Copper Coin Ballet Company’s annual Rock Ballet returns to the Springfield Muni Opera on Saturday, Sept. 12, with an all-Prince program that combines live music, contemporary choreography and ballet under the stars.
Julie Ratz of Copper Coin Ballet Company says Prince’s music is a natural fit for dance because of its range, from energetic dance tracks to instrumental and ballad-style pieces. The program was inspired in part by the Joffrey Ballet’s early-1990s production Billboards, which featured ballet set entirely to Prince’s music.
Among the featured works is a longtime company favorite choreographed to “Purple Rain,” along with a newer choreography of Prince’s “The Human Body” with inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man.
The performance will feature a live band led by Damian Kaplan, with vocalist Mary Kate Smith and other Springfield-area musicians. The musicians will perform on a platform above the dancers, making the band itself part of the visual experience.
Rockballet 26 begins at 8 p.m., with reserved seating and lawn seating available. Audience members can bring blankets, chairs and a picnic for the lawn. The rain date is Sunday, Sept. 13.
Ratz says Rockballet and Copper Coin’s spring production generally break even, but the performances fulfill the company’s mission by giving dancers opportunities to work with guest choreographers and live musicians.
Tickets are available through at https://www.coppercoinballet.org.
Transcript pending.
