Press: Three things to know about the Louisville Ballet

By David A. Mann for Louisville Ballet First

October 27, 2017

The Louisville Ballet often comes to mind this time of year as “The Brown-Forman Nutcracker” has become a holiday tradition for many families.

But there’s much more to the ballet than that one well-known production.

There are six productions on the bill for the 2017-18 season, which began in September. Those six performances include “Stravinsky!” in November and a collaboration with the Kentucky Opera, called “The Beyond,” in March.

The organization has ranked in the top five on our annual list of the area’s largest performing arts organizations in the last five years. The list is ranked by annual budget.

Recently, we spoke with Robert Curran, who has led the ballet since 2014, about the organization and the arts in general.

Here are three takeaways from that conversation.

A part of the community

There are 24 dancers in the company as well as a ballet master and mistress. There are other creative professionals on staff too, such as lighting and costume designers. And Curran, himself, of course.

“The dancers live here in Louisville. They’re not just brought in for the season. They have families and children that are here,” Curran said.

That makes them a part of the community, and Curran said that’s something a lot of people don’t realize. He said having an arts community is beyond important — it’s vital.

“We have an arts community that can impact the health in the city, the education in the city, and (help lower) violence in the city,” he said.

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SWAN LAKE

November 11-14 2021
The Brown Theatre
Choreography by Robert Curran
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchakiovsky

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The Brown-Forman Nutcracker

December 11-23, 2021
Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center
Choreography by Val Caniparoli
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

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ChorShow

January 12-22, 2022
Louisville Ballet Studios

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Spotlight Series: Impressionism to Jazz

March 3-5, 2022
The Brown Theatre
A mixed repertory evening featuring:

Emeralds

Choreography by George Balanchine

Music: "Pelléas et Mélisande" + "Shylock" by Gabriel Fauré

In G Major

Choreography by Jerome Robbins
Music: "Piano Concerto in G Major" by Maurice Ravel

World Premiere Work

Music by Louisville-based Jazz Composer and Musician, Dick Sisto

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Sleeping Beauty

March 31 - April 2, 2022
The Brown Theatre
Choreography by Adam Hougland
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchakiovsky

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