Summer and the mandatory vacation planning that come with it may still be far away but here’s a reason to make Paris an obligatory stop on next summer’s overseas getaway:  Miami City Ballet will be the star of this year’s Les Etes de la Danse festival performing at the Chatelet Theater in the heart of Paris. From July 6 to July 23, 50 dancers will illuminate the city of lights with 17 performances at one of Paris’ most historic theaters located just steps from the Seine, making one of the world’s most beautiful cities even more breathtaking.

George Balanchine will take center stage as his ballets are performed under the skilled eye of Miami City Ballet’s artistic director, Edward Villella who’s no stranger to Balanchine having starred as one of the New York City Ballet’s principal dancers.  The company joins the ranks of some of the world’s top dancers such as Alvin Ailey, Ana Laguna and Mikhail Baryshnikov who have all recently performed at the festival.

Les Ete de la Danses (Summer of Dance) has taken place annually in Paris since 2005 during the slow summer months with many theaters tend to shut their doors. The lieu, the Chatelet Theater, is one of Paris’s cultural highlights with performances ranging from symphonies, ballet, and opera to jazz and special performances from the likes of Marianne Faithfull and Yoko Ono.

The three week July season will surely be one of the highlights for the Miami City Ballet’s already stellar year as it celebrates its 25 year anniversary with an array of amazing performances and an upcoming gala on March 25.

Visit www.lesetesdeladanse.com for more information on Miami City Ballet’s appearance in Paris this summer.

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