Ogden, Utah, January 16, 2012: Imagine Ballet Theatre (IBT), an Ogden-based ballet company, will hold company auditions on January 28, 2012 at their studios on 2432 Washington Blvd., Suites C & D, in Ogden. Dancers will have the opportunity to audition for the upcoming 2012 performing season as well as the 2012 Summer Dance Intensive program.

Imagine Ballet Theatre’s 2012 performing season will include several performing opportunities for company members, who must be age nine or older. This spring, IBT will revisit their exciting production of Alice: Adventures in Wonderland with choreography by IBT Artistic Director Raymond Van Mason, a former Principal Dancer with Ballet West and international choreographer, and score by Joseph Horovitz. The company will continue its season with a new ballet Called “The Fairy Doll” , with music by Josef Bayer, originally this ballet debuted in 1888 in Russia. This ballet will be staged for the IBT Studio’s as a piece for young audiences. Then onto December with performances of its acclaimed The Nutcracker, also with choreography by Van Mason. Other performances may be added to the company’s season as opportunities are presented. The company is widely recognized in the region as providing quality and professional-level performances. IBT received a Utah Best of State Award in 2005, and Mason received a 2006 Utah Best of State Award for Best Choreographer as well as the Ogden Mayor‘s Award for the Arts. Dancers within the company have received recognition and summer scholarships from prestigious ballet companies and organizations such as: The Youth American Grand Prix, American Ballet Theater (NYC), Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet (Seattle), The Rock for Dance Education (PA), The Joffrey Ballet School (NY), Ballet West (UT), and others.

Imagine Ballet Theatre’s Summer Dance Intensive is also gaining recognition. Dancers who are accepted into the program will have the opportunity to receive training from professional and former professional dancers from national companies such as Miami City Ballet, Ballet West, and Repertory Dance Theater, as well as a former star of Broadway who will teach jazz in the Fosse style. The summer program will offer training in ballet technique, pointe, partnering, modern dance, character development, jazz, choreography and more. Ages for the program are six and up, with an audition required for dancers ages eight and up. The program concludes with a performance at the Peery’s Egyptian Theater.

When:                          Saturday, January 28, 2012

Ages 9-11, registration 9:30-10:00 am; audition 10:00-12:00 pm

Ages 12 and up, registration 11:30-12:00 pm; audition 12:00-2:00 pm

Note: IBT Company members are ages 9 and up; Summer Program 8 and up

Where:                        Imagine Ballet Theatre, 2432 Washington Blvd, Suites C & D, Ogden

Dress:                          Young Women: Black leotard, pink tights, ballet shoes, if dancer is en pointe bring pointe shoes, hair in a bun

Men:  White shirt, black tights, ballet shoes

Registration Fee:         $25.00, non-refundable

Other:                          Dancers must bring a dance resume and photo

For more information about Imagine Ballet Theatre and its upcoming performances and other dance opportunities, please visit www.imagineballet.org.

About Imagine Ballet Theatre

Imagine Ballet Theatre (IBT) is in residence at Peery’s Egyptian Theater in Ogden, Utah. Raymond Van Mason, Artistic Director, created the company in 2004, to offer the company of dancers an opportunity to work with professional artists and foster professional performing experiences. IBT encourages involvement in the arts through The School of Imagine Ballet Theatre and the performing company. Imagine Ballet Theatre has gained national and state recognition by receiving the 2005 Utah Best of State Award for Best Children’s Performing Group, as well as invitations in 2004 & 2006, to perform at “Dance Under The Stars Choreography Festival” at the McCallum Theater in Palm Desert, CA. They returned from the 2006 competition with the Judy G. Mayer Award for Small Groups. In 2005, the company received a certificate of recognition from the Ogden City Council for their contribution to Ogden’s art community. Dancers within the company have received recognition and summer scholarships from prestigious ballet companies such as: American Ballet Theater (NYC), Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet (Seattle), The Rock for Dance Education (PA), The Joffrey Ballet School (NY), and others.

About Van Mason

As well as being the Artistic Director and Founder of Imagine Ballet Theatre, Van Mason is an independent choreographer, guest artist and master ballet teacher. Ballet West, Ballet Pacifica, Ballet GranDiva, numerous regional ballet companies and universities have performed his choreographic works. His works have been performed in New York City at Ballet Builders’ New Choreographers on Pointe and filmed by the Lloyd Rigler Foundation for the Classic Arts Showcase. In 2006, he received a Utah Best of State Award for Choreography and the Ogden City Mayor’s Award for the Arts in Dance. While with Ballet West, as a principal artist, he danced many of the leading roles in such ballets as: Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Giselle, to name a few. He has performed as a guest artist with The Stars of the San Francisco Ballet in Marsielle, France. Mason holds a BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah.