Diablo Ballet Celebrates 27th Anniversary with Virtual Gala March 20

WALNUT CREEK, CA (March 7, 2021) — Join Diablo Ballet’s 27th Anniversary Gala virtually on March 20, 2021. The streaming celebration will feature a company premiere of Carousel (A Dance) choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon.

The March 20 event begins at 7 pm. Company dancers Jordan and Raymond Tilton will host. The evening of performances also includes interviews and a champagne toast with the dancers.

Carousel (A Dance) evolved from the Broadway musical. Diablo Ballet’s Regisseur Joanna Berman staged the performance.

Carousel debuted in 2002 with the New York City Ballet. Set to the music of If I Loved You by Richard Rodgers, it originated in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic 1945 musical Carousel. “I’m so deeply honored for our dancers to have this special opportunity to perform such a gorgeous pas de deux by one of the most acclaimed dance makers of our time” states Artistic Director Lauren Jonas.

Romantic Duet

Also on the program: the romantic duet from Encores choreographed by Diablo Ballet’s Artistic Advisor, Sally Streets. The dance was originally created for the company in 1996. The ballet is set to Cavatina by Joseph Joachim Raff. In addition, dancer Raymond Tilton presents his first work for the Company entitled Ballestra, a touching ballet featuring the entire company with original music by Justin Levitt and a new work performed by Diablo Ballet School’s Advanced students created just for this special occasion.

The evening concludes with an exciting finale featuring the entire company in the spectacular Flames of Paris staged by Lauren Jonas. Choreographed by Vasily Vainonen in 1932, the ballet premiered at the Kiorv Theatre in Leningrad, Russia. It takes as its subject the French Revolution, including the storming of the Tuileries Palace by the Marceliers and their victorious march on Paris.

Filmed at Diablo Ballet’s transformed black box theater, the celebration features some live events as well.

Purchase virtual tickets through Diablo Ballet by calling 925-943-1775 or at diabloballet.org. Tickets cost  $27 in celebration of the Company’s 27th Anniversary.

About Diablo Ballet

Since 1994, Diablo Ballet has been the award-winning, professional dance company for Contra Costa County. Presenting acclaimed classical and contemporary ballets, the company is committed to exposing youth to the arts through its renowned PEEK Outreach Programs which has reached over 68,000 underserved school children in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties since 1995.

Also, Diablo Ballet has served hundreds of at-risk teenage girls and boys incarcerated within the Juvenile Justice system since 2015. In 2019, the company began working with teenagers housed at the Behavioral Health Unit at John Muir Hospital, Concord. In August 2019, Diablo Ballet opened the first Ballet School in Contra Costa County run by a professional ballet company, located in Pleasant Hill.

Performance Information: Diablo Ballet presents Diablo Ballet’s 27th Annual Gala. Virtual Link will become active March 20 at 7:00 pm. TICKETS: $27 per household. 925-943-1775, diabloballet.org