The International Baltic Ballet Festival will take place for the twenty-second time this spring by offering the performances to the audiences in Riga, Rezekne, Preili, and Ventspils. The festival’s slogan invariably is “From the classics to the avant-garde”, while the theme of love is prevalent this year to multiply the good, the beautiful, the noble, and the eternal in the world and the people.

According to Ms Lita Beiris, Director of the Festival, the Beijing Dance Theatre and Giordano Jazz Dance Company from Chicago will be the special guests this year. The Festival’s program also envisages the traditional opening concert at Riga International Railway Station/ shopping centre ORIGO, the exhibition dedicated to the Festival at Gallery Centre, the evening of Swedish cinema, and other activities. One notes that exactly the avant-garde ballet program of the Beijing Dance Theatre that will be performed at the Latvian National Opera on April 24 is the key performance of the Festival this year. Besides, the cooperation with this company fits into the Silk Road cooperation platform among China, Central and Eastern Europe fostering recognition of national cultures.

The Beijing Dance Theatre was founded in 2008, and it represents the modern ballet. Choreographer Wang Yuanyuan leads the BDT, whose choreography has gained recognition and high appreciation on the international scale in all the continents of the world. “The program of the Dance Theatre includes three one-act performances, which are completely different to reach a whole range of different audiences, both young people and seniors, both the fans of neoclassic and the fans of avant-garde,” stressed the Director of the Festival. The show can be enjoyed at Latgale Embassy GORS in Rezekne on April 23. The performances will represent the latest choreography by Wang Yuanyuan “Farwell shadows”, “Poison”, and “Nightingale and the Rose” (after the works of Oscar Wilde).

In its turn, the Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) established in 1963 is the American original jazz dance company that enchants the viewers all around the globe due to strong dynamics and diverse repertoire. The choreography reflects the innovative jazz expressions. Their performances will be held at Preili Regional Culture Centre on April 9, at Ventspils Theatre House Sea Gate on April 11, at the Riga Congress Centre on April 13. One also plans that a masterclass led by the choreographer of the Giordano Dance Chicago will be held for dancers and ballet dancers on April 10. For more information on the Giordano Dance Chicago, visit http://giordanodance.org/history.html.

A special surprise of this annual festival is the show by Italian choreographer Benedetta Capanna “Saknes” (Roots) - a tribute to her grandmother, the former diva of the Latvian ballet Mirdza Kalniņa. This performance will take place at the Theatre House of the Latvian Academy of Culture Horse Mail on April 23.

“Moreover, the opening concert of the Festival will be traditionally held at Riga International Railway Station/ SC ORIGO, and this year it will happen on April 7. The audience of the Festival’s opening concert will be offered music, dancing, and singing,” shared Ms Lita Beiris, Director of the Festival.

The Festival is implemented by public benefit, non-profit organisation “Dejas varavīksne” (Rainbow of Dancing). As pointed out by Ms Lita Beiris, the Festival continues its setting to enrich the cultural space of Latvia, to promote the art of professional ballet, to raise awareness of the public on the latest trends in classical and modern ballet, as well as to organise charity events to socially vulnerable groups.