23-24 On The Edge - Other - Page 4
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR - NFB
Dear Friends:
Todd Eric Allen
NFB Artistic Director & CEO
Thank you for being part of the Northwest Florida Ballet’s 54th
season! As the years tick by, it hardly seems possible that our organization has entertained families and provided excellence in dance
education for over half a century. And you, our faithful patrons,
remain integral to that legacy! As with all of our seasons, 2023-2024
has become one of the most exciting collections of productions yet.
In November we presented our first mainstage production of the season, the 44th annual
performance of The Nutcracker. As the only full-length production of this classic holiday fairytale
in the area, we delighted audiences with a spectacular cast of NFB company members, international guest artists, and more than 100 local children. The talented Northwest Florida Symphony
Orchestra (NFSO) musicians, under the direction of NFB Music Director David Ott, also provided
live musical accompaniment.
Earlier this spring we returned to the Mattie Kelly Arts Center for our collaboration with the NFSO
with Carl Orff’s powerhouse masterpiece Carmina Burana. A celebration of spring and new beginnings, this inspiring program was a mesmerizing mix of live music, opera and dance featuring
the NFSO, led by maestro Todd Craven, and the choreography of Gregory and Marjorie Schramel
of New Orleans Ballet Theatre (NOBT), performed by NFB dancers and soloists from NOBT. Rising
operatic world stars, including Sarah Vautour, Chris Bozeka and Ben Taylor, and the Northwest
Florida Symphony Chorale, rounded out this incredible ensemble of artists for Carmina Burana.
This evening, our season concludes with On the Edge here at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. This
unique production features the artists of NFB with international guest artists from Ballet
Memphis, Ballet San Antonio, Ballet Idaho and Colorado Ballet performing a mix of cuttingedge contemporary, neoclassical and classical pieces from guest choreographers and the
NFB repertoire.
Thank you again for spending your evening with us and for your support this season.
Enjoy the show!
Cordially,
Todd Eric Allen, Artistic Director/CEO
850.664.7787
nfballet.org
NFB is sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of
Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts.