♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HELLO AND WELCOME TO INSIDE LOUISVILLE WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

I'M YOUR HOST KELSEY STARKS AND THIS WEEK WE GO INSIDE THE LOUISVILLE BALLET.

IT IS THE FIFTH OLDEST BALLET IN THE COUNTRY, DATING BACK TO 1951.

OUTSIDE OF ITS INCREDIBLE HISTORY, THE LOUISVILLE BALLET IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY REGARDED REGIONAL BALLET COMPANIES IN THE COUNTRY.

IT IS ALSO THE OFFICIAL STATE BALLET OF KENTUCKY.

MEET THE LOUISVILLE BALLET.

>> BALLET IS COMPLETE.

BALLET IS LIKE A LANGUAGE AND MOST OTHER MOVEMENT VOCABULARIES, YOU CAN'T SPEAK ANYWHERE NEAR AS MUCH AS YOU CAN SPEAK WITH BALLET.

IT'S A LIFETIME STUDY.

YOU WILL STUDY IT FOR THE REST OF I DON'T ARE LIFE AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT IT.

>> MY MOM WILL TELL YOU I STARTED DANCING AS SOON AS I COULD WALK.

IT SATISFIES A PART OF YOUR SOUL THAT DOESN'T GET SATISFACTION IN THE OTHER WAYS.

I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 13 YEARS OLD.

IT BECAME A PASSION.

AN OBSESSION THAT WAS JUST THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO DO.

I GAVE UP EVERYTHING ELSE.

>> BEING IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE IS WHAT BRINGS US REALLY TO LIFE.

IT'S UNDESCRIBABLE.

IT'S SO INTERNAL, IT'S SO POWERFUL.

IT'S WHY I LOVE TO DANCE.

>> I LOVE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE MUSIC.

I LOVE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE CHOREOGRAPHERS VISION OR OWED OR THEIR WORDS.

I LOVE TO LITERALLY LOOK AT IT LIKE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A NEW WORK.

>> THERE IS REALLY NO OTHER COMPANY THAT IS LIKE THIS.

>> LOUISVILLE BALLET IS BASED HERE IN LOUISVILLE, IT CREATES ART THAT IS FOR AND THE LOUISVILLE COMMUNITY.

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE LOUISVILLE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ARTISTS THAT LIVE HERE AND WORK IN THIS COMPANY ARE HERE FOR THEIR BENEFIT.

THEY'RE HERE TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, TO ENRICH THIS COMMUNITY WITH THE ART THAT THEY HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO LOUISVILLE HAS BEEN A CITY THAT HAS WELCOMED ME WITH OPEN ARMS.

I THINK IT'S A VERY HARD WORKING CITY.

IT'S A VERY COMPASSIONATE CITY AND I WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE CITY.

>> I THINK THE REST OF THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE WHAT THE LOUISVILLE BALLET FAMILY IS, WHO WE ARE.

>> WE NEED TO TAKE WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT LOUISVILLE AND UNIQUE ABOUT LOUISVILLE BALLET OUT TO THE WORLD TO LET THEM SHARE IN THE SUCCESSES AND THE ARTISTRY AND THE STRENGTH, VIBRANCY AND COMMITMENT THAT THESE DANCERS HAVE AND THE COMPANY HAS TO THE ART FORM WESLEY SMART IS THE C.E.O.

OF THE LOUISVILLE BALLET.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

WE HEARD ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BALLET.

TELL BUS YOUR HISTORY WITH THE BALLET.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE CALIBER OF A BALLET COMPANY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.

AND IN 1952, 200 DANCERS, ASPIRING DANCERS AUDITIONED FOR THE LOUISVILLE BALLET.

AND 22 WERE SELECTED INCLUDING AN AUNT BY MARRIAGE, BETTY, MY AUNT AND I HAVE NINE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY, INCLUDING MYSELF, THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE LOUISVILLE BALLET FOR THE SEVEN DECADES THAT WE HAVE EXISTED.

WE ARE THE FIFTH OLDEST BALLET COMPANY IN THE COUNTRY.

>> IT IS AN INCREDIBLE HISTORY.

THE ARTS IN GENERAL IN LOUISVILLE ARE SORT OF UNPRECEDENTED FOR A CITY OF OUR SIZE.

>> WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE MAJOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.

I THINK ABOUT THE VISION OF THE MAYOR AS WELL BECAUSE THE FUND FOR THE ARTS BEGAN EARLY ON TO SUPPORT THE MAJOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND THE SAME WITH WILL LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA.

