Local Marina del Rey and Playa Dancers to dance on the Broad Stage

Three local ballet students will be featured in Westside Ballet’s annual Spring Performance at The Broad Stage and Santa Monica Performing Arts Center this Mother’s Day Weekend.

In their first Spring Performance since June 2019, Westside Ballet of Santa Monica reaches beyond its traditional realm to explore “New Horizons'' Mother's Day Weekend. On Saturday eve, May 7th, the company celebrates a springtide return to the Broad Stage with A Petite Soirée, a special event featuring cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and acclaimed guest artists Maté Szentes and alumna Lyrica Woodruff in Balanchine’s signature Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux—plus surprise appearances from celebrated alumni—having recently fled from Russia—Joy Womack and Adrian Blake Mitchell (accompanied by his Slovakian partner, Andrea Laššáková).

Mitchell is currently sharing a flat in Playa Vista with his mother. He and Laššáková were recently featured in the Associated Press and ABC7.

On Sunday, May 8, the festivities continue with a champagne reception for Mother's Day and an encore of the "New Horizons'' Spring Performance (sans the guest artist performances, exclusive to the Soirée special event).

The pre-professional performance company's weekend events pay tribute to the life-renewing qualities of spring with a demonstration of how the ballet world is resiliently re-emerging: experiencing artistic growth and renewed energy—creatively blossoming with new visions, ideas, and experiences. The company successfully weathered the pandemic and begins their season to thrive with reimagined repertoires. Westside Ballet’s “New Horizons'' presentation will delight Los Angeles audiences with wonderfully varied works—from the most classic choreographers and composers to an original neoclassical contemporary piece with a commissioned score.

Crystin Herring started to seriously train in ballet at the height of the pandemic. Classes were taught over Zoom. so she lacked the traditional environment when learning ballet: barre routines with the rest of her class, and better demonstrated, individualized critiques from her teachers. Now back in the studio, Crystin is ready for her first Spring Performance with Westside Ballet.

A freshman this year at Harvard-Westlake School, Crystin is used to getting on stage and performing for an audience. Growing up she has participated in various productions such as Grease, Annie, Hairspray, and Violet. With her training at Westside Ballet, she has been able to transfer over the technical skills she is learning, and apply them to her performances at school.

Crystin’s study of ballet has brought her more than just the hard skills though. She stresses the importance of balance it has brought her.

“Overall, ballet has brought me a sense of structure, patience, and is the first time in a while I have felt driven by something,” Crystin said.

Crystin will make her debut at Westside Ballet’s Spring Performance in the piece ‘Masquerade’ and ‘The Rich Man’s Frug’ from Sweet Charity.

Nadia Hofer, a student at Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences, is no stranger to the world dance. Dabbling in ballet, tap and jazz, Nadia finds joy in expression of dance.

In the past she has been featured in the Nutcracker as the esteemed role of Clara, and other supporting roles like a Party Girl, Peppermint and Russian Dancer.

This year in the Spring Performance, Nadia will be performing in ‘Le Jardin Animé’, ‘Masquerade’, and ‘The Rich Man’s Frug’ from Sweet Charity.

Luna Alatorre has been dancing with Westside Ballet since she was five years old. A fifth grade student at Edison Language Academy, Luna loves to study art, music and science.

She will be performing in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in the Spring Performance.

Westside Ballet’s “New Horizons” Spring Performance will take place on May 7th and 8th, 2022. They will perform on The Broad Stage at Santa Monica College’s Performing Arts Center—alongside professional ballet dancers and alumni Lyrica Woodruff, Joy Womack, Adrian Blake Michell, Andrea Laššákova, and Maté Szentes for the event, “A Petite Soirée” on May 7, 2022 with 6pm Reception and 7:30pm show. The Sunday event is a 2pm matinee. Tickets $45 or $75 - and are available online at westsideballet.com/SpringTix.

Back by popular demand, Westside Alumnus Adrian Blake Mitchell and his partner, Slovakian Andrea Laššáková, are now performing on Sunday. Samuel Barber’s mournful, yet serene, Adagio for Strings comes to life in a stirring pas de deux by Oleg Vinogradov performed by guest artists Mr. Mitchell and Ms. Laššáková. With a starry backdrop, the dancers illustrate the music through exquisite intertwining movements. (The two are also performing this piece and others, the night before for Westside Ballet’s ‘A Petite Soirée.)