YELLOWSTONE BALLET COMPANY
BOZEMAN – The Yellowstone Ballet Company presents “The Little Mermaid,” on Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. in Bozeman’s newly refurbished Willson Auditorium.
Kathleen Rakela, YBC’s artistic director and recipient of a prestigious Montana Arts Council Fellowship in the Performing Arts, has created a multimedia presentation for the production including magical choreography, stupendous costumes, and projected ocean images that will delight young and old.
Daniel Parker, former conductor for the Hartford Ballet, composed an enchanting score and Robert Worobec narrates the classic Hans Christian Anderson tale – not the Disney version.
Every child who attends the ballet will receive a free stuffed dolphin, stuffed sea horse or seashell, and after the performance parents can take pictures of their child in a Little Nemo costume or starfish costume with the little mermaid and various sea creatures. CDs signed by the composer of The Little Mermaid audio book will also be on sale at the event.
Included in the performance are professional guest artists Molly Huempfner, Randy Herrera, and YBC alumni Fiona Lee dancing alongside performers from Yellowstone Ballet School, The Dance Center and Main Street Dance Theatre.
Randy Herrera, former Houston Ballet principal dancer, dances the role of the prince. Mr. Herrera was born in Acapulco, Mexico and raised in Chicago, Ill. He received a scholarship to The Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts and after graduating joined the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago.
Herrera has won numerous awards, including the Princess Grace Award in 1999 and in 1998 received fourth place in the International Ballet Competition held in Jackson, Miss.
Bozeman-based Fiona Lee will dance the title role of the little mermaid. Lee, who trained at the Yellowstone Ballet School for nine years, attended the American Ballet Theatre Young Dancer Workshop in 2012 and American Ballet Theatre New York Intensive in 2013.
The role of the beautiful bride who steals the prince’s love will be danced by Molly Huempfner, Main Street Dance Theatre alumni currently dancing with Colorado Ballet. Miss Huempfner has a BFA in ballet performance from the University of Utah. She was one of three dancers selected to perform with Ballet West by artistic director Adam Sklute while completing her degree.
Tickets are available at yellowstoneballet.com. For more information or group rates email yellowstoneballet@gmail.com or call (406) 223-4664 or (406) 222-0430.
