Ballet & Barre-BQ serves family fun
The Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet & Barre-BQ promises an afternoon of music, food and fun for the entire family this Sunday from 4-6 p.m. at the Town of Livingston on the Square. The fundraising event will feature catering by The Pig & Pint, music by The Red Hots, games for the young and young at heart, and the guild’s fall raffle drawing. To cap the day, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet senior company members will perform an excerpt from their new ballet.
“Bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets and enjoy a beautiful fall day with our ballet family,” said Christine Bridges, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet guild president. “Whether you are young parents looking for a ballet home for your tiny dancer, friends of a current dancer, a busy family seeking an afternoon of relaxation, or someone interested in supporting performing arts in our community, this event is for you.”
Tickets for the event are $20 and include admission and a boxed barbecue plate featuring The Pig & Pint award-winning barbecue. Raffle tickets are sold separately for $10 each. Both are available at www.msmetroballet.com.
The Pig & Pint menu features mouth-watering pulled pork or pulled smoked chicken, potato salad, southern baked beans, Texas toast and iced tea. Dessert offerings include bananas foster banana pudding and white chocolate and cranberry bread pudding. If you prefer beer with your barbecue, The Pig & Pint craft beer trailer will be on hand with beverages for additional purchase.
Music for the afternoon will be provided by The Red Hots, a laid back folk and rock group from Jackson.
“We played the inaugural Ballet & Barre-BQ in 2019,” said band member Will Skelton. “It’s a perfect event for us as we generally sound best when accompanying a smokin' plate of barbecue!”
Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet senior company members will present an excerpt from “Awake My Soul” featuring live music by The Red Hots. “The contemporary ballet piece by award-winning choreographer Leaia Alsup showcases the artistry, strength and versatility of our company dancers,” said artistic director Jennifer Beasley. “The excerpt will be a sneak peak for our Regional Dance America/Southeast Festival 2022 adjudication, which part of our 2021-2022 season.”
Funds raised from the event will be used to support the season including Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” on December 4 and 5 and a new production of “The Wizard of Oz” in spring 2022. Both will be presented at Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center. Tickets for “The Nutcracker” will be available at www.msmetroballet.com beginning October 1.
“Partnerships with The Pig & Pint and the Chapel at Livingston make this event possible,” says Bridges. “We are grateful for their support.”
Now in its 29th season, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet is a pre-professional, non-profit ballet company based in Madison. Members of the company are serious dance students selected through audition from students of Mississippi Metropolitan Dance Academy with locations in Madison and Brandon. For more information on the academy and the ballet company, visit www.msmetroballet.com or call 601-853-4508.