Ballet, dance company leaps on the Webb Center stage in Wickenburg

The Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts, 1090 S. Vulture Mine Road, will host a performance by the junior company of the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 24.

During their Wickenburg appearance, ABT Studio Company boasts a diverse 80-minute program that includes excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” and “Sleeping Beauty,” alongside contemporary dances and newer works like Twyla Tharp’s “Brief Fling” and Jamar Roberts’ “In the Face of Darkness.”

This family-friendly show features a troupe of 13 rising stars who hail from all over the globe and are between the ages of 17 and 21. Under the guidance of artistic director and interim executive director Susan Jaffe, the pre-professional training these young dancers are receiving is preparing them for careers in American Ballet Theatre’s main company or other leading ballet companies worldwide.

The ABT Studio Company serves as a crucial vehicle for transitioning from student to professional performer. Nearly 80% of current American Ballet Theatre dancers are alumni of the junior company, including Misty Copeland, Isabella Boylston and Calvin Royal III, to name a few. In fact, Royal performed at the Webb Center in 2009 following the first-ever “Made in Wickenburg” artist residency program.

The junior company also acts as an ambassador for ABT by engaging with communities in a range of venues. Each season, ABT Studio Company commissions new ballets from emerging and established choreographers, with a special focus on female choreographers.

Tickets start at $25 for adults; $5 tickets are available for those 18 years old and younger. Visit dewpac.org or call 928-684-6624 to reserve a seats.