After a schedule nudge last week due to Hurricane Ivan forecasts, Montgomery Ballet is ready to hold a somewhat different kind of Ballet and the Beasts on Friday, free and under the stars at the Montgomery Zoo.
Gates open at 6 p.m. Following Montgomery Ballet’s 6:30 p.m. traditional performance of “Carnival of the Animals,” and performances by Troy University and Alabama State University dance troupes, it should be just dark enough for a special presentation.
The evening closes with the contemporary piece “Lights,” an original from Montgomery Ballet in which the dancers play with the theme of giving and transferring the energy of light.
Danny Mitsios, executive and artistic director of the Montgomery Ballet, said it’s a different flavor of dance than they’ve ever done for Ballet and the Beasts.
“It’s another piece that I did in connection with Jake Pugh of Gravity,” Mitsios said.
Prior to performances, the zoo’s Education Department will have live animal presentations featuring various animal education ambassadors.
Guests can bring picnic blankets, lawn chairs, and coolers. Donations of nonperishable foods are being accepted for the Montgomery Area Food Bank. There will be a bleacher section available for additional seating.
“For me, it’s not just about sharing ballet,” said Mitsios. Don’t get him wrong. He loves sharing. But he said events like this are more about bringing the community together.
“Anything that we can do that creates new tradition that becomes part of the annual fabric of the community is very important,” Mitsios said.
A new home for Montgomery Ballet
Montgomery Ballet is loving its new studio in Cloverdale, 1044 E. Fairview, which offers plenty of space and a Harlequin Liberty Sprung floor.
“It’s all in black,” Mitsios said. “It’s designed so that we can convert it to a black box theater, which we’re looking to do in the spring. It’s a nice upgrade for us.”
Work on the building took a little longer than anticipated due to construction delays during the pandemic, Mitsios said.
Thanks to an anonymous donor, they have air purifiers to keep them from breathing in dust from construction.
Along with settling in the new spot, Mitsios said property owner Mike Watson is hoping to break ground on a new theater space next door in the coming months.
“That will become our second studio eventually,” Mitsios said, used to host events like their spring performances and Mardi Gras.
With an estimated capacity of around 150, the new theater would also be available for groups to rent that need a space smaller than venues like Montgomery Performing Arts Centre or Davis Theatre. Mitsios said plans include full lighting, sound and box office service.
“Mr. Watson has created a 3D animation,” Mitsios said. “The idea is to show people the potential future of the building.”
In the coming months, Mitsios said Montgomery Ballet will host a series of open houses. Mitsios said he’d love to eventually have a dance block party with the other local businesses and restaurants in the area for the community.
“There are so many ideas I have about what we’re trying to do for the traditions of the community,” Mitsios said.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel atsheupel@gannett.com.
