Even with a healthy appreciation for the arts and a career that puts me in close proximity to them — not to mention a cousin who’s an accomplished professional ballerina — I can’t say I clamor for a night at the ballet.

Ballet Arizona celebrates the influence of famed choreographer George Balanchine by performing his works “Serenade,” “Monumentum pro Gesualdo,” “Movements for Piano and Orchestra,” and “The Four Temperaments.” The Phoenix Symphony accompanies them.

There are restaurants that slash prices on margaritas or invite a mariachi band for Cinco de Mayo - and then there are restaurants that go a little nuts.

Ballet Etudes stages its version of this classic fairytale, set to Prokofiev’s timeless score. After most performances, backstage tours are available.

Students of all ages were captivated by lively dance and folk songs from Russia. The dance ensemble was lead by “Misha,” a spirited master of ceremonies, who told folk stories and entertained while he also taught the students simple Russian phrases. The music and dance was a blend of old world traditional folk songs, as well as classical ballet. The ballet came in the form of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. In Russia, the bear is an important cultural and political symbol of statehood.

Stephanie Ann Kuells went to be with our angels on Wednesday, Feb. 20. She was born on Aug. 3, 1988, to Jennifer and Keith Kuells at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. This happened to be her father’s 30th birthday. What a beautiful gift! Stephanie had many challenges in her short life, but she tackled each one with determination, beauty and grace.

In a room at the School of Ballet Arizona, this phrase is tacked onto a bulletin board and followed faithfully: “There are three ways to build a costume — good, fast and cheap. Of these three options, only two of the three are possible at a time.”

Costume shop manager, Leonor Texidor, along with the two leads of the ballet, explain what goes into making the costumes and performing in them.

When people think of Jewish film, their minds tend to jump right to two subjects: religion and the Holocaust. While the Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival certainly embraces those subject matters, executive director Jerry Mittelman ensures that they make up only a slice of the wide spectrum of films the fest has to offer.

Jessica Starr was never one to take no as an answer.

Created by Arizona native Timothy Reckart, “Head Over Heels” puts an imaginative, whimsical twist on the tale of a married couple grown apart – he lives on the floor while she lives on the ceiling.

The School of Ballet Arizona has a new scholarship for young male dancers, in honor of famed dancer and former pupil of the school, David Hallberg.

Created on December 15, 2012 using FlipShare.

The good, the bad, the kitschy. A “seasonal sweater” is one way to start a conversation at a holiday function.

In its biggest event of the year, Desert Vista High School’s orchestra will be accompanied by the symphonic band, guitar classes, and the Pointe Club for the annual holiday concert next week.

A total of 32 Phoenix nonprofit arts and culture organizations received $525,346 in grant funding in the 2012-13 fiscal year from the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture.

“The Spirit of Christmas” show at Chandler Center for the Arts is as much fun for the performers as it is for the audience.

Phoenix nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and their audiences had a total economic impact of $301 million and generated $13.9 in local government tax revenue and $17.7 in state government tax revenue during the fiscal year 2010.

Saturday, Nov. 24

Through Dec. 24

Four siblings in Ahwatukee Foothills will be performing together for the first time in next month’s production of “The Nutcracker” by the Ahwatukee Foothills Ballet.

After homework and chores are done, most kids like spending their free time after school watching TV or playing video games.