Events

The Celebrate Dance Festival returns to Lakeland April 25-27, and includes an extended weekend of dance events.

Master classes taught by professional dancers will be available April 25-27; a gala performance April 26 at Florida Southern College’s Branscomb Auditorium will celebrate Florida Dance Theatre’s 20^th anniversary; and a free performance at the Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror on April 27 will wrap up the festival.

Master Classes

The master classes will be held at Florida Dance Theatre, 305 W. Main St., and are limited to 30 students per class. Instructors include professional dancers from throughout the country.

Cost is $20 for single classes, or $115 for all nine classes.

Register online: http://www.floridadancetheatre.org

Gala Performance

Held at Branscomb Auditorium at 7 p.m. April 26, the Gala Performance celebrates 20 years of performances presented by Florida Dance Theatre. This event features Florida Dance Theatre’s professional company, and guest artists Israel Rodriguez and Katia Garza, Clifton Brown (former principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre), Ballet de Monterey, Orlando Ballet, Allison Jay, Ballet Met, Smuin Ballet, and more than 150 former FDT dancers from around the country.

Ticket prices range from $15 to $50 and can be purchased online: http://www.floridadancetheatre.org

Florida Southern College: 111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr.

Celebrate Dance Free Performance

This free public event takes place 6 p.m. at the Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror on April 27 and features the professional company of Florida Dance Theatre, along with young dancers from throughout central Florida.

“We’ve provided this program to serve as a platform for artists to showcase their talents to people familiar and not so familiar with dance,” said Carol Erkes, founder and executive director of Florida Dance Theatre. “This is a family-friendly event that drew a big crowd last year, and we expect even greater attendance this year.”

The Frances Langford Promenade at Lake Mirror is located at 121 S. Lake Ave. Bring blankets or lawn chairs.

For more information, please visit the Florida Dance Theatre’s website: http://www.floridadancetheatre.org, or call (863) 802-0399.

About Florida Dance Theatre

Florida Dance Theatre is a nonprofit professional dance company and training academy dedicated to making the arts available to everyone. The organization recognizes the importance of artistic influence on the development and growth of children and community. Florida Dance Theatre strives to increase awareness and appreciation of dance as a living art form and to produce works of high artistic quality in a wide variety of styles. The dance company also provides entertainment at free community events. Each year, it produces a season a series of performances that includes “The Nutcracker,” which features children from throughout the county.Its continuing purpose is to provide an enriching and unique multicultural experience for the Polk County community and beyond.