A dress rehearsal for Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet’s annual spring performance took place at Reed Intermediate School on Thursday, June 20, before the curtains opened on the show that weekend. The Malenkee Ballet Repertoire Company danced to both contemporary and classical sounds from artists including Christina Perri, Tchaikovsky, Adele, and Bruno Mars.

The spring show also included an adaptation of Peter and the Wolf, a performance that was “a long time coming,” said the ballet centre’s Artistic Director Jennifer Johnston, who officially handed the directorship of the school to Tory Gozzi the following day (see related story). She wrote in the playbill: “I have performed in Peter and the Wolf many times with many fond memories. I have always wanted to stage and choreograph this wonderful ballet.” She did choreograph the play based on the Royal Ballet School staging. She felt this would be “perfect” for her last show, she said.

Ms Johnston thanked all involved for their dedication to this year’s performance. She wrote: “The artistic beauty of the ballet gives students the opportunity to achieve, create, and express after studying all year long.”

Ms Gozzi also wrote to students in the playbill, saying in part: “Congratulations on a beautiful performance … I feel privileged to get to work with such a talented group of young artists.”