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Submitted by Ballet Northwest

It is an Olympia tradition – for years Ballet Northwest has staged a ballet performance over Mother’s Day weekend. This year Ballet Northwest continues the tradition and is pleased to present the classic romantic comedy ballet “Don Quixote” at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts on Friday May 12 through Sunday, May 14.

First presented by the Ballet of the Imperial Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow, Russia in 1869, Don Quixote is now a famous classical ballet performed all over the world, but mainly in larger cities. The story follows legendary hero, Don Quixote and his squire, Sancho Panza as they journey to find Don Quixote’s love – Dulcinea. Premiered by Ballet Northwest in 2015, this Spanish-themed ballet is fun for the whole family, featuring toreadors, mysterious Gitanos, and the young couple in love, Kitri and Basilio. This comic-filled ballet includes beautiful sets and costumes, and one of the most famous duets in the world, the Act III wedding pas de deux.

“It is very exciting that we are able to offer this performance in Olympia. It is so different from the other ballets that we stage. I love the Spanish flair, the use of fans, capes and tambourines. For our Gitanos dance, we are having a renowned Flamenco teacher, Marisela Fleites-Lear, come in and stage the dances. There is also a lot of comedy in “Don Quixote,” which makes it fun for audiences of all ages,” said Ballet Northwest’s co-artistic director, Josie Johnson.   

There are 75 dancers from Thurston, Lewis, Mason, and Pierce counties performing in the ballet. The lead male dancing role of Basilio will be danced by guest artist James Kirby Rogers, a Principal Dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. Rogers is originally from San Francisco, trained at the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts, and was a finalist at the Youth America Grand Prix in 2014. Before joining Pacific Northwest Ballet, he danced with Houston Ballet II and Kansas City Ballet. The female lead, Kitri, will be danced by Ballet Northwest company dancer Nina Ivanenko of Lacey, who trains at Johansen Olympia Dance Center and previously trained at Oregon Ballet Theatre. Jim Eychaner, a frequent Ballet Northwest character artist, will perform the role of Don Quixote, an errant knight.

Ballet Northwest presents “Don Quixote” with the support of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Capital Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, Nisqually Indian Tribe, Dr. Andrew J. Kapust, Olympia Federal Savings, The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound, ArtsWA, Olympic Dermatology, Kell-Chuck Glass and Timberland Bank.

Don Quixote will be performed at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Olympia May 12 through 14, Mother’s Day Weekend 2023. Curtain time is 7:30pm on Friday, 5pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. Tickets range from $14 to $35, with discounts available to students, seniors, and youth. Student Rush tickets are available one hour before curtain. Tickets are available through the Washington Center Box Office at 512 Washington Street SE in Olympia or by calling 360.753.8566. Visit the Ballet Northwest website for more information or buy tickets online at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts website.

WHO: BalletNorthwest

WHAT: “Don Quixote”

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. on May 12, 5 p.m. on May 13, and 2 p.m. on May 14.

WHERE: The Washington Center for the Performing Arts

 512 Washington Street SE Olympia, WA 98501

HOW: Ticket Office – 360.753.8566 or order online at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts website.

PRICES: Tickets are $15 to $36, plus $4.00 service fee per ticket. Student, senior, and youth discounts available. Student Rush tickets go on sale one hour before curtain.

Biographies

Josie Johnson, Co-Artistic Director

Josie and her husband Ken are the Directors of Johansen Olympia Dance Center. She trained at Orange County Ballet Theatre, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, where she received a B.F.A. in Dance Pedagogy. Josie danced professionally with Dance Connecticut/Hartford Ballet, Connecticut Opera, Roxey Ballet, and ARC Dance Productions. Guest credits include Eliot Feld’s Mr. XYZ with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Kirk Peterson’s The Nutcracker with the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company. Josie has taught and choreographed extensively throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington.

Ken Johnson, Co-Artistic Director

Ken and his wife Josie are the Directors of Johansen Olympia Dance Center. He trained at Johansen School of Ballet, Evergreen City Ballet, and the School of Hartford Ballet. He attended summer programs at American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet on scholarship. Ken danced professionally with Hartford Ballet, Dance Connecticut, and Connecticut Opera, as well as at the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Ken received a bachelor’s from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford.  Ken has worked at American Repertory Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Dance Connecticut, ACT Theatre, and Tacoma Art Museum.

Since 1970, Ballet Northwest has been a community-based group dedicated to promoting, teaching, and preserving the art of dance in Southwestern Washington. The company offers educational opportunities for local dancers as well as outreach throughout the community.

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