Dance troupe presents concert at Tahoe

The Academy of Dance Arts will present its 13th annual spring concert, 6 p.m. June 6 and 7 in the MontBleu Resort & Casino theater.

"We are thrilled to unveil two new ballets titled 'A Medieval Ballet' and 'Dances from Different Lands,'" said Kelly O'Fallon, owner and director of The Academy of Dance Arts.

"A Medieval Ballet is based on a poem written by my mother, Irma O'Fallon. The ballet is set during the Renaissance, complete with peasants and villagers tending to their sheep, beautiful swans, a court filled with musicians, jesters and dazzling young damsels waltzing about," O'Fallon said. "All with a touch of fantasy swirling in the morning mist, brought on by the fairies of the forest. The ballet is filled with gnomes, unicorns and even a band of gypsies roaming the countryside."

Spain, Italy and Hungary are represented in the second play culminating with a robust and exciting French cancan. Both ballets are filled with beautiful music, elegant costumes and gorgeous dancers showcasing a variety of skills and graceful technique learned throughout the dance season. After a brief intermission the dancers return for the jazz and tap portion of the show.

"This year the theme is 'One Hit Wonders.' We had a lot of fun choreographing to songs that run the gamut from lyrical ballads and hip-hop rap; to bubble gum pop and pure technical jazz. All the songs are very recognizable and should appeal to all age groups," O'Fallon said.

"Choreographing to fun songs and working with an amazing staff has made this year a pure joy," she said. "They have choreographed creative dances with age-appropriate choreography, which is hard to find these days. There is such an abundance of talent in the studio and for two nights in June all that talent is displayed beautifully by each and every student affiliated with The Academy of Dance Arts. We hope you will come join us for a lovely and entertaining evening of dance."

For information regarding tickets, contact the MontBleu ticket office at 588 -3515.