UI Youth Ballet’s spring 2024 concert will feature a medley of compositions by Camille Saint-Saëns, including selections from Carnival of the Animals and the iconic Danse Macabre. Following the success of live music for last year’s Coppélia, live piano will accompany this year’s dancers under the direction of our senior accompanist, Douglas Baker.
How do we sign up?
Enrollment is now open and will be available until audition time on February 17, 2024, for Creative Movement 3 and Pre-Ballet through Level 2B. Go to the Enroll page to sign up. The fee to participate in rehearsals and performances is $155.
Family volunteers are critical to the success of a safe and rewarding concert. One adult from each family assist students during select dress rehearsals and performances. On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, from 5:30-8:00 PM, all volunteers attend an informative meeting and watch Dress Rehearsal 1 from the audience. Volunteers choose two additional times to help backstage.
Thursday, May 9 from 5:20-7:45 PM
Friday, May 10 from 5:50-8:45 PM
Saturday, May 11 from 12:50-3:30 PM
Saturday, May 11 from 6:30-8:45 PM
For families who prefer the convenience of not volunteering, they may instead contribute $100 to help us hire a university student worker.
Required Dates
Audition: February 17, 2024 (view specific audition times here).
Anyone with a conflict with this date who still wishes to sign up for the spring concert, please email dnc-communitydance@uiowa.edu.
Weekly Rehearsals: March 4-May 4, 2024
Rehearsals begin the week of March 4, 2024. All rehearsals are separate from technique classes and are held immediately after class time. Keeping performance activities separate allows us to focus on providing the highest level of technical instruction during class time. Rehearsal times and rooms are listed on the Schedule PDF listed on our Enroll page.
Daily Production Week Rehearsals: May 5–9, 2024
Production week follows the close of spring classes. Students prepare to perform by rehearsing in the Space Place Theater.
Performances
Friday, May 10 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 11 at 2:00 PM
Saturday, May 11 at 7:30 PM
How do costumes work?
Costumes for the concert are provided by the program. The cost of costume use and cleaning is covered by concert enrollment fees and community contributions to the costume budget. Dance undergarments, tights, and shoes are provided by performers’ families. Required color and style will be specified by concert staff.
Do you sew? Are you crafty? Do you want to help students look their best onstage?
Select “I want to help with (make, transport, decorate) costumes for the Spring Concert” or donate to our annual youth costume budget in the spring concert enrollment form.
What’s new this year?
Creative Movement 3 students will have their own dance in the concert this year. Students sign up for rehearsals following their weekly class. If a student takes Creative Movement 3 and a weekly ballet class, they sign up to perform in both dances.
Youth Ballet Ensemble students enrolled in Modern 4/5 will perform as a class — a pre-pandemic tradition. This is an exciting opportunity for upper-level dancers to diversify their performance skills.
One of our very own instructors and current BFA student in the Department of Dance, Ellie Daley, will perform a solo during the performance. Ellie Daley teaches ballet technique to our Level 3 students and created a dance for the Youth Ballet Ensemble during the Fall 2023 semester.
Creative Movement 2 students will have an opportunity to dance in a class demonstration at the beginning of the 2:00 PM matinée on Saturday, May 11, 2024. There will be no additional cost for this opportunity and students will practice during regularly scheduled class times.
Tickets go on sale February 17, 2024, at 10 AM!
Visit the Ticket Information page of our website.