MBC proudly presents – Live Series
Live dance in a virtual platform making it open to ALL
Mankato Ballet Company is committed to introducing Southern Minnesota and surrounding communities to a variety of dance styles in order to maintain a connection between the community and the art of dance.
Through a generous grant sponsored by the Minnesota State Arts Board we are thrilled to open our LIVE SERIES.
Over the course of the next few months, MBC will feature different styles of dance set by local choreographers.
We are excited to share what Minnesota has to offer the arts world and encourage everyone to tune in live to our Live Series.
Live Series Calendar of Events
April’s event will be an excerpt from Beauty featuring Ballet and Tap with dancers ranging in age from 9 to 18. Works were choreographed by Eryn Michlitsch and Kelsey Chester.
Beauty – featuring Tap and Ballet
April 23, 2022 at 11:30am – CONCLUDED
CLICK HERE to view the recording
July’s event will be an original Modern work featuring Mankato Ballet Performing Company dancers choreographed by Carla Bode.
Carla Bode has her degrees in Dance Education (K-12) and Communication Arts and Literature Education. Carla also has a master’s in Holistic Health Studies and is a yoga teacher (RYT 200). For the past 20 years she has enjoyed teaching dance at various public, private, and non-profit schools in and around the Twin Cities area and in greater Minnesota.
A Dance With Counts and A Dance Without – original Modern work by Carla Bode and local musician Kari Anna Tweiten
Thursday, July 14th at 6:30pm – CONCLUDED
CLICK HERE to view the recording
August’s event will be an original work featuring Mankato Ballet Performing Company dancers and choreographed by Benjamin Johnson.
Benjamin Johnson is trained in Texas by Tanju and Patricia Tuzer, Mr. Johnson danced professionally with James Sewell Ballet in Minneapolis, Milwaukee Ballet, BalletMet Columbus, Dayton Ballet, Ohio Ballet and Tampa’s Bay Ballet Theater, as well as with opera companies in Ohio and Illinois. He has taught ballet for over two decades, and taught sessions with Mankato Ballet School since 2010. He is a Minnesota choreographer, juggling teacher, and Massage Therapist.
French Suite #1 – Classical Ballet work by Benjamin Johnson
Thursday, August 18th at 6:30pm – CONCLUDED
CLICK HERE to view the recording
September’s event will be an original contemporary work, Dedication, featuring Mankato Ballet Performing Company dancers staged by Eryn Michlitsch and choreographed by Kay Englert.
Kay Englert choreographed for numerous companies in Washington State and the Tacoma Opera. She was a juror for the Artist Trust’s GAP awards and was instrumental in bringing local, national and international professional dance companies to the community. Ever dedicated to excellence in dance, Kay remained a choreographer, teacher and director until her passing. Her works found favor with the Minnesota community when they were staged by her former student and now Minnesota resident, Eryn Michlitsch.
Dedication – original Contemporary work by Kay Englert
Thursday, September 22nd at 7:45pm – CONCLUDED
CLICK HERE to view the recording
October’s event will be an original Musical Theater Jazz work featuring Mankato Ballet Company Jazz 5 dancers choreographed by Kelsey Chester.
Kelsey Chester has been an instructor for Mankato Ballet Company for over a decade and has a strong background in tap and jazz. She has been a local choreographer for Mankato Playhouse and Merely Players, setting her choreography to various productions such as Grease and Little Shop of Horrors.
Little Shop of Horrors– featuring Musical Theater Jazz by Kelsey Chester
Saturday, October 29th at 10:30am – CONCLUDED
November’s event will be a sampling of works forming a short Nutcracker Suite featuring Mankato Ballet Performing Company dancers staged, rehearsed and choreographed by Riley Thomas Weber.
Riley Thomas Weber, danced as a soloist with Ballet Minnesota, Cities Classical Dance Ensemble, Saint Paul City Ballet, Continental Ballet and Collide Theatrical Dance Company. His classical repertoire included Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote, Esmeralda, and Raymonda. He holds his degrees in Dance and Music from The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Riley is an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.
The Nutcracker – featuring Classical Ballet by Riley Thomas Weber
Saturday, November 5th at 5:30pm – CONCLUDED
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.