CCDE performed its first show, Ballet Amore, as part of the 2011 Minnesota Fringe Festival. Cities Classical Dance Ensemble (CCDE) was founded in January 2011 by local Twin Cities professional ballet and contemporary dancers Katherine Krieser and Laura Janson. The company was initially organized to provide a summer performance opportunity for local dancers through the production of a Minnesota Fri
nge Festival Show, Ballet Amore. However, during rehearsals and the creative, collaborative and technical process of Ballet Amore's production, the members of CCDE experienced a mutual artistic inspiration. Ballet Amore also commanded a sizable Fringe Festival show audience and elicited positive reviews including several comments about wanting to see the company perform again. Therefore, in cooperation with CCDE's original dancers and collaborators, Krieser and Janson proposed further development of the company. In October 2011 an Advisory Board for the company was developed and CCDE applied to the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council for a Community Arts Grant to fund the production of their first full-length dance concert, L'affaire de Ballet, at the Ritz Theater. The company was awarded funding for the project and is currently in the process of developing, choreographing and rehearsing the works to be presented in L'affaire de Ballet. The company hopes that the success L’affaire de Ballet will give it an opportunity to secure its place as a respected classical and contemporary ballet company in the Twin Cities and will be a milestone toward the long term goal of having CCDE become a fully functional ballet company that will tour original works throughout Minnesota. The Co-Directors aspire to one day be able to pay their dancers an actual living wage so that the artists can fully commit themselves to their craft, enhancing the company’s quality of work. As the company has continued to develop, its stylistic mission of preserving a base of classical ballet throughout its various choreographic works which use differing degrees of contemporary movement has become evident. Therefore, classical technique and asthetics are worked on during all CCDE company classes and rehearsals. CCDE is proud to note the partnership and support of many Twin Cities performing arts organizations. The company has obtained non-profit Fiscal Sponsorship under Ballet of the Dolls/the Ritz Theater, a 501(c)(3) non-profit company, for the production of L'affire de Ballet. CCDE has also developed partnerships with several Twin Cities Metro Area dance schools such as Dancin On Broadway, Creo Arts Conservatory and Platinum Dance Center. Through these partnerships rehearsal space is generously donated to CCDE and in exchange, growing dance students are given the opportunity to learn from professional dancers and gain exposure to professional concert dance.
