At the company’s April 24 performance of Othello (which runs through April 26), it was announced that North Carolina Dance Theatre will become Charlotte Ballet, effective April 27.
In a formal press release, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, president and artistic director, says “We are not changing who we are or what we do. Rather, by changing our name, we are developing a stronger brand identity to reflect our mission and elevate our core values. Our leadership is committed to offering the same variety of exciting performances and programs to engage and educate our community.
“We are proud to finally take our rightful place as Charlotte Ballet.
“This transformation is not about changing what we do – it’s about defining it. Our dancers are known for their ability to perform classical ballets as well as innovative, contemporary works. No matter how far we push the perceptions of ballet and infuse other dance styles, our performances have always been and will continue to be, rooted in the tradition of ballet.”
As the company puts it, other “pointes of interest” include a name change for the North Carolina Dance Theatre School of Dance, which becomes the Charlotte Ballet Academy.
***
Next season’s lineup includes:
DANGEROUS LIAISONS – Opening with George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments: October 9-11, 2014 | Knight Theater
NUTCRACKER – December 12-23, 2014 | Belk Theater
INNOVATIVE WORKS – January 30-February 21, 2015 | Patricia McBride & Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Center for Dance
PETER PAN – March 12-22, 2015 | Knight Theater
CONTEMPORARY FUSION – April 23-25, 2015 | Knight Theater
We’ll list all these events in our calendar in due course. Meanwhile, the old website still works; the new online presence becomes http://charlotteballet.org/ as of April 27.
