Canyon Concert Ballet Launches 45th Season

Canyon Concert Ballet has announced its 45th Anniversary Season. The 2024-2025 season will be CCB’s largest and most ambitious. It is the third season curated by Artistic Director Michael Pappalardo, forging an ever-growing and accomplished dance company for Northern Colorado. Reflecting on the upcoming milestone season, Michael Pappalardo is “… filled with electric anticipation. It’s a testament to the enduring power of art and community, and I’m thrilled to embark on this journey of creativity and celebration.” Featuring cutting-edge dance and traditional favorites, the 45th Anniversary Season has something for everyone.

Ballet and Beer

Bas Bleu Theater, Fort Collins

October 18 – 20, 2024

CCB will open its 45th Anniversary Season with the highly anticipated Beer and Ballet performance. Now in its third year, this annual event has become a favorite among audiences. This year’s edition promises to be exceptional as it shines a spotlight on emerging choreographers and dancers.

The stage will come alive with four new works by leading local choreographers, showcasing their innovative movements and captivating storytelling. Audiences can expect a blend of upbeat, contemporary performances that push the boundaries of traditional ballet.

Patrons will receive a complimentary beer with each ticket.

The Nutcracker

Lincoln Center, Fort Collins- December 2024

Cheyenne Civic Center, Cheyenne November 2024

CCB’s annual performance of The Nutcracker is a longtime tradition in Fort Collins. This family favorite is performed on the main stage at The Lincoln Center and attracts multi-generational audiences who often use it as their family gathering for the holiday season. The performance is accompanied by live music from the Fort Collins Symphony and our Nutcracker Boutique in the lobby.

On Christmas Eve, young Clara falls asleep after the family Christmas party. As the clock strikes midnight, Clara is transported to a wonderful world where toys become larger than life, her beloved Nutcracker defends her from the evil Mouse King, and stunning Snowflakes dance delicately. This beautiful, lively ballet is sure to delight audiences and remind us all of the magic of the Christmas season.

The Nutcracker Sweets

The Rialto Theater, Loveland

Sunday, December 22, 2024, 11 am, 2:30 pm, and 6 pm

Monday, December 23, 2024, 11:30 am and 3 pm

Audiences across Loveland will be swept up in the magic of the season as Canyon Concert Ballet brings to the stage a special child and sensory friendly version of the annual classic Christmas favorite, The Nutcracker Sweets. This December CCB will entertain communities across the region with this magical 40 min production set in the Land of the Sweets.

Join Clara as she meets all of the wonderful characters in the Land of The Sweets, including The Nutcracker and Sugar Plum Fairy. A joyous explosion of color, set to Tchaikovsky’s inspired score, Canyon Concert Ballet’s The Nutcracker Sweets is sure to enchant audiences both young and old.

Romeo and Juliet

Lincoln Center, Fort Collins

January 2025

This classical ballet is a heartbreaking tale of young love and loss set to Sergei Prokofiev’s score. The beautiful sets and lavish costumes further emphasize the passion of this beloved ballet and its star-crossed lovers. Verona is the site of a longstanding feud between two families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo, a Montague, falls in love with Juliet, a forbidden Capulet, and they marry in secret.

When Juliet learns she is pledged in marriage to someone else, she takes a sleeping potion to convince her family she is dead. She sends news of her plan to Romeo, but he does not receive it. Believing Juliet is dead, Romeo takes his own life, and Juliet, on waking, takes hers. For Michael Pappalardo, “Romeo and Juliet holds a special place in my heart, its timeless tale of love and tragedy resonating deeply with me. To restage this ballet for Northern Colorado is a dream come true, and I can’t wait to share the passion and emotion of this classic story with our audience.” Every leap and turn breathes new life into Shakespeare’s masterpiece and invites audiences to rediscover the iconic love story like it’s the very first time.

The Crucible

The Lincoln Center, Magnolia Theater

March 2025

This ballet is based on events of the 1692 Salem Witchcraft Trials and is a powerful and timeless depiction of how intolerance and mass hysteria can tear a community apart. The story centers on a farmer, John Proctor, whose wife is accused of witchcraft by their former servant, Abigail. Abigail, along with a group of young women, suddenly finds their words have an almighty power. As a climate of fear, vendetta, and accusation spreads through the community, no one is safe from trial.

The ballet features expressive choreography that provides a haunting representation of a marriage full of pain and resentment in the fallout of Proctor’s affair contrasted with the lust and rage of a scorned lover, Abigail.

Tickets will be available at https://www.ccballet.org