This is the IT thing for the weekend . . . Partying with Ballet Memphis: Live music, DJ, drinks, catered food from Another Roadside Attraction — maybe brush elbows with a few movers and shakers — it will be great.

You may be asking yourself, ‘Why the enthusiasm?’

This is NOT your grandmother’s ballet experience.  It is a unique entertainment opportunity fused by Ballet Memphis  for our enjoyment.  We’ll be hanging out with the musical group String Theory, the DJ duo The Defective Agency, seeing the results of a video dance contest, sampling the upcoming season of the Ballet.  Maybe, we’ll brush elbows with the distinguished panel of contest reviewers including Pat Mitchell Worley from the Memphis Music Foundation, Erik Jambour with Indie Memphis, and Ekundayo Bandele with Hattiloo Theatre (unfortunately filmmaker Craig Brewer is out of town in LA).

So what else do you need to know?

Join Anna Ivey, the company of dancers, and yours truly as we host FUSE with Ballet Memphis: a kick-off celebration & dance party.  It will be held Saturday, September 12 at 7pm at Ballet Memphis Studios — a party like none other.  There will be sneak peeks by the professional company of the new work being premiered this season, an interactive room with video screens showing the dance contest semifinalists, a “club” area for you to dance, appetizers, cold beverages and more. Plus, we’ll unveil the finalists in our FUSE dance/video contest and announce the teams of dancers and choreographers from Ballet Memphis that will go on to work with the finalists to create something special for the special opening of new our Midtown home at Playhouse on the Square.

The Defective Agency

Details

Tickets: Adults get in for $20, college IDs get you $10 at the door, and anyone 18 and under is just $5. Come FUSE with us!

Date: 12 September 2009

Time: 7pm

Where: Ballet Memphis Studios, 7950 Trinity Road, Memphis, TN, 38018

Arts & Culture