For immediate release
Ventana Ballet & The Cathedral fly together again in Night Birds, an intimate celebration of music, art & dance
June 24, 2024
Austin, Texas— The Cathedral and Ventana Ballet flock together again for the immersive presentation of Night Birds, an avian-themed program featuring nine dancers, three cellists, and vibrant art from the atxGALS collective. In their fourth year collaborating, these local, women- and minority-owned organizations will fly together for six performances. This year’s programming will include a VIP Opening Night Event, featuring special treats and a curated, post-show talk-back with the artists. For the first time, the Night Birds run will include two children’s interactive matinee performances, where the dancers and musicians will invite the young guests to participate in their flock. Night Birds will also feature the work of local young female and non-binary artists with a Youth Art Show; selected applicants under the age of 18 will create bird-themed artwork to display in the gallery during the run of the shows.
Robert Faires of the Austin Chronicle wrote: “Ventana Ballet is noted for the immersive nature of their shows, and bird-watchers won't have to go scouting around the Cathedral to spy these creatures. Everyone will be seated around a central stage space, though the dancers are likely to take flight through and around the crowd as they channel our feathered friends.” The Night Birds program includes an intimate 360 degree performance featuring local professional dancers, cellists, visual art from emerging women and nonbinary artists, and a curated, complimentary bar experience that offers bird-themed signature cocktails and other refreshments from local distilleries and breweries.
The program presents several dances, each named after a familiar (or unfamiliar) bird of the night, with the movement intended to represent "the essence and beauty of the animal – paying homage to its nature, disposition, and symbolism," according to AJ Garcia-Rameau, the director of Ventana Ballet. This year’s program will feature two new birds, and guests will delight in experiencing some of last year’s birds as well. After a viral stint on Instagram with a recording from last year’s show, the Nightingales will soar again to Beethoven’s coveted “Moonlight Sonata,” played by three cellos to an original arrangement by Austin Camerata member Cory Blais.\
The Cast
Musicians: Cory Blais, Ryle Harrod-Corral, Geoff Manyin
Dancers: AJ Garcia-Rameau, Navaji David Nava, Julia Beros, Ellie Coleman, Caroline Jones, Josh Martinez, Mia Moi, Penelope Morejon Molina, Taylor Woolums
Tickets
Tickets on sale through Eventbrite:
https://nightbirds2024.eventbrite.com
Night Birds Youth Art Show
Artist Info & Application Portal for the Night Birds Youth Art Show are located here:
https://forms.gle/Xiihz7czkP7qCi1s8
All applications are due July 7th!
The Night Birds Youth Art Show exhibit is part of Ventana Ballet's initiative to provide opportunities for students to experience the process of proposal, selection, creation, and curation in a professional setting. The program enables youth artists to build experience and their portfolio as they move along in their education. This initiative was originally created and curated by Ventana Ballet's newly appointed Assistant Director, Navaji David Nava, who produced and choreographed the full-length ballet, KOMOREBI, for Ventana Ballet in 2023.
Performance Schedule:
Friday, August 2nd
— 7:30pm VIP Opening Night Reception, Evening-Length Show, & Curated Post-Show Q&A
Saturday, August 3rd
—2:30pm Kids Interactive Matinee Show
—5:30pm Evening-Length Show
—7:30pm Evening-Length Show
Sunday, August 4th
—2:30pm Kids Interactive Matinee Show
—5:30pm Evening-Length Show
* Doors open approximately 30 minutes before show time *
About Ventana Ballet
Ventana Ballet is a professional dance company based in Austin, TX, specializing in contemporary ballet dance performance. The word ventana, meaning window, embodies the company’s organizational mission and vision, seeking to provide inspiration, accessibility, opportunity, and technical structure.
Instagram: @ventanaballet | Facebook: @ventanaballet
About the Cathedral
The Cathedral is a beautiful 1930's refurbished church in East Austin. Created by the Founder of atxGALS, a local women art collective whose mission is to create more exposure for women artists, The Cathedral showcases a diverse collection of art by the top-rated collective year round. Stay tuned and follow atxGALS and The Cathedral on social media for more news and updates.
Instagram: @thecathedralatx | Facebook: @thecathedralatx
For more information:
Contact: AJ Garcia-Rameau
info@ventanaballet.com
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