A family business, Headliners is proud to celebrate 30+ years of HONESTY and INTEGRITY in the competition industry. Headliners events aim to create a positive & memorable experience where dancers can learn & grow together – no matter what level they’re at!
A choreographic collaboration between Artistic Director, Nell Shipman, and Annie Kloppenberg, Associate Professor of Dance at Colby College, takes as its inspiration Maine’s landscape, history, and lighthouses as portals to explore our relationship to the land, water, wayfinding, and navigation in an original contemporary ballet.
The performance features an expanded Portland Ballet Company with dancers from Colby, who have joined the company for the month of January to develop this work and an original score by composer Caitlin Scholl, created and performed in collaboration with Colby student musicians.
The collaboration between Shipman, whose work has been called “refined and engrossing” (Portland Press Herald) and Kloppenberg, “a choreographer of nuances” (Boston Globe), will yield a richly layered work that treats Maine as history and home.
New Works returns for the 2023/2024 season with selections by emerging and established choreographers. An evening filled with intriguing creations, New Works showcases the versatile dancers of Portland Ballet through the groundbreaking debuts of the area’s leading choreographers.
New Works is presented in collaboration with Portland Ballet and Colby Dance Company Artistic Directors, Annie Kloppenberg and Nell Shipman.
Portland Ballet’s season closes with Nell Shipman’s Sylvia. Based on Greek mythology, Sylvia tells the story of how the mild shepherd Aminta wins the heart of the huntress nymph Sylvia with the divine help of Eros and Diana. This premiere of a dynamic new work by Artistic Director Nell Shipman set to the rousing music of Delibes, will inspire and delight audiences of all ages.
Portland Ballet’s Community Appreciation Concert will spotlight the voices of our dancers as they step into the role of choreographer. This evening will feature selections choreographed by the artists you have admired as dancers, as they move to the front of the studio to share what they have to say as creators of movement. Portland Ballet’s Community Appreciation Performance of New Works allows members of our community to enjoy a Portland Ballet performance at Westbrook Performing Arts Center at a reduced rate.
Portland Ballet and Colby College Department of Theater and Dance collaborate to bring to life an evening of work featuring an expanded company of dancers. Joining forces again after their celebrated partnership in 2018, this performance will thrill classical and contemporary fans alike.
Renowned dance artist Lil Buck conceived, choreographed and performs in his latest production — Memphis Jookin’: The Show. An ode to Lil Buck’s hometown and the birthplace of this singular hip-hop dance style, Memphis Jookin’: The Show takes audiences on a journey to the fabled city where the art form emerged from a local street dance to an international phenomenon. Evolved from a stylized strut, visually and fundamentally, Memphis Jookin’ embodies steps tied together with slides, glides, toe spins and intricate footwork. Lil Buck stars alongside 10 virtuosic and athletic dancers and a live DJ creating a soundtrack that evokes the energy of the streets, hallways and clubs where Memphis Jookin’ was born.
Studio for the Living Arts annual production of “The Nutcracker”. Produced by Elizabeth Avantaggio and Kate Smedal, this unique, full-length production is the perfect way to introduce young children to the beauty of classical ballet. Stunning choreography with vibrant costumes and set create a magical Holiday production. The cast performs to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score by the New York City Ballet Orchestra.
Tickets are $18 in advance and $22 at the door. For tickets call 207-657-3006
Blurring the line between a dance and music performance, PARTIDO explores the convergence of percussive dance and live music with contemporary urban styles in African-American and Afro-Brazilian culture. Inspired by Leonardo Sandoval’s experience as an Afro-Brazilian immigrant in the United States, PARTIDO celebrates and highlights the deep connections between Afro-rooted culture in both countries, connecting tap with styles like samba and house dance through shared rhythms and footwork.
Post-Performance Discussion
Directly following the performance, join the performers and creative team for a discussion. Audience members will be invited to ask questions.
Passionate and precise, Cuba’s Malpaso Dance Company blends their classical training with “lushly earthy modern dance” (Boston Globe) alongside influences of social dances and capoeira. Though their name translates to “misstep,” the 11 dancers of Malpaso are never out of sync. Their Ovations’ program reflects Malpaso’s commitment to both leading international choreographers as well as emerging Cuban voices, featuring Why You Follow, Ron K. Brown’s melding of African and Cuban dance traditions; 24 Hours and a Dog, artistic director Osnel Delgado’s enduring work inspired by dancers’ lives in Havana, set to the Afro-Cuban strains of Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble; and Being (Ser), a brand new piece by company member Beatriz Garcia.