AND IT TRULY IS A DIFFERENTIAL FOR US IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF LIFE.

WHEN PEOPLE RELOCATE TO LOUISVILLE, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BE COMING FROM LARGER CITIES AND OFTEN THEY'RE COMING TO LOUISVILLE, BUT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND OUR ARTS IS REALLY OUR SELLING POINT.

WE ARE NOT HEAVY IN TECH.

WE ARE NOT HEAVY IN FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES BUT WHERE WE ARE RICH IS IN ARTS AND CULTURE.

>> AND THAT IS WHY IT'S PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FOR YOU AND FOR THE BALLET TO ANNOUNCE THIS STRUGGLE WITH FUNDING THAT YOU SAID THIS YEAR.

YOU SAID THREE MILLION DOLLAR DONATION SHORTFALL IS WHAT YOU ARE FACING.

>> WELL, WHAT WE NEED IS $3.1 MILLION IN CONTRIBUTED INCOME THIS YEAR TO MEET OUR OPERATIONAL NEEDS.

AND THEN IN ADDITION THOUGH THAT, WE HAVE SOME DEBT NAT I'M ATTEMPTING TO PAY OFF.

AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE HAD A LONG HISTORY, NOT ONLY DANCING WITH LOUISVILLE BALLET IN THE 70s, BUT I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TWICE SO I FEEL LIKE I COME TO THE TABLE WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE.

, UNDERSTANDING THAT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS DO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, SURVIVE HAND TO MOUTH AND THAT'S TRUE WITH THE ARTS AND CERTAINLY THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

BUT WE HAVE CAPITAL NEEDS AS WELL THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS FOR THE BALLET.

>> SO YOU MENTIONED THE PANDEMIC.

I KNOW REALLY IMPACTED SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE ARTS.

BUT IT'S EVEN MORE THAN THAT, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

>> THAT WERE YOU STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY PRIOR TO THAT.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

WE HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING IN BEING GOOD STEWARDS WITH OUR DOLLARS AND TIGHTENING OUR BELTS AND WE HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO OUR SEASON BUT THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OF COURSE WAS THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT HAD AN IMPACT ON US IN TERMS OF SELLING TICKETS IN THE THEATERS FOR OUR PERFORMANCES, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WERE REALLY BEGINNING TO RECOVER AND THEN LAST YEAR ARCTIC STORM ELLIOTT BLEW THROUGH STAT STATE AND AT THE GOVERNOR'S GUIDANCE WE IT CANCEL THREE SOLDOUT PRODUCTIONS OF THE NUTCRACKER AND THAT IS OUR TICKET REVENUE THAT SUSTAINS US THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO THAT WAS A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLAR HIT TO THE LOUISVILLE BALLET.

SO THAT CERTAINLY HAD AN IMPACT FOR US.

BUT WE DID CHANGE OUR SEASON.

WE ORIGINALLY HAD PLANNED TO BUILD A NEW JIS GISELLE, NEW SETS AND COSTUMES.

WE OWN ONE.

WE FLIP FLOPPED THE SEASON BECAUSE IT WAS OUT FOR RENTAL TO THE ST. LOUIS BALLET BUT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE CLASSICAL VERSION OF IT BACK AND WELL RECEIVED BY OUR PATRONS AND TICKET REVENUE WAS UP FOR THAT PERFORMANCE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT POST PANDEMIC, BASED ON DATA THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO US FROM DANCE USA IS 27% OF OUR PATRONS WILL NOT RETURN TO THE THEATER POST PANDEMIC, WHICH IS UNBELIEVABLE.

NOW I WAS WITH WENDY WAYLAND LAST WEEKEND IN NEW YORK.

SHE, OF COURSE, WAS A PRINCIPAL DANCER WITH THE BALLET AND ARTISTIC DIRECT DIRECTOR NOW AND HAS A LONG HISTORY WITH THE LOUISVILLE BALLET AND THEY ARE SEEING THEIR TICKET REVENUE FOR NUTCRACKER RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVEL.

I'M HOPING THAT WILL TRICKLE DOWN TO LOUISVILLE.

>> WHERE DO YOU STAND NOW WHERE THAT COMES IN?

>> WE ARE SIX MONTHS, NOT QUITE SIX MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL YEAR AND OUR GOAL WAS TO RAISE $3.1 AND WE'VE RAISED 1.6 SO WE ARE RIGHT ON TARGET.

