Conejo Civic Ballet Company
The Conejo Civic Ballet Company (CCBC) is the dance production company connected with Ballet Arts. Many of the faculty that teach at Ballet Arts also coach, choreograph, stage and sometimes perform in the dance programs produced by CCBC. Two to three programs are performed each year complete with sets, backdrops, costumes, sound engineers, lighting crew and stage hands. Through the years CCBC has staged many dance productions including Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Paquita, and Coppelia.
Snow White with the score composed by Bogdan Pawlowski is a full length ballet that is entertaining for children and a delight to adults - truly family entertainment. It has been performed in Eastern Europe for half a century but was unknown in the United States until the U.S. premiere performance by Conejo Civic Ballet Company on Jan. 29 and 30, 2000. CCBC has performed this work on numerous occasions, to enthusiastic audiences at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.
In 2001 CCBC staged a full production of La Fille Mal Gardee. This ballet, scored by Herold and Lanchbery, is not frequently performed, but with its comic story line, simple melodic tunes and abundant character roles it offers an entertaining experience for audience and dancers alike.
Recently, CCBC has presented full productions of Tchaikovsky's masterpieces, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. The Nutcracker has become a staple of the Christmas season and CCBC's production always brings a fresh perspective to this timeless classic with different choreographers (John Ling first choreographed the ballet for us, then it was modified by Helena Pokorny and revisited recently by Brett Weidlich). Because most of the dancers that comprised CCBC are students of Ballet Arts, the talent selection is constantly changing as new students join, advanced students leave for college or careers, and continuing students increase in age and ability. It is a credit to our choreographers that we have been able to juggle the separate requirements of challenging our student dancers, entertaining and inspiring our audiences, and keeping all this activity within a supportable budget.
Swan Lake was a ballet that CCBC undertook with a little trepidation since the usual requirements to successful present this ballet are a large number of advanced level dancers who can all stay tightly synchronized with each other. It was a relief to find a large core of our dancers rising to meet that expectation.
Sleeping Beauty was recently presented in the 2007 season and was a huge success. This ballet is filled with character roles and provide a opportunity for many of our dancers to perform not only technically challenging ballet but also to develop the artistry that character dancing demands.
We look forward to many more seasons of ballet performances and hope that you will join us at the theater for a special evening or matinee of dance entertainment and inspiration.
Robin Twarowski, Executive Director