jennifer Muselin as The Queen. The cast has been rehearsing since April and will deliver a fantastic, high-quality ballet performance to arts lovers on Cleveland's west side, giving them a chance to see wonderful ballet, that is less expensive than seeing a ballet in Downtown Cleveland, but is also more intimate and accessible.

"I think this particular show is very family- and non dancer- friendly, and it features two of the most iconic ballets in dance history. People who might not usually attend the ballet, or those for whom this is their first experience, will be surprised by how much they understand, relate to, and enjoy it," says Tokar.

The "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake" ballet double feature will be performed at OPA July 17 at 7:30 p.m., July 18 at 7:30 and July 19 at 2:30 p.m. and tickets are available now. To catch an inside glimpse of the show arrive 90 minutes before the show for exclusive pre-show entry to watch the company class warm up before the show. The pre-show also includes a special gallery viewing of local artists' depictions of dancers in different media, including living versions of Degas statues. Pre-show tickets are just $5.

Saturday July 18 there will be a special, shortened, matinee of "Sleeping Beauty" at 2:30 p.m. The matinee is perfect for children and special pre-show activities are included in the ticket price. The pre-show will feature a dance class and hair salon activities, as well as cookies and punch. The pre-show begins at 1:30 and the dance class will be taught by Strukley-Dziak and is designed for children 4 - 8 years old, but all are welcome.

The Olmsted Performing Arts Center is located at 6941 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls, OH. Tickets to the "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake" ballet double feature, and the "Sleeping Beauty" only matineee are $15 - $20 and are available online at http://www.opatickets.com or over the phone by calling (440) 235-6722.

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