Events
The Academy of Ballet Arts performs and participates in numerous events each year. Our St. Petersburg Ballet Company performs our annual production of the Nutcracker as well as a Spring Performance each year. Our dancers perform at a number of venues in the Tampa Bay area throughout the year.
Dancers and instructors from our studio participate in the Great American Teach-In each November. We perform at First Night in St. Petersburg and at numerous other area events.
2025 Spring Performance
Saturday, May 3rd at 7 PM &
Sunday, May 4th at 3 PM
Reserved Tickets: $30
In this performance you will see the first release of brand-new choreography by Michelle Kuusela & Isabelle Poole with additional works created by Marsha Wilson & Suzanne Pomerantzeff, exploring the beauty of friendship and love. These heart -touching pieces are mesmerizing incarnations of emotions that dance can capture in art form. Our performance features everything from contemporary ensembles and pas de deux, to classical works. We will also present Act 2 from the romantic ballet Swan Lake. A ballet featuring a beautiful musical score, love, heartbreak, and triumph. This is a performance enjoyable by all, with something for the child-like wonder, the music enthusiast, and the lover of dance.
The St. Petersburg Ballet Company is the official company-in-residence at The Academy of Ballet Arts (a 501(c)3 Nonprofit).
The Palladium
253 Fifth Ave. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 822-3590
Act I
Swan Lake: Restaged by Michelle Kuusela
Pas: Laureen Smalling/Kayla Steh & Javier Riefkohl Garcia
Big Swans: Clare Gramlich, Amy Louise Davis, Gwen Connors
Little Swans: Ana Verano, Lyla Notchick, Sloane Perler, Gwyn Higgins
Corps: Clare Gramlich, Amy Louise Davis, Gwen Connors, Ana Verano, Lyla Notchick, Sloane Perler, Gwyneth Higgins, Paloma Ruan, Harper Bishop, Anna Honsinger, Greta Walker, Zuri Jenkins
Telephone: Choreographed by Chloe Vecchio
Yara Hemadeh, Sunny Highshaw, Elena Muhari, Breslyn Vermillion
Driven: Choreographed by Marsha Wilson
Laurn Smalling, Kayla Steh, Lyla Notchick, Ana Verano, Sloane Perler, Amy Louise Davis, Gwen Connors, Paloma Ruan, Harper Bishop
USO: Choreographed by Marsha Wilson
Lead: Gwyneth Higgins
Corps: Beata Higgins, Sunny Highshaw, Elena Muhari, Breslyn Vermillion, Greta Walker, Corina Schriver
Benevolence: Choreographed by Isabelle Poole
Tirienne Higgins, Maddie Bouchard, Alice LaVenture, Clementine Scott, Heidi Dozark, Olivia Keener
Ragtime : Choreography: Suzanne B. Pomerantzeff
Staged by: Brieanna Hynish
Music: Harry Breur and His Orchestra
Choreographer’s Notes: St. Petersburg, Florida was founded by Captain Peter Demens and John Williams. Williams Park has long been the heart of downtown St. Petersburg and dates back to 1888. The block-sized piece of land was donated by John Williams, and the original gazebo is now located at Heritage Park. The Ballet is a tribute to a time (1910) in our history that families had picnics in the park, children played with hoops, parents and teenagers danced to vaudeville music and everyone talked, listened and laughed with each other.
1. Picnic in the Park
Joshua Barry, Troy Reamsnyder, Javier Riefkohl Garcia, Gwyneth Higgins, Harper Bishop, Gwen Connors, Amy Louise Davis, Ana Verano, Lyla Notchick, Sloane Perler, Paloma Ruan
Sunny Highshaw, Breslyn Vermillion, Elena Muhari, Anna Honsinger, Greta Walker, Corina Schriver, Zuri Jenkins, Bea Higgins, Yara Hemadeh
2. Taking Care of Baby
Carriage Girl: Lillian Stephenson
Basket Girls: Ella Borton, Izzy Johnson, Coco Bryant, Annie Cabral, Olivia Mantilla
Little Brother: Silas Scott
Hoop Girls: Tirienne Higgins, Maddie Bouchard, Alice LaVenture, Clementine Scott, Olivia Keener, Heidi Dozark
3. Georgia Camp Meeting
Ana Verano, Joshua Barry, Lyla Notchick (Cast 1)
Harper Bishop, Gwynth Higgins and Joshua Barry Cast 2)
4. Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
Trio: Tirienne Higgins, Clementine Scott and Heidi Dozark
Duet 1: Troy Reamsnyder and Harper Bishop
Duet 2: Zuri Jenkins & Joshua Barry
Chorus: Gwen Connors, Amy Louise Davis, Ana Verano, Lyla Notchick, Sloane Perler, Paloma Ruan
Sunny Highshaw, Breslyn Vermillion, Elena Muhari, Anna Honsinger, Greta Walker, Corina Schriver, Zuri Jenkins, Bea Higgins, Yara Hemadeh
5. The Whistler
Dancers: Joshua Barry, Javier Riefkohl Garcia, Troy Reamsnyder, Elena Muhari, Silas Scott, Sunny Highshaw, Tirienne Higgins
Actors: Tirienne Higgins, Maddie Bouchard, Alice LaVenture, Clementine Scott, Olivia Keener, Heidi Dozark, Ella Borton, Izzy Johnson, Coco Bryant, Annie Cabral, Olivia Mantilla, Lillian Stephenson, Elena Muhari, Silas Scott, Sunny Highshaw
6. The Rube
All dancers
Intermission
Act II:
Shostakovich: Choreographed by Marsha Wilson
Pas: Clare Gramlich & Javier Riefkohl Garcia
Corps: Isabelle Poole, Clare Gramlich, Lauren Smalling, Kayla Steh, Harper Bishop, Ana Verano, Sloane Perler, Lyla Notchick, Paloma Ruan, Gwen Connors, Amy Louise Davis, Gwyneth Higgins
African Skies: Choreographed by Michelle Kuusela
Sunny Highhaw, Elena Muhari, Breslyn Vermillion, Beata Higgins, Greta Walker, Anna Honsinger, Yara Hemadeh, Zuri Jenkins
Bloom: Choreographed by Michelle Kuusela
Clare Gramlich, Ana Verano, Sloane Perler, Amy Louise Davis, Lyla Notchick, Gwen Connors, Gwyneth Higgins, Harper Bishop, Paloma Ruan, Isabelle Poole, Kayla Steh, Lauren Smalling
Tomorrow: Choreographed by Michelle Kuusela
Sunny Highshaw, Elena Muhari, Beata Higgins, Greta Walker, Anna Honsinger, Yara Hemadeh
Bluebird: Choreographed by Michelle Kuusela
Kayla Steh/Lauren Smalling & Javier Riefkohl Garcia
Cerulean: Choreographed by Isabelle Poole
Ella Borton, Izabella Johnson, Coco Bryan, Lillian Stephenson, Annie Cabral, Olivia Mantilla
Keep Me: Choreographed by Michelle Kuusela
Clare Gramlich, Ana Verano, Sloane Perler, Amy Louise Davis, Lyla Notchick, Gwen Connors, Gwyneth Higgins, Harper Bishop, Paloma Ruan, Isabelle Poole, Kayla Steh, Lauren Smalling
