Cincinnati Ballet

Let me just say this: Cincinnati Ballet is incredible. I’ll try to explain my love of this company without gushing too much.
First of all, I feel so fortunate to have such a dynamic and thriving ballet company right here in Cincinnati. The dancers and artistic staff are immensely talented and passionate, and that comes through on such a high level at every performance that I’ve been to.
The first ballet I ever saw in Cincinnati was Cinci Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet, which was breathtaking beyond belief. I was in tears by the final scene, and so were many others in the audience (judging by lots of surreptitious sniffing and eye-​wiping).
What made the story really work was artistic director Victoria Morgan’s choreography, which was sleek and beautiful and so, so natural. I think her work is a standout feature which is a big part of what makes Cincinnati Ballet so special.
Case in point: A couple of years later I was in NYC and got to see the American Ballet Theater perform Romeo and Juliet, and it just wasn’t the same. I was really surprised, because this is New York, right? ABT is a super prestigious company in a world-​famous venue, shouldn’t it be incomparable to a «small-​town» company like cinci ballet?
But no, with Cincinnati’s stunning costumes, sets, and KILLER choreography (not to mention soulful, gorgeous dancing), ABT’s R+J didn’t hold a candle to Cincinnati’s. I feel like I’m going to get clobbered by ballet critics for saying this, but it’s true.
All the subsequent productions I have been to with Cinci Ballet have more than lived up to the quality of Romeo and Juliet. There’s a good mix of full-​length story ballets and mixed-​repertoire modern works. Don’t miss the modern programs– they are just as stunning as the classical ones! Maybe even more so.
Cincinnati Ballet is a gem in this city, and I wish more people knew about it. Also take advantage of the classes at their Otto M. Budig Academy! Or just go and watch King Arthur’s Camelot or The Kaplan New Works Series and prepare to be amazed.
*if you are a student, you can get really good seats for just $ 20 or $ 25!

I am genuinely a fan of the Ballet. It is a world class institution and all of their performances are amazing. I loved when they did Carmen.
That being said, we were there for the Sugar Rush event and were disappointed. Here is why:
A) No real crowd control measures. Everyone was just standing around or jostling in line without knowing which queue they were in. Lines converged from opposing points making traffic a hassle. They definitely need a bigger space.
B) It seems the vendors were not instructed to give out smaller samples so by the fourth booth I had already eaten more sugar than a small kid (four full sized cupcakes) on Halloween. I felt sick by the sixth booth.
It would be great if they handed out a cardboard to-​go box at the door and you could stuff it with goodies or told you to bring your own, but since this was our first year we were completely unprepared.
C) They ran out of water less than an hour into the event. It was stifling and I had just consumed a ton of sweets, I was desperate for water.

We love this company.

This review is for the adult classes, which I’ve been taking for the past few months. Love the Wednesday ballet/​jazz combo with Patti — it’s beginner-​friendly, but also fast-​paced enough to keep it interesting for novices. If you’re a little more advanced, I’d recommend the Monday night ballet class, which is taught by a member of the company. Either way, it’s good exercise and fun to pretend you’re a pro dancer for an hour.

ALICE (in wonderland) ballet in Cincinnati 10÷26−28÷2012 is a dream fantasy full production of entertaining orchestra, choreography, costumes, lighting and plot. Matthew Pierce created 98 minutes of original score in the spirit of Peter & the Wolf created in collaboration with choreographer Septime Webre. It is wonderful to see such exquisite costumes in a ballet. It is a child-​friendly ballet with lots of action and no sensuality. Ballet goers will be impressed by the dancing, too.

Can I tell you how awesome it is that we have ballet with personality in this city!
I know what you’re saying. «Really? Ballet? With personality?» Go with me on this one.
Ballet often gets a bad rep, like the symphony or the opera, that it’s stuffy, boring and not for everyone. Unfortunately, some of these groups don’t often do anything to counter this reputation! (I’m a believer that a few actually like it — that they enjoy feeling superior and want to keep the «lowdown riffraff» out, but oh well.) The ballet is not one of these. Not by a long shot.
The Cincinnati Ballet is the most engaged, wonderful, keyed in organization of it’s kind that I’ve ever seen. They’re everywhere — on Twitter, on Facebook, on advertisements, at events. When it’s Nutcracker season and if you haven’t seen the guy in the Nutcracker costume walking around, then you didn’t leave your house during December.
Their shows are awesome! They’re always looking for new, interesting ways to get non-​dance people interested in dance. Upcoming they’ve got a performance with the band Over-​the-​Rhine. Yes, yes and yes!
And then there’ their Ballet and Beer, which is, by far, one of the best things you can do in the city. You come in and sit high above their rehearsal space and get to watch them practice for a new show. And afterwards, they give you pizza and beer — all free! The ticket is free, the food is free, the fun is free … and plentiful. My only problem was, it’s just a taste of the show. There are no costumes and you only see about 20 minutes of it.
I didn’t think I was a «ballet guy» — in fact, I was pretty sure I was going to hate every second of even just this rehearsal — but when it ended, I wanted to see more. Damn. That was worth an added star right there, just for awesome surprise.
5 stars easily earned Ballet. Don’t ever change. Or, actually, keep changing and keep surprising me. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.

