Two weekends of free, live performances and fitness classes in Argenta Plaza
NORTH LITTLE ROCK (March 30, 2021) – Ballet Arkansas and the North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced their partnership in the launch of Ballet Arkansas Presents Live at the Plaza, a two-weekend educational and performance program in May 2021 at Argenta Plaza at 510 Main Street in North Little Rock.
“Reaching diverse populations composed of both devoted and untapped audiences, Live at the Plaza has the potential to inspire a collective appreciation for the performing arts and for the Argenta Arts District,” said Michael Fothergill, Ballet Arkansas’s Executive and Artistic Director. “Live at the Plaza is the first step towards an annual presence of Ballet Arkansas programming in the Argenta Plaza.”
Held the first and third weekends of May 2021, Ballet Arkansas Presents Live at the Plaza is sponsored by the North Little Rock CVB, the City of North Little Rock, First Orion, ACANSA Arts Festival of the South, Taggart Architects, Fit 2 Live and the Argenta Downtown Council.
“The arts are crucial to quality of life in North Little Rock,” said Karen Trevino, President & CEO of the North Little Rock CVB. “We are excited to partner with Ballet Arkansas and North Little Rock government, businesses and nonprofit organizations to bring Argenta Plaza to life this year. We hope the program will bring the local community together as well as attract visitors by highlighting North Little Rock’s thriving arts and culture.”
Ballet Arkansas Presents Live at the Plaza live performances will include works of classical and contemporary dance by world-renowned choreographers including Yoshito Sakuraba, Alice Flock and Florian Lochner, and make use of the stage, water features and open space in Argenta Plaza. Recreational classes, sponsored by ACANSA Arts Festival of the South, will be accessible for all ages and abilities. For more information, visit www.BalletArkansas.org.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 1
- 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Pilates at the Plaza
- 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. | Stretch & Strengthen
- 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. | Jazz at the Plaza
- 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Ballet on the Grounds
- 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. | Matinee Performance
- 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Evening Performance
Sunday, May 2
- 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Rise & Shine Silver
- 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. | Art Start
- 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. | Stretch & Strengthen
- 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Unbound: Improvisational motion for well-being
- 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. | Matinee Performance
- 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Evening Performance
Friday, May 21
- 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Performance
Saturday, May 22
- 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Pilates at the Plaza
- 9 a.m. -10 a.m. | Stretch & Strengthen
- 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. | Art Start
- 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Ballet on the Grounds
- 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. | Matinee Performance
- 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. | Evening Performance
Sunday, May 23
- 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Rise & Shine Silver
- 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. | Stretch & Strengthen
- 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. | Jazz in the Plaza
- 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Unbound: Improvisational motion for well-being
- 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. | Matinee Performance
Arkansas Department of Health guidelines will be enforced for a safe learning and viewing experience. Attendees will be asked to practice social-distancing and wear masks when closer than six feet. Dancers will be masked and will maintain appropriate distance from audience members.
“Before and after classes and performances, Live at the Plaza attendees are encouraged to dine local at one of North Little Rock’s excellent restaurants, several of which are within easy walking distance of Argenta Plaza,” Trevino said. “Main Street in downtown North Little Rock will also be closed for outdoor dining the weekend of May 21, so there will be even more opportunities for families and groups to enjoy dining together.”
In early 2021, Fothergill approached the North Little Rock CVB with a desire to activate the plaza in new ways through the presentation of free public performances and education programs. Ballet Arkansas and the North Little Rock CVB planned Live at the Plaza to provide the public with access to culturally-enriching and engaging activities and events.
Completed in late 2019, Argenta Plaza is a community space owned by the City of North Little Rock and managed by the North Little Rock CVB that has been the catalyst for more than $50 million in economic development in downtown North Little Rock. Argenta Plaza is open to the public but can also be booked for private events through the North Little Rock CVB.
About the North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau
The North Little Rock CVB is the destination marketing organization for North Little Rock, Arkansas. It promotes North Little Rock as a positive tourism and hospitality experience thus enhancing economic growth and quality of life for its citizens and visitors. For more information about where to stay, where to eat and what to do in North Little Rock, visit NorthLittleRock.org.
About Ballet Arkansas
Consisting of 15 professional dancers, Ballet Arkansas is the foremost professional ballet company of the State of Arkansas and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Over the last 42 years, Ballet Arkansas’ world class education programs and performances have touched the lives of more than 300,000 Arkansans, nearly 25,000 per year. Today, Ballet Arkansas presents the most celebrated works in American dance, including a vibrant and diverse repertory of classical, neoclassical, and contemporary works by world renowned choreographers. Ballet Arkansas’s mission is to provide world class diverse innovative dance programming and education programs to Arkansas and beyond. For more information, visit BalletArkansas.org.
