State Street Ballet Presents LA Premiere of AN AMERICAN TANGO: VELOZ AND YOLONDA This Weekend

State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara, Rodney Gustafson, Artistic Director and Producer will present the Los Angeles Premiere of an original full-length ballet, "AN AMERICAN TANGO - Veloz and Yolanda," based on the true life story of Frank and Yolanda Veloz, considered one of the greatest ballroom dance couples of all time. Conceived and written by Guy Veloz (the son of Frank and Yolanda Veloz), choreographed and directed by William Soleau and co-produced by Michael Roush, the show stars Leila Drake as Yolanda Veloz, and Jack Stewart at Frank Veloz, along with actor, Joseph Fuqua, appearing as Auggie.

Performances will be presented at The Broad Stage; 1310 11th Street; Santa Monica, CA 90401 tonight, September 21, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 22, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. This production is sponsored in part through the generosity of Van Cleef & Arpels, Bryant & Sons and Montecito Journal.

Tickets for "AN AMERICAN TANGO - Veloz and Yolanda" are: $125 VIP for Saturday night, September 20, 2013 at 8:00 p.m., which includes a pre-performance private reception from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Saturday night only (limited number of tickets). Other Ticket Prices for Saturday, September 20, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. and for Sunday, September 22, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. are: $80 Premiere; $65 Level A; $50 Level B; $35 Group Rate 10+ (limited number of seats) and $35 Dancers (limited number of seats).

Tickets can be purchased by calling The Broad Stage Box Office between 12-Noon - 6:00 p.m., Monday throughFriday, at 310-434-3200. For Group Ticket Information, please call Gloria Regan at 805-319-1648. Patrons can also E-mail The Broad Stage Box Office at info@thebroadstage.com. To buy online and get more information, visit the websites: www.thebroadstage.com/americantango and www.anamericantango.com.

"AN AMERICAN TANGO - Veloz and Yolanda" is based on the life and true love story of Frank and Yolanda Veloz, considered the greatest ballroom dance duo of the 1930s and 40s. Their passionate romance, unparalleled talent and notorious friends catapulted them from the steamy clubs of Havana and Miami, to Broadway, and finally, Beverly Hills, and the world of Hollywood film. Set the music of composers, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Jimmy McHugh, Astor Piazzolla, Lolo Schifrin and others, journey through time with Veloz and Yolanda as they perform The Cake-Walk, The Lindy, Waltzes, Tangos and more. The dancing duo graced the cover of Life Magazine in 1939 and appeared as headliners all over the world from Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl. Meet their colorful circle of friends, including mobster Dutch Schultz, critic Walter Winchell and Broadway impresario Florenz Ziegfeld, in this rags-to-riches tale.

To view B-roll performance footage of this show, visit http://youtu.be/MCS5uWhr3MM.