Performances

To close Ballet Arts Ensemble’s (BAE) 40th anniversary season, Artistic Director Cathleen Huling has chosen to reprise her 2010 production of The 12 Dancing Princesses.  The performances will take place at classic Chenery Auditorium on Saturday and Sunday, March 18 and 19, 2023, at 2:00 pm. 

Music for the production of this Grimm’s fairy tale was composed by her father, the late W. Dale Crooks, and features original choreography by Ms. Huling.  Bringing this delightful tale to life will be the 19 members of BAE; a cast of approximately 45 children and adults; and live music by area professional musicians, conducted by Daniel Brier.

Each performance will be followed by a Princess Tea where attendees will have the opportunity to meet Ms. Huling, the dancers, and other performers.  For this event a separate ticket is required.

Tickets go on sale at the Kalamazoo Community Box Office (269.250.6984) on Tuesday, February 14. They may also be purchased online at BAEtickets.org. Ticket prices for the concert range from $15 to $22 with a special $15 rate for groups of 20 or more.  Princess Tea tickets are $10 each. You must have a concert ticket in order to purchase a tea ticket. 

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BAE presents two concerts each season that include full-length ballets (The Magical Toy Shop, The Skaters, Pas de Quatre, Les Sylphides, The 12 Dancing Princesses, Cinderella, Peter and the Wolf, Red Shoes, Aladdin’s Magic Lamp, La Boutique Fantasque, and Café Parisian) and mixed-repertoire performances with professional dancers and choreographers that often feature excerpts from classical ballets (Giselle, Swan Lake, Coppelia, Rodeo, and Paquita).  Every other year, BAE produces a full-length Nutcracker in collaboration with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (KSO) and the Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus, featuring professional dancers in principal roles. 

BAE has performed in numerous community events including Michigan Youth Arts Festival, KSO Family Discovery and Youth Concert Series, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts’ Sunday Funday, Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Concerts, and Festival of Trees.  BAE also works closely with area artists and arts organizations in other collaborative events and reaches out to the community, performing for area schools, hospitals, senior residences, and local organizations.