Westside Ballet Celebrates Return To Broad Stage In 'New Horizons'

SANTA MONICA, CA — After two difficult years for the arts, the Westside Ballet of Santa Monica will present "New Horizons," a neoclassical and contemporary piece featuring guest performances from Broadway ballerina Lyrica Woodruff and guest artist Maté Szentes. The Mother's Day weekend performances will be the company's first return to the Broad Stage since 2019.

For Woodruff, who grew up on the Westside and studied at Westside Ballet of Santa Monica, it's the perfect homecoming.

"It’s such a gift to be able to come back to Santa Monica and perform on my home stage," Woodruff told Patch. "The pandemic was hard on everyone, but especially for us performing artists. Being able to have my first performance back on a stage in my hometown with my home studio is surreal and extra special."

Woodruff and Hungarian-born Szentes will perform Balanchine’s signature "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux" together. The 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 arts were hit extremely hard by the pandemic," Woodruff told Patch. "We took class in our kitchens and living rooms. We weren’t able to share the gift of storytelling with others in the way we love to."

"The beauty of art is the ability for people to come together and experience something so magical and intimate for a fleeting moment of time," she said. "And that one experience can shape and inspire people for years to come. Art bonds us. One performance can have a lifetime of impact. Nothing can ever replace the thrill of live theatre, and there’s no better place to start than with your direct community."

The company successfully weathered the pandemic by launching a Crisis Relief Campaign, “1500 Angels,” which raised $214,000 to help the organization survive.

Now, the group is pushing forward with its spring performances, which will feature varied work ranging from the most classic choreographers and composers to an original contemporary piece with a commissioned score.

“Great traditions never fade, but as ballet audiences evolve, so too must the artform coveted worldwide for hundreds of years,” said Martine Harley, Westside Ballet of Santa Monica’s artistic director since 2013.

The biannual Westside Ballet productions are made possible in part by grants from Los Angeles County, the city of Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club — and sponsorships from local Santa Monica individuals, businesses and organizations such as Santa Monica College Public Policy Institute, The Huntley Hotel, Lyft Scooters, Urth Caffe, Morley Builders and others.

Show times are as follows:

• May 7 at 6 p.m.: “A Petite Soirée” reception and awards, followed by the 7:30 p.m. “New Horizons” with special performances at The Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica.
• May 8 at 2 p.m.: “New Horizons” Spring Performance. Both at The Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica.

Sunday tickets are $45. “A Petite Soirée” Saturday reception and special performance are $75. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone (additional fees apply) at 800-595-4849 (4TIX).

Several safety measures will be in place during the performance and are subject to change, organizers told Patch. All audience members will be required to show proof of vaccination, or, if not vaccinated, proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before the performance. All audience members, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear masks at all times inside the theater.

The Westside Ballet of Santa Monica is one of the country's premier pre-professional ballet training companies. The nonprofit organization’s mission is to give promising young dancers the performance opportunities crucial to their development and make dance more accessible to local children and families.

Westside Ballet of Santa Monica was created by Yvonne Mounsey (New York City Ballet) and Rosemary Valaire (Royal Ballet) in 1973. Westside alumna Harley (Houston Ballet) took over as artistic director in 2013. The company is based in Santa Monica and comprises about 70 dancers, ages 8 to 18.

Visit the website for more information.