Continental Ballet Company of Bloomington planned 2 fundraisers this weekend, and only 1 is still happening. Beer and Ballet is still on for 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, in the Black Box Theater at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road. Tickets are $37, and the program is a series of short ballets and new choreography.
Saturday's Brunch with the Ballet won't happen. The city's event page now reads, "Brunch with the Ballet has been canceled." It doesn't say why. The show had been scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, in the same Black Box Theater.
The company's ticket page now lists only Beer and Ballet on Friday, with The Nutcracker next on the calendar.
Here's how the weekend was set up. The company planned to repeat the same dances Saturday morning with refreshments from Bruegger's Bagels and coffee or tea instead of beer. Friday's drinks come from Northstar Tavern, and the company described the evening as dance paired with a casual beer, with new choreography in the spotlight.
The city's Friday listing still shows the event running from 7 to 9 p.m., with no change in status. The fundraising pitch is simple: "Every ticket and donation supports the creation of new works, artistic excellence, and opportunities for the next generation of ballet artists." The Black Box is a small room, so you'll be close enough to see the effort along with the polish.
If you can't make it tonight, the company's next show is close behind. The Nutcracker has 6 performances Dec. 5–13 at the Schneider Theater in Bloomington, plus 1 more on Dec. 15 at the Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing.
