State Street Ballet to Stage CARMEN at Purchase College, Today

THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, PURCHASE COLLEGE is pleased to present STATE STREET BALLET'S CARMEN, choreography by William Soleau, music by George Bizet, and musical arrangement by Rodion Shchedrin. The performance will be Saturday, April 9, 2016 at 8:00pm in the Concert Hall at The PAC, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577.

Tickets are $50-$70, on sale at 914-251-6200 and https://tickets.artscenter.org/single/eventDetail.aspx?p=5536.

A red dress. It hints of passion, jealousy, desire. That one red dress, clinging to a beautiful dancer, embodies all of the elements of Carmen, the classic tragic tale of the Gypsy and her obsessive lover. State Street Ballet's full-length production is told through contemporary ballet, with both classical and modern influences, choreographed by William Soleau to the rich score by Georges Bizet.

State Street Ballet, a vibrant and innovative dance company based in Santa Barbara, is known for melding familiar story lines with exciting movement to give familiar tales a modern, passionate, and unique twist.

The ballet features costume design by A. Christina Giannini, scenic artwork by Stefania Piazzo, lighting and set design by Mark Somerfield.

State Street Ballet is a vibrant, innovative professional dance company based in Santa Barbara, California. Founded in 1994 by former American Ballet Theatre dancer Rodney Gustafson, the company combines the discipline and timeless elegance of classical ballet technique with updated, cutting-edge choreography. Combining this with special effects and technology, the company produces original works that satisfy today's diverse audiences. A group praised for strong commitment to artistic and technical excellence, State Street Ballet is also applauded for the intelligently designed, versatile performances that have become the company's trademark.

By melding familiar storylines with exciting dance movement and multi-media visuals, State Street Ballet gives each tale a modern, passionate and unique twist. This inspiring mix of movement, music, lighting, scenery and acting is successfully reaching new audiences, introducing dance as mainstream entertainment while honoring classical training, style and tradition. As a fully professional dance company with well-known credentials, State Street Ballet attracts dancers from around the world and collaborates with top-notch choreographers and arts organizations to produce new works that showcase the company's signature elegant-but-edgy tone.

Choreographers whose works have been performed by State Street Balletinclude Robert Battle, Autumn Eckman, Peter Pucci, Margo Sappington, Josie Walsh, and Edgar Zendejas, as well as the legendary Agnes de Mille and George Balanchine. Innovative new works draw from a team of visionary resident choreographers including Artistic Director Rodney Gustafson (The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Romeo & Juliet), San Francisco-based choreographer and Emmy Award winner Robert Sund (Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, Taming of the Shrew) and renowned New York-based choreographer William Soleau (Carmen, An American Tango, Carmina Burana).

State Street Ballet values artistic collaborations and arts outreach opportunities, and is committed to enriching every community we perform in, large or small. Inspiring future generations of performing artists, musicians, and creative minds is of the utmost importance to the company, and reaching a broader, more diverse audience is consistently a priority. Successful collaborations with the Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Choral Society have become very popular and much-anticipated Santa Barbara traditions.

State Street Ballet tours both nationally and internationally, boasting a 90% rebooking rate, rave reviews, and standing ovations from coast to coast. Touring productions currently include Carmen, The Nutcracker, and Cinderella.