(Frenchtown, NJ 2024): An exciting Spring season of Roxey Ballet awaits as we look forward to the return of original programming and timeless classics choreographed and directed by Founder and Executive Director, Mark Roxey. The lineup offers a selection of performances for patrons of all ages. It includes events that provide a behind-the-scenes look into the inner workings of a professional ballet company and what it takes to create a quality production.

The season begins with Carmen, a one-act ballet that is a contemporary masterpiece full of passion and betrayal that tells the sensual tale of the fabled temptress of Seville. This sizzling dance production invites the audience to witness the twists of romance and the tragic consequences that unfold in this story. Adding to the allure, the performance features a guest appearance by world-class flamenco dancer Lisa Botalico who embodies the role of the Fortune Teller. 

Carmen will be performed on February 24 at 7 pm, February 25 at 1 pm and 4 pm, March 1 at 7 pm, March 2 at 4 pm and 7 pm, and March 3 at 1 pm and 4 pm at Mill Ballet, 46 N Sugan Rd, New Hope, PA. In-person and virtual tickets are available at roxeyballet.org/carmen. With an additional $15 donation to Roxey Ballet, you will receive a glass of wine as a thank-you gift for contributing to the non-profit.

The pre-professional trainees of Mill Ballet School, the official school of Roxey Ballet, will perform at Dance New Jersey's long-running performance series "Show Up And Dance" on March 3rd at the Montclair State University Studio Theater. The students will perform a neo-classical piece, Roots, choreographed by Roxey Ballet's artist Pinja Sinisalo. The mission of this showcase is to connect the dance community and reveal the diversity of artistry in New Jersey, elevating the role of dance in the state.

The Spring 2024 production of “Children’s Classic Stories” will feature Sleeping Beauty Act III-Aurora’s Wedding and Carnival of the Animals. Sleeping Beauty Act III- Aurora’s Wedding features the extraordinary pas de deux of Princess Aurora and Prince Desire and includes Jewel Fairy Variations, Blue Bird, Puss in Boots, and Little Red Riding Hood pas de deux. As Princess Aurora and her family are awakened from their deep sleep, the princess accepts Prince Florimund’s proposal for marriage and her family approves. A joyful wedding at the castle celebrates their marriage and is attended by their families and magical fairies. Masterful choreography by Mark Roxey and exquisite costumes by Alicia Warden and Nilda Roxey bring this classic fairytale to life.

Carnival of the Animals tells the story of a child lost at a zoo who encounters various dynamic

animals as she finds her way home. Choreographed by Mark Roxey, the ballet includes 57 colorful costumes and masks designed by Alicia Worden, Ana Vichnevetsky, and Nilda Roxey. As the dancers interpret lions, fish, donkeys, elephants, chickens, tortoises, birds, and kangaroos, audience members enjoy various styles of dance paired with surprising instrumentation. 

“Children’s Classic Stories” will be performed on April 20 and 21 at 2 pm at Villa Victoria Theatre, 376 W Upper Ferry Rd, Ewing, NJ. There will be a sensory-friendly performance on April 13 at 3 pm at Mill Ballet in New Hope, PA. In-person and virtual tickets are available at roxeyballet.org/childrenclassicstories.

Roxey Ballet's Fairytale Party invites children and their families to join Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood, the Fairy Godmother, and surprise storybook characters for a magical afternoon. Attendees will enjoy refreshments, fairytale treats, a dance lesson, mini-performance, and may take photos and receive autographs from the dancers. The Fairytale Party will take place on April 14 at 11 am and 2 pm at Mill Ballet in New Hope, PA.

Roxey Ballet’s Journey Back to 80s is a pop/rock music and dance extravaganza featuring top hits from the 80s played live or recorded by Doylestown, PA-based tribute band, GruvTyme. Mark Roxey’s choreography performed by Roxey Ballet company dancers masterfully combines ballet, hip-hop, jazz, modern, contemporary, and social dances of the era that bring the audience to their feet, singing and dancing in the aisles to songs like Flashdance, Jenny Jenny, and Tainted Love. A fun, accessible event for audiences that crosses cultural boundaries, ethnicity, and generations. 

Journey Back to the 80s will be performed May 10, 11, 17 and 18 at 7 pm and May 19 at 2 pm at Mill Ballet in New Hope, PA. In-person and virtual tickets are available at roxeyballet.org/journeybacktothe80s.

There are several opportunities to go behind the scenes this season with Roxey Ballet. In the “Beer and Ballet” series, attendees are given the unique opportunity to watch and engage with the professional artists of Roxey Ballet in a relaxed environment as they prepare for their upcoming production, all while enjoying a curated selection of custom craft beers presented by Triumph Brewery of New Hope. 

“Beer and Ballet” will be held on February 16 at 6 pm during a Carmen rehearsal, April 5 at 6 pm during a Sleeping Beauty rehearsal, and May 3 at 6 pm during a Journey Back to the 80s rehearsal at Mill Ballet in New Hope, PA. Tickets are available at roxeyballet.org/beerandballet.

Roxey Ballet's “Brown Bag and Ballet” series allows the community the chance to experience dance like never before. With a peek into the rehearsal world of professional artists as they craft and perfect choreography for upcoming productions, attendees are invited to get up close with the creative process, engage in conversations about choreography, training, and artistry, and stretch and move alongside the dancers. The audience is invited to bring their lunch and savor a unique break in their day as they enjoy the art of dance in a relaxed environment. 

“Brown Bag and Ballet” will be held on February 15, April 4, and May 2 at 12 pm at Mill Ballet in New Hope, PA.

In the “Tutus and Tiaras” series, budding dancers are introduced to the world of Roxey Ballet where they will watch as professional artists prepare for their day of rehearsals, learn the foundational steps of classical ballet, and interact with accomplished artists. Children and parents will engage in relaxed conversations with the professionals as they share the essence of being a dancer and gain insights into the art of dance. 

“Tutus and Tiaras” will be held on February 7, April 6, and May 4 from 1-2 pm at Mill Ballet in New Hope, PA. Tickets are available at roxeyballet.org/tutusandtiaras.

Roxey Ballet will continue to have a prominent presence in NJ schools this season, bringing their Dance to Learn curriculum to residencies at Lambertville Public School, Lambertville Academy (Fisherman’s Mark), St. James School in Woodbridge, NJ, and Northern Hills Academy in Sparta Township, NJ. Dance to Learn is an inclusive dance curriculum to advance dance education in schools and community settings. Residencies are designed to provide consistency and longevity in the abilities of students of all abilities to connect Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility to the arts, providing visual and auditory alternatives that connect to social-emotional practices.

Roxey Ballet performs cutting-edge, contemporary ballet to critical acclaim throughout the United States. Incorporated in 1995 as a New Jersey non-profit organization, Roxey Ballet has a mission to deliver artistic and cultural excellence through professional dance performances, residencies, educational programs, workshops, and master classes. The company takes pride in being a multicultural, all-inclusive organization that fosters a creative environment of growth for all.

Roxey Ballet’s programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, The New Jersey Cultural Trust, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, VSA Kennedy Center The International Organization on Arts & Disabilities, Church and Dwight, Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, Dance NJ, The Princeton Area Community Foundation, and by private donations from individuals and businesses.