BUT IT'S A LIFT AND IT'S REQUIRING A LOT OF LONG HOURS, WHICH I'M GRATEFUL TO GIVE.

I FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY LOUISVILLE BALLET.

AND THERE IS A REASON I'M HERE AND HONORED TO SERVE.

>> WELL, PART OF THAT GIFT CAME FROM JACK HARLOW, WHICH MADE TONS OF NEWS.

HE GAVE $50,000 GIFT TO THE LOUISVILLE BALLET.

WHAT WAS THAT CALL LIKE?

WERE YOU SURPRISED?

>> WELL, I'M ALMOST EMBARRASSED TO TELL YOU THAT EARLY ON I REACHED OUT TO MAGGIE HARLOW WHO I HAVE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME AND WE WERE IN NEED OF SIGNAGE FOR THE BUILDING TO PROMOTE THE SEASON BUT WERE NOT IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO PAY FOR NEW SIGNS.

AND SO MAGGIE WAS SO SUPPORTIVE.

AND I WAS SITTING IN HER OFFICE AND I SAW ALL THESE PICTURES OF JACK HARLOW.

I LIVE IN A VERY CLASSICAL WORLD, AND I SAID WOW, YOU MUST HAVE A CRAWSH ON THIS GUY.

-- A CRUSH ON THIS GUY.

I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY IT, I DID NOT KNOW WHO JACK WAS.

AND OF COURSE NOW I DO.

NOW I'M ON TIKTOK.

I'M HIP AND WITH IT.

BUT MAGGIE, AT THE END SAID YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY.

HER FAMILY WENT TO NUTCRACKER FOR YEARS.

HER MOTHER TOOK HER AS A YOUNG CHILD TO THE BROWN-- IT WASN'T THE BROWN FORUM NUTCRACKER AND SHE HAS A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE ARTS.

SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL.

BUT CAN THE "COURIER JOURNAL" AIRED THE ARTICLE IN PRINT ABOUT OUR SHORTFALL, THAT SAME DAY, SHE TEXTED ME AND SAID JACKSON IS IN-- JACKSON IS IN TOWN AND WOULD LOVE TO MEET.

I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO MEET HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO CHARMING.

SUCH A HOMETOWN BOY WANTING TO SUPPORT THIS COMMUNITY WANTING TO SUPPORT THE LOUISVILLE BALLET IN OUR TIME OF NEED.

I UNDERSTAND THIS IS PERHAPS THE LARGEST GIFT THE FOUNDATION HAS GIVEN AND I COMMUNICATED WITH MAGGIE YESTERDAY SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO JACK AND TO THE HARLOW FAMILY FOR THEIR SUPPORT.

>> AND YOU NEED MORE THINGS LIKE THAT, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO STEP UP BECAUSE IT REALLY IS A COMMUNITY THE STATE EATS BA BALLET.

>> WE ARE THE STATE STATE BALLET OF KENTUCKY AND WE ARE TRULY AN EXCEPTIONAL REGIONAL DANCE COMPANY.

ONE OF THE FINEST IN THE COUNTRY, THE CALIBER OF ART IFLTS THAT WE HAVE IS, AGAIN, WE DRAW FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

WE HAVE DANCERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT COME TO LOUISVILLE AND MAKE LOUISVILLE HOME.

EVEN OUR LOUISVILLE BALLET SCHOOL.

WE HAD CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN OUR SUMMER INTENSIVE PROGRAM THAT CAME FROM 27 STATES, SO WE DO NEED THE COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT OUR LIGHTS REMAIN BRIGHT.

>> OF COURSE, AND THEN YOU ALL DO, AS YOU MENTIONED, GIVE BACK A LOT TO THE COMMUNITY.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND THE SCHOOL AND WHAT YOU ALL PROVIDE.

>> RIGHT, SO WE PROVIDE CLASSES FOR STUDENTS FROM THREE MONTHS ALL THE WAY UP, OUR OLDEST DANCER THAT CURRENTLY PERFORMS OR DANCES WITH THE SCHOOL IS 76 YEARS OF AGE.

AS PART OF OUR MIND BALANCE PROGRAM.

BALLET IS ABOUT BUILDING A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY AS WELL.

THE BENEFITS OF EVEN WATCHING BALLET ARE TREMENDOUS THIS IS EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH THAT SHOWS CHILDREN DANCING IN A SCHOOL CLASSROOM, THERE IS LESS VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION IN THE CLASSROOM SO THERE IS SIGNIFICANT HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEING INVOLVED IN THE ARTS.

