Guest artists perform in NGB's Summer Fantasy

Lia Cirio, of the Boston Ballet, was a guest
instructor for NGB's summer intensive and
will perform this Friday in Ferguson Hall
in NGB's Summer Fantasy.

The Patel Conservatory in Tampa is thrilled to welcome guest artists Lia and Jeffrey Cirio of the Boston Ballet, and Dylan G-Bowley of the contemporary Trey McIntyre Project, this Friday in Next Generation Ballet’s Summer Fantasy.

We invite you to be dazzled by the incredible talent of both our guest artists and NGB’s summer intensive dancers.

“I feel like there’s something special going on here,” said Jeffrey Cirio regarding the Patel Conservatory’s blooming ballet program.

In the past year, under the direction of artistic director Peter Stark, the Conservatory developed its pre-professional ballet company Next Generation Ballet (NGB), which produced two full scale ballets, The Nutcracker and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Jeffrey guest starred as the Snow King in NGB's The Nutcracker, and this summer he and his sister Lia joined us as guest instructors for NGB’s first summer intensive, which included nearly 200 dancers from around the country and the greater Tampa Bay area.

“Peter Stark has such great things to bring to the ballet world,” said Jeffrey.

NGB's summer program has nurtured exceptional talent, and will culminate in this Friday’s Summer Fantasy production.

“It’s always fun to teach young kids,” said Lia Cirio. At just 25 years old, Lia has been with Boston Ballet for eight years. “Teaching reminds me of things I have to remember to do myself. As dancers, we’re always learning.”

She advises young dancers, “Always dance really big. You don’t want to be just another black leotard. You want to stand out and show your personality.” 

Don’t miss your opportunity to see Lia and Jeffrey Cirio perform the classical Le Corsaire Pas de Deux this Friday, July 29, 2011, at 7 p.m. in Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center. Click here for tickets.