Northrop at the University of Minnesota to Present Miami City Ballet, 4/27

Northrop at the University of Minnesota presents Miami City Ballet with a full live orchestra on Wednesday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m, marking the finale to the 2015//16 season. The sizzling company returns to Northrop for the first time since 2010 with a program as vibrant and intoxicating as their namesake city featuring a Balanchine-based repertory that Le Monde says, "gives goose bumps to fans of dance," and Heatscape, by wunderkind choreographer Justin Peck. Northrop's 2016//17 Dance season announcement and an audience reception will follow the performance.

"Heatscape shows [Peck's] gift for memorably picturesque, changing group shapes... Meanwhile the dancers infectiously show the appeal of the ebullient movement he gives to them, with contrasting through-the-body ripples, pounces, bends, jumps and changes of direction..." - The New York Times

Northrop Presents
Miami City Ballet
Wed, Apr 27, 7:30 pm
Carlson Family Stage

Symphony in Three Movements
Serenade
Heatscape

With live orchestra

Miami City Ballet will return to Northrop performing a Balanchine-based repertory set to a score performed by a live, full local orchestra. The South Florida-based company known for their zest and zeal is one of the largest ballet companies in the United States with 51 dancers. Born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Miami, Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez joined the company in 2012, having danced with New York City Ballet for over 24 years under George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

Of local note, Miami City Ballet's newest principal dancer, Simone Messmer, is a Minneapolis native. Messmer began studying dance under Bonnie Mathis at Ballet Arts Minnesota. She continued her training at The HARID Conservatory in Boca Raton, Fla. Messmer participated in American Ballet Theatre's Summer Intensive Program in 2001 and joined ABT Studio Company in that same year.

She danced with ABT for over a decade, rising to the rank of soloist in 2010. Messmer joined San Francisco Ballet for one season in 2013 performing principal roles before joining Miami City Ballet as a principal dancer in 2015.

Each piece in the program demonstrates Miami City Ballet's reputation for being one of the finest interpreters of George Balanchine's work to date. Opening the performance is the large ensemble piece, Symphony in Three Movements, set to the rhythm of Igor Stravinsky's classic score. With bold movements, the striking masterpiece - which premiered in 1972 - is breathtaking in its simplicity and power.

Next on the program is Serenade, a piece claimed as Balanchine's "favorite child," set to the score of Tchaikovsky's "Serenade Strings in C." First performed by New York City Ballet in 1965, Serenade is a romantic work that marks the historical progression of classical ballet as an American art form.

For the evening's finale, Miami City Ballet will perform the buzzed-about Heatscape, a piece drawing inspiration from Miami's vibrant Wynwood Walls and the designs of artist Shepard Fairey, whose "Hope" design became an icon of President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign.

Choreographed by Justin Peck, the dancers embody exuberant motion. Heatscape is set to "Piano Concerto No. 1" by Bohuslav Martin?, paired with Fairey's original street art-inspired designs. At just 28 years old, Peck has already made a name for himself, currently serving as Resident Choreographer for New York City Ballet, making him only the second choreographer in the history of the organization to hold that title.

A video sample of the evening's program is available here.

TICKETS
Single tickets: $74, $64, $54
(Discounts Available)

Group sales: Groups of 10+ save 15% off original ticket prices or 25% off for schools and educational groups. To purchase group sales tickets, email nropgrps@umn.edu or call Bridget Reddan at 612-625-1578.

Discounted Rush Tickets
$10 for U of M Students
$20 for U of M Staff/Faculty
$20 General Student/Educators

Rush tickets can be purchased online, over the phone, or in person at the Northrop box offices beginning at 10:00 am the day of the performance. Receive two discounted tickets per qualifying person with appropriate I.D. Rush tickets are based on availability.