Circus Arts Conservatory's WONDERBALL Will Feature World-famous EDM DJ and Producer Alan Walker

The Circus Arts Conservatory has announced the return of WONDERBALL, a high-energy event that will feature a world-famous electronic dance music (EDM) star; the proceeds will benefit its youth education programs. WONDERBALL promises to be an epic dance concert experience, headlined by renowned Norwegian DJ and producer Alan Walker. The event will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 7 p.m. in the Sailor Circus Arena (2075 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota).

Event organizers promise that WONDERBALL will "Electrify the Night” to “Amplify the Impact” for CAC Youth Education. This year's event features a larger stage for a more immersive experience with enhanced LED lasers, lights and video screens, in keeping with Walker's recent multiple-stop sold-out arena tour. The vibe for WONDERBALL 2024 is neon and guests are encouraged to dress in dance-ready festival/clubwear.

Opening up for Walker are DJ August (Harrison Koffman), DJ Pushman (Mike Putnam), and DJ Peter DiCaro from New York; DiCaro will also close out the event in the arena after Walker's set. Students from the Sailor Circus Academy will perform during a special mission moment performance before Walker takes the stage.

This is an all-ages welcome event; alcohol and bar service will be available to guests ages 21+ with proper ID. Concessions and including snacks, soda and water will also be available. As part of WONDERBALL 2024, limited-edition WONDERBALL x ALAN WALKER merch will be available for pre-purchase online, with pick up the night of the show. The venue will be decorated and lighted to convey the ambience of an EDM show, with special circus touches as only the CAC can provide.

The CAC's youth education programs include the world-renowned Sailor Circus Academy, the oldest youth circus in the U.S.; circus magnet programs at Booker Middle School and Sarasota High School; spring break and summer camps; and the Arts Integrated Education Program, an in-school, kinesthetic learning experience that supplements elementary and middle school science coursework.

“With the success of WONDERBALL last year, we knew this was an event we needed to continue,” said Jennifer Mitchell, executive vice president/COO of the CAC. “The magic of the circus arts combined with the energy and visual possibilities of EDM and the amenities and technology of our Sailor Circus Arena are sure to create an evening that is truly unique in our community. We were thrilled to secure an artist of Alan's reputation and look forward to welcoming him to Sarasota for what is sure to be a spectacular event.”

Renowned for his ability to craft hypnotic, high energy tour sets that have captured the hearts of fans the world over, Walker, who is just 26 and is known for wearing a mask during his shows, has over 115 million followers across his social platforms, more than 12 billion YouTube views (he is the second most-followed DJ on YouTube), and a staggering 50 billion audio and video streams. Walker arrived on the music scene in late 2015, with his debut hit single “Faded” garnering over 1.4 billion Spotify streams and 3.1 billion YouTube video views. The single also earned him a BRIT awards nomination for Song of the Year, as well as a Norwegian Grammy win in the same category.

After building a massive social following and releasing a string of successful singles – and collaborating with artists including Ava Max, Noah Cyrus, Sia, Bruno Mars, Hans Zimmer and Coldplay – the chart-topping debut album “Different World” arrived in late 2018, amassing over 4 billion streams on Spotify. He has played over 650 headlining shows and festivals to date, including Coachella and Tomorrowland, in addition to selling out his worldwide arena tour, “The Aviation Tour.” In 2021, he delivered his “World of Walker” album and then, in 2022, he gradually unveiled the #Walkerverse: dropping his two-part Walkerverse album, he kicked off a tour of Europe and North America, playing a mammoth run of sold-out shows and upping the ante with insane visuals and dazzling production. In 2023, he released the song “Dreamer,” which reached 1 million views on YouTube within 13 days of its release.

Festivities for event sponsors will kick off at 5 p.m. at Michael's On East, with cocktails followed by dinner, a live auction and a paddle raise; the immersive concert experience begins in the Sailor Circus Arena with doors opening at 7 p.m. A separate ticketed official WONDERBALL after-party, with a signature WONDERBALL cocktail, will continue the revelry at Michael's On East from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., with local DJ's taking the stage.

Tickets start at $100/stadium seats; $250/dance floor standing in front of stage; $1,000+/sponsorships that include an exclusive sponsor-only dinner, open bar throughout the evening and a special “BE-SEEN” stage-side, standing-only experience near the DJ; private sponsor lounge pods that include premium vantage points and preferred seating for 10-20 guests range from $10,000-$25,000.

Spearheading the effort is chair Donna Koffman and a small but mighty founding committee: Umbreen Khalidi, whose company, Umbreen Designs, will produce the event in collaboration with The Circus Arts Conservatory; Nathalie Michalowski of nkm design, graphic designer, social media and event vibe creator; and Melissa Morsli, a branding and messaging expert.

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