Avant Chamber Ballet (ACB) is set to broaden its reach to young audiences with the introduction of a new series of family-friendly productions for its 2025-2026 season. The Dallas-based ballet company, now in its 13th season, will feature two distinct subscription series: The Classic Series and The Family Series, both hosted at the Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District.
Recognizing the importance of engaging children with the performing arts, ACB’s Artistic Director Katie Puder shared, “It’s really important to take children to see the performing arts for their imagination and creativity. But it’s not easy to afford for a whole family to go. We wanted to do this series so taking your family to the theater is about the same cost as going to the movies.”
The expansion of programming is a significant challenge for the ballet company, signaling a pivotal transition in its operational capacity. Puder noted, “It’s close to producing twice the shows this season! It’s a huge step up for us, but we are growing a lot this year behind the scenes, with new artistic staff and moving into a new studio that will let us have multiple rehearsals happening at the same time.”
The season will kick off in December with Nutcracker: Short & Suite, a 45-minute sensory-friendly adaptation of the classic holiday ballet. This production will be staged on Dec. 7, coinciding with ACB’s traditional Nutcracker on Dec. 5-7, which features live orchestral music conducted by Brad Cawyer, alongside a talented cast of ACB dancers and local children.
The success of last season’s Nutcracker: Short & Suite prompted the company to continue offering similar productions. Puder stated, “We got so much good feedback from families asking if we were doing this during the rest of the year. It was a direct response to demand from our audience and community.”
Valentine’s Day will highlight a unique production, Rhythm & Romance, as part of the Classic Series on Feb. 13-14. This artistic evening will showcase diverse works, including George Balanchine’s Valse Fantaisie, Paul Mejia’s Cafe Victoria, and Puder’s original piece, Sisterhood, featuring music by Dallas-native composer Quinn Mason.
On Feb. 14, the Family Series will present Peter and the Wolf with a chamber orchestra. This imaginative retelling of the classic fable uses musical instruments to portray characters, making it an engaging experience for children. Paul Mejia’s choreography, paired with bilingual narration, aims to enhance the storytelling experience.
As the season progresses, ACB will collaborate with Orchestra of New Spain for Pulchinella: Reimagined on March 27-28. This represents ACB’s first substantial collaboration with the orchestra and promises to deliver a vibrant presentation of two contrasting pieces: Stravinsky’s comedic
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