AND CERTAINLY THE SCHOOL IS THE ONLY SCHOOL TIED TO A PROFESSIONAL COMPANY SO VERY IMPORTANT WHAT MAKES UP THE LOUISVILLE BALLET.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BUILDING ON EAST MAIN STREET BUILT IN 1995, AND IT,th, IS SIGNIFICANT-- IT ITSELF IS SIGNIFICANTLY HISTORICAL.

>> WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TO POSITION OURSELVES AND REALLY PEGGY FOULER AND PAULA GRISANTE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO RELOCATE THE BALLET AND REALLY BUILD FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, A BUILDING FOR THE COMPANY.

PRIOR TO THAT WE WERE IN AN OLD SCHOOL OR AN OLD BUILDING.

BUT REALLY, A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY THAT WAS APPROPRIATE TO SUPPORT OUR PROFESSIONAL COMPANY.

THE BUILDING IS QUITE STUNNING AND IT REALLY WAS AN ANCHOR TO NULU.

WE WERE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE CIVIC VOLUNTEERS TO STEP FORWARD TO BUILD A STATE-OF-THE-ART BUILDING FOR THE LOUISVILLE BALLET, PAULA PEGGY, MANY THAT MADE THAT BUILDING POSSIBLE.

AND IT HAS WON MANY ARCHITECTURAL AWARDS.

ROSS PRIMMER AND ROBERT OWE de LEON WERE THE ARCHITECTS AT THE TIME.

AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN FIRM NOW.

YOU SAID IT 1995, I WILL TELL YOU ONE OF THE NEEDS THAT I HAVE FOR THE LOUISVILLE BALLET IS WHEN WE NEED A REFRESH OF THAT BUILDING.

WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE A GRANT.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN INSTALLED IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING THANKS TO KFC FOUNDATION AND ACTUALLY JOHN CRARLOFTUS IS GOING TO HELP US WITH THAT IN THE SPRING.

>> WONDERFUL.

IN FACT, THE BUILDING ITSELF WAS PROFILED RIGHT HERE ON KET A FEW YEARS AGO AND A SPECIAL ABOUT 10 BUILDINGS THAT CHANGED LOUISVILLE.

TAKE A LOOK.

BALLET BUILDING.

I'VE LOVED IT SINCE IT WAS BUILT.

THE CURVE LINEAR, THE FLUID DESIGN OF IT REFLECTS THE DANCER ON THE INTERIOR WE HAVE THAT LARGE WINDOW OPENING THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY VIEW IN AS THE DANCERS PREPARE.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE-- IT HELPED ESTABLISH THAT EAST MARKET EAST MAIN DISTRICT AS AN ARTISTIC COMMUNITY WHICH IT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE NULU DISTRICT.

BEFORE THAT, THE BALLET BUILDING CAME IN AND BROUGHT IN THE ARTISTIC COMMUNITY.

BUT IT'S A CONTEMPORARY BUILDING AND VERY NICELY DESIGNED.

WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC ORNATE DECORATIVE BUILDINGS BUT VERY FEW WELL DESIGNED MODERN STRUCTURES BY LOCAL ARCHITECTS.

THIS WAS DESIGNED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM.

>> BALLET BUILDING IS REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING.

IS THAT BUILDING IS A VERY ELEGANT CONTEMPORARY WAY OF PROVIDING A PRACTICE, A REHEARSAL STAGE.

BUT IT ALSO DOES INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO LOOK IN THE WINDOWS AND THERE IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THEY UNDERSTOOD A LONG TIME AGO, THERE IS SOMETHING INTRIGUING ABOUT WATCHING BALLET DANCERS PRACTICE.

AND IT ALMOST LIKE OPENS UP THE ARTS TO A COMMUNITY, TO A LOT OF FOLKS WHO DON'T GO TO THE BA BALLET, BUT THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNED AND THE BUILDING AND WHAT GOES ON IN IT, A CLOSED BOX WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH CHEAPER, BUT IT HAS A FLAIR TO IT THAT REFLECTS WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO.

IT'S ABOUT DANCE AND PERFORMANCE AND SHOWING OFF A BIT.

>> IT'S SO INTERESTING TO LEARN HOW ALL OF THESE BUILDINGS REALLY CHANGED DOWNTOWN AND I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE ADDITIONAL SPACE OUT IN ST. MATTHEWS.

YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF BUSTING AT THE SEAMS.

>> WE ARE COMPLETELY BUSTING AT THE SEAMS AND IN FACTS, THE SCHOOL HAS NOW COME DOWN TO OUR MAIN STREET STUDIO.

AND IT PUTS PRESSURE ON REHEARSAL SPACE.

THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN THE FUTURE.

WE WILL NEED ADDITIONAL SPACE.

22,000 SQUARE FEET IS WHAT WE RENT.

IT'S THE OLD SEARS BUILDING FOR FOLKS IN LOUISVILLE THAT REMEMBER THAT.

BUT RIGHT IN THE HEART OF ST. MATTHEWS AND, AGAIN, NEARLY 700 STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL.

>> WOW.

OKAY.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS NEW SEASON, THE SEASON OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

WHAT IS THAT ALL ABOUT AND HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

>> SO IT REALLY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST FUN THINGS TO DO IS TO SIT IN I A PRODUCTION ARTISTIC MEETING AND BRAIN STORM WHAT THE SEASON WILL LOOK LIKE.

IT CAME BA TO REALLY FOCUS ON KENTUCKY.

MADE BY KENTUCKY, FOR KENTUCKY AND TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE ARE THE OFFICIAL STATE BALLET FOR KENTUCKY.

AND SO THE SEASON OF THE COMMONWEALTH KICKED OFF THIS YEAR.

WE DID HAVE A FEW ADJUSTMENTS.

WE BROUGHT THE PERFORMANCE INTO OUR STUDIO AND CREATED KIND OF A BLACK BOX THEATER EXPERIENCE FOR PATRONS, WHICH THEY LOVE BECAUSE THEY WOULD SEE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.

AND WE DID WHAT IS CALLED A MIXED REP, SO THREE BALLETS, APPALACHIAN SPRING WITH AARON COPELAND'S MUSIC, COLD VIRTUES, AN ANNIVERSARY FOR US FOR AN ADAM HOAGLAND PIECE ONE OF OUR RESIDENT CHOREOGRAPHERS BASED IN LONDON AND WE DID EXCERPTS FROM RAMONDA AND THAT WAS SIGNIFICANT, TOO, BECAUSE IT WAS PERFORMED 40 YEARS AGO AT THE OPENING OF THE KENTUCKY CENTER AND THE COSTUMES WERE INSANE.

THEY WERE ON LOAN TO US FROM EUROPE AND FOR PATRONS TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, DISTILLED WAS THREE MIXED REPS PERFECTLY DISTILLED WITH KENTUCKY AND WE DID A TASTING AT THE LOUISVILLE THOROUGHBRED SOCIETY BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE.

IT WAS WONDERFUL.

>> A LOT OF WAYS YOU GUYS ARE PIVOTING AND THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX FOR WAYS JUST TO, YOU KNOW, CONSERVE FUNDING, OBVIOUSLY, BUT TO KIND OF LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE, RIGHT?

>> AND ENHANCE PATRON EXPERIENCE AND DRAW IN YOUNGER PATRONS WHICH WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON AND SO DISTILLED WAS A PERFECT WAY TO DO THAT.

>> YOU MENTIONED THIS YEAR'S NUTCRACKER AND SPEAKING OF LOOKING A LITTLE DIFFERENT, IT DOES LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

>> IT DOES.

>> EXPLAIN WHAT WE CAN EXPECT WITH THE NUTCRACKER.

>> THROUGH THE YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN WE HAVE HAD LIVE MUSIC AND NOT IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO HAVE LIFE MUSIC.

THIS YEAR WE WILL NOT I.

WAS A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION FOR TO US MAKE.

I KNOW AUDIENCE MEMBERS WILL BE A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED.

DANCERS ON THE STAGE AS WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE MISS BUT WE HOPE TO BE ABLE, PART OF OUR APPROPRIATION IS TO HAVE LIVE MUSIC IN THE FUTURE FOR OUR MAIN STAGE PRODUCTIONS AS A CHILD.

I CAN REMEMBER WALKING THE PICKET LINES THROUGH THE ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS SO EVEN IN THE 70s WE DID NOT HAVE LIVE MUSIC.

BUT OUR GOAL WILL BE ALWAYS TO HAVE LIVE MUSIC WHEN WE CAN SO THAT'S REALLY THE DIFFERENTIAL FOR THIS YEAR WE ARE SO FORTUNATE, THE NUTCRACKER HAS BEEN A GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY 15 YEARS NOW A MILLION DOLLAR GIFT FROM BROWN FORMAN AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THE QUALITY OF OUR NUTCRACKER AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE I'M C.E.O.