This might be the best way to get your man to go see the ballet with you, serve Pizza and Beer and make it FREE! About a week before the Cincinnati Ballet opens their latest performance, currently a Midsummer Nights Dream, they host a Ballet and Beer event. You are able to go into their practice studio and watch the dancers rehearse. It is awesome to sit so close to the stars and get a preview of what goes on behind the scenes. It is a free event, but space is limited, so you have to RSVP quickly or win the tickets like I did! (via Unilocal!again)
The director welcomes you and explains a bit about what they are performing for you and a little background from the scene. It is so interesting and such a different take on the ballet. No fancy costumes or sets, no live orchestra, just the dancers doing what they do best, dancing their hearts and legs off! It is very raw and you really get a sense of how hard they work. You are up close enough to see their sweat and hear them breathing. I think they all look amazing, but you can see the director and choreographers critiquing and taking notes for the actual performance.
Okay, so the rehearsal part takes about 30 minutes to an hour, not too long, not too short. Then you can head on out to the lobby to mingle and socialize all while munching on FREE Pizza and guzzling FREE Beer! LaRosa’s provides the pizza, the Beer is donated by Arnold’s Bar and Grill and Ludlow Wines graciously donates wine. They also have soda and water if you are not drinking. We definitely got our mingle on and had a blast chatting with everyone we met!
After the dancers finish their practice, they head on out to partake of the pizza and beer, which they totally earned! Great time to chat with the dancers and/​or staff of the Ballet. We met the PR lady for the Ballet who went into glorious detail about the basement vault filled with years and years of costumes! She even mentioned possibly opening it up for a tour, pretty please count me in for that!
What a fun way to experience the ballet! Behind the scenes and have I mentioned the FREE pizza and Beer yet? If you are a ballet lover and your dude not so much, try a Ballet and Beer event. A WIN/​WIN for both of you and a perfect combination for Date Night!

What a beautiful ensemble! We saw Mozart’s Requiem with this company and it was worth every penny. (This can be an expensive experience, of course, so keep an eye out for specials!)
I was floored by the performance. Before the performance, I was curious as to whether it’d be more abstract or so story-​driven it’d be dull. I was pleased to find the performance to be right in the middle: accessible enough that all four of us really connected to it, abstract enough that we all took away our own interpretations of various parts of the story.
I found myself ruminating about art in general. For someone as tied to a computer as I am, it was really beautiful to see something so human. My boyfriend commented on a particular part of the opening routine where the dancers were slightly off-​sync– well of course they were. They’re human, not automated. We were watching a dance that would only happen that exact way one time, no matter how much they practiced. That’s what separates art from… well, just about everything else.

I just attended the first event this season for New Works. It is a great idea, and a fun, behind the scenes experience. And who can beat the price? (FREE!!)
One week before the official opening of each new Cincinnati Ballet show, they open up a few spots in their practice studio for guests to watch them rehearse. It’s a great way to preview the coming show, while sitting only a few feet away from the stars.
The seating is assigned, so get your tickets together with the people you want to sit with. Try to get there a little early as well because the parking lot has limited space available.
The main part of the rehearsal is about an hour long, then you can continue watching or file out for free pizza and water, wine, or beer. It’s a very social setting, so this is your time to mingle and start up conversations with the people involved as well as the people attending.
Here’s a rundown on the skinny of the event:
Watch rehearsal in the studio with Cincinnati Ballet Company dancers and choreographers.
Enjoy delicious pizza provided by LaRosa’s. Sip beer provided by Arnold’s Bar & Grill and wine provided by Ludlow Wines.
Meet Cincinnati Ballet dancers and staff. Go behind the scenes. Socialize
Time: Rehearsal begins promptly at 5:15 p. m, Reception begins at 6:15 p.m.
Reservations are required.
«Please note that all seating is assigned and that Cincinnati Ballet reserves the right to redistribute your tickets if you have not checked in by 5:10pm. Handicapped accessible seating is available in limited amounts; should you require handicapped accessible seating, please notify the ticket representative when making your reservations.»
The way the access to this event breaks down is as follows:
Seating is limited.
If you have a subscription package or are a donor to Cincinnati Ballet, you will be given first shot at the available seating. A few days later, reservations will be opened to all those who hold a ticket for the individual performance. For every ticket purchased, you will get 2 reservation spots to Ballet & Beer. If this does not fill the event space to capacity, it will be opened up to the general public at a later date.
These events can easily be booked to capacity quickly, so be sure to keep on top of the reservation deadlines.
If it sells out, don’t fret. You can call the day of to see if there are any early cancellations. Additionally, you can show up and at 5:10, tickets that have not been claimed may be redistributed. Also, if they do fill the seating, they may be so inclined as to allow some people to enter and stand in the aisles.
Arnold’s is also running specials for Ballet & Beer which allows you to bring in your ticket stub in exchange for a buy one, get one free entrée after the show.
When the show officially begins, Arnold’s will offer a special $ 40 price which allows you to get dinner before the show, see the show, and then return to Arnold’s for dessert after. These are limited though, so you want to reserve in advance in possible.
This is a fun way to support the arts, get a feel for what goes into a production, get a sneak peek of the show, and socialize with fellow patrons.