About

This dynamic young second company to the acclaimed Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company, is a wonderful choice for smaller communities yearning to present beautiful classical ballet at a reasonable cost and with modest technical demands.

Houston Ballet II performs a wide array of dance works ranging from stunning contemporary pieces by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch and other leading choreographers to excerpts from great classics such as The Sleeping Beauty and Raymonda. Houston Ballet II presents fresh choreography and engaging outreach opportunities.

Houston Ballet II features a stellar ensemble of artists. The company tours both nationally and internationally. In recent seasons, the company has traveled to Mexico (to the Seminario Internacional de Critica de Danza Dance Festival in Monterrey), China (Beijing International Ballet Invitational), Hungary (International Youth Festival), Guatemala (2010) and Switzerland where seven Houston Ballet II dancers have placed as finalists in recent years at the prestigious Prix de Lausanne.

Under the direction of Stanton Welch and Shelly Power, Associate Director of the academy, Houston Ballet II dancers are led by the internationally acclaimed coaches and teachers Claudio Muñoz, ballet master for Houston Ballet II; Sabrina Lenzi, ballet mistress for Houston Ballet II and Houston Ballet’s artistic staff.

Repertory Contact

Repertory

The company offers a mixed repertory program including both classical and contemporary works. Possible selections might include:

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Act III (1890)
Staged by Ben Stevenson after Marius Petipa
Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Recognized as one of the supreme achievements of classical ballet, based on the classic French fairy tale by Charles Perrault:a beautiful princess is cursed by an evil fairy and doomed to sleep for 100 years – only to be awakened by the kiss of the handsome prince who loves her. Act III includes many classic fairytale scenes including the famous Aurora’s Wedding pas de deux, Blue Bird, Puss-n-Boots and a pas de quatre.

RAYMONDA Act III (1898)
Staged by Claudio Muñoz after Marius Petipa
Music: Alexander Glazunov
Act three depicts the marriage and celebration of noble Raymonda and de Brienne, and provides a feast of spectacular classical dance.

Contemporary works choreographed by Stanton Welch:

BLUE
to music by Antonio Vivaldi

FINGERPRINTS
to music by the Kronos Quartet

THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
to music by the Beatles orchestrated in the style of Vivaldi and Bach

Other works by leading young choreographers:

DEN III
choreographed by Garrett Smith

CALLING
choreographed by Ma Cong

Outreach and Residencies Contact