PRESS RELEASE

Irvine, CA – September 19, 2026 – SoCal Ballet Scene presented its signature annual Ballet Festival to a sold-out house at Irvine Barclay Theatre on Saturday, September 12. All 755 seats were sold a full week ahead of the performance.

The curated program featured more than 50 professional dancers who live and work across Southern California, spanning classical, neoclassical, and contemporary ballet. Guest companies included Anaheim Ballet, The Realm Company, and Luminario Ballet.

The first half of the program brought together original contemporary works from regional ballet companies and independent choreographers alongside classical excerpts, including the Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty, the La Bayadère pas de deux, and contemporary premieres Nova and Pistolero.

The second half presented an opulent staging of Swan Lake, set to Tchaikovsky's score, carrying the audience from the grandeur of the palace scenes to the White Swan pas de deux, the sweeping formations of the swan corps de ballet, and the virtuosity of the Black Swan.

As in every year, live commentary guided the audience through each work, a format the organization uses to make the art form approachable for first-time attendees while remaining engaging for longtime ballet audiences. SoCal Ballet Scene also continued its practice of donating tickets to youth from underserved communities across the region.

"To fill every seat at the Barclay says a great deal about how much this community wants to see its own artists on stage," said Founder and Artistic Director Rena Kamariotakis. "Every dancer on that stage lives and works in Southern California. That has been the premise of this festival from the beginning."

The Ballet Festival returns to Southern California in September 2027. For more information, visit www.SoCalBalletScene.com.

Contact: info@socalballetscene.com | PO Box 1239, Lake Forest, CA 92609