OF LOUISVILLE BALLET.

I TRULY BELIEVE IT IS ONE OF THE FINEST NUTCRACKERS IN THE COUNTRY.

THE MAGIC IS SO SPECIAL THAT SOME NUTCRACKERS DON'T HAVE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET STAGED THE BALLET, CHOREOGRAPHED IT AND SO MANY ELEMENTS OF IT ARE STUNNING.

>> NOT EVERYONE GETS A CHANCES DO SEE BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE NUTCRACKER AND HARD WORK THAT GOES INTO IT.

WE TAKE YOU BEHIND THE CURTAIN FOR AN INSIDE LOOK AT "THE NUTCRACKER".

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> .

THE LOUISVILLE BALLET IS PUTTING IN THE WORK.

I THINK IT TAKES OVER 200 PEOPLE AT ANY ONE GIVEN NUTCRACKER BETWEEN THE CREW, THE THEATER CREW, OUR CREW, OUR DANCERS, CHILDREN'S CAST, VOLUNTEERS, USHERS, EVERYBODY AT THE THEATER, IT'S A 200 PEOPLE PLUS TO GET US ON STAGE EVERY NIGHT.

IT'S A LOT.

>> THOUSANDS OF HOURS, HUNDREDS OF DANCERS AND DOZENS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION AND SET DESIGNERS MAKE MAGIC ON STAGE EVERY YEAR.

A TRADITION FOR SO MANY FAMILIES AND SO MANY PERFORMERS, TOO.

>> BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN TO GROW WITH THE BALLET, YOU KNOW, I STARTED AS A SNOWFLAKE AND A TEENAGER AND A SIDE ARABIAN GIRL SO IT HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT OVER THE YEARS TO GROW WITH IT.

>> THE STORY AND TRADITION REMAIN THE SAME, BUT IF YOU TAKE A CLOSER LOOK, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THIS TRADITION IS UNIQUE TO THE PLACE THE LOUISVILLE BALLET CALLS HOME.

>> WHEN WE DID OUR NEW NUTCRACKER IN 2009, WE ADDED ALL OF THE KENTUCKY AND LOUISVILLE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS ST. JAMES FOUNTAIN, ST. JAMES COURT FOUNTAIN IN THE BACK OF OUR SNOW SCENE.

WE HAVE, INSTEAD OF MADAM BON-BON AND HER POLISHED NAILS WE HAVE MADAM DERBY AND HER JOCKEYS.

BROWN STREET AND FOREMAN AVENUE AND THE OLD CLOCK TOWER THAT USED TO BE DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE, THEY TOOK A VINTAGE PHOTO OF THAT AND THEY INCORPORATED THAT INTO OUR FRONT CLOTH SCENE SO IT'S TRULY SIDE TO THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE AND THE STATE OF KENTUCKY IN THAT WAY.

>> I THINK YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE TEENAGERS IN THE PARTY SCENES.

I THINK THE AMOUNT OF MAGIC IN THIS ONE IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

>> JUST HOW PHYSICALLY DRAINING THIS PRODUCTION IS, PARTICULARLY FROM THE SNOWFLAKES, I THINK, THAT IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I'VE EVER DANCED IS A SNOWFLAKE IN THIS PRODUCTION.

IT IS SO MUSICAL, THE CHOREOGRAPHY, IT'S MY FAVORITE SNOW SCENE I'VE EVER SEEN.

BUT I THINK ANYONE THAT'S DANCED IT CAN SAY, YEAH, LISTEN.

>> IT'S LIKE RUNNING A MARATHON WITH YOUR FRIENDS.

>> IT'S THE TRADITION THAT MAKES IT A CLASSIC.

IT'S THE LOUISVILLE BALLET THAT MAKES IT MAGIC.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ YOU CAN SEE MORE BEHIND THE SCENES CONTENT AND STREAM THIS EPISODE ANY TIME ONLINE AT ket.org/INSIDE LOUISVILLE.

AND DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE FOR SOME EXTRA BEHIND-THE-SCENES CONTENT INCLUDING ME IN THE OWENSBORO DANCE THEATER NUTCRACKER FROM 30 YEARS AGO.

YOU CAN FIND US AT CLET IN LIEU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ KET IN