‘Ballet Under the Stars’ is back for the summer in CT

Connecticut Ballet is bringing its “Ballet Under the Stars” program back where it belongs: Outdoors on moonlit (and starlit) summer nights.

Artistic director Brett Raphael describes this year’s edition as a well-rounded dance program with a “tutu ballet,” modern dances to a rock song, world music and Broadway-style show tunes as well as an Argentinian tango.

The program has an air of summer romance. Four of the six dances are duets and were part of Connecticut Ballet’s indoor “Be My Valentine” concert in February. Those pieces include “New York City Serenade” (choreographed by Raphael based on the Bruce Springsteen song and created in the ‘80s with the rocker’s blessing), “Full Moon” (choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett and scored to music by Paul Winter Consort), “Babar Layar” (choreographed by Marc Spielberger, with music by Colin McPhee) and an Astor Piazolla tango, “Hora Tango” (choreographed by Dardo Galletto).

Also on the program: a Paganini Pas de Trois to a recording by violinist Itzhak Perlman and guitarist John Williams and a full company dance to a medley of songs from musicals that were originally directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. Raphael, who created the piece, said the medley is heavy on songs from “Sweet Charity.”

Fourteen Connecticut Ballet dancers are involved in the performance. The company is “more chamber-sized for summers,” Raphael said. The dancers in the four “Be My Valentine” pieces are the same ones who performed at The Bushnell in February.

For some years, “Ballet Under the Stars” has been held in more than one Hartford area location, but this year there is just the one in Elizabeth Park on the Hartford/West Hartford border, The performance on July 22 at 6:30 p.m. is offered as a special to the late West Hartford residents and arts patrons Marjorie and Michael Wilder.

There are, however, numerous other “Ballet Under the Stars” performances throughout the state. The other Connecticut Ballet locations include:

Sunday: Wadsworth Mansion, 421 Wadsworth St. in Middletown at 7 p.m.

Tuesday: Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts, 40 Jesup Road in Westport at 7:30 p.m.

July 26: “Alive at Five” stage at Mill River Park, 1010 Washington Blvd. in Stamford at 7 p.m. This show also features performances by the Slowianie Polish folk dance group and the Kalynon’ka Ukrainian Dance ensemble.

The July 22 Elizabeth Park concert is the only one with a rain date.

Raphael, who founded Connecticut Ballet in 1981, recalls doing early “Ballet Under the Stars” shows “in the back of a truck in Stamford. “Now there’s the Five Alive stage, and someday we will have our own theater there,” he said.

Raphael added that the choice to do only one show in the Hartford area this summer is because “there was not much need after COVID when people needed more places to gather. We did that for three years. It seems duplicative now. We may do it again, but for now, we’re taking a break.”

Raphael emphasizes that the “Ballet Under the Stars” concert is a family-friendly introduction to the art of ballet. Audiences can meet and talk with the performers following each performance.

All the performances are free. Donations are accepted, and reservations are not required. For more information, go to connecticutballet.org.