[NEohioPAL] Canton Ballet Opens Fall Season with One Stage, Two Legacies and Canton Symphony Collaboration on Peter and the Wolf

[Ballet Excel Ohio Road]

CANTON, Ohio — September 16, 2025 — Canton Ballet will open its 2025–26
season with two milestone performances that showcase the strength of
collaboration and the legacy of the arts in Northeast Ohio.

The season begins Sunday, September 28, at 4:30 p.m. at Gervasi Vineyard
with One Stage, Two Legacies, presented in partnership with Ballet Excel
Ohio. Based in Cuyahoga Falls and celebrating its 50th anniversary this
year, Ballet Excel Ohio is a youth ballet company under the direction of
Artistic Director Mia Klinger. This one-hour performance will feature both
Ballet Excel Ohio and Canton Ballet dancers, highlighting the shared
artistry, discipline, and creativity of the region’s young performers.

The season continues with the public performance of Peter and the Wolf on
Saturday, October 11, at 1 p.m. at Umstattd Performing Arts Hall. The
30-minute production will be performed by Canton Ballet dancers with live
accompaniment from the Canton Symphony Orchestra, bringing Prokofiev’s
timeless tale to life for audiences of all ages.

This year’s Peter and the Wolf will feature newly designed costumes made
possible through the generosity of The Hoover Foundation. Since its debut
with Canton Ballet in 1978, Peter and the Wolf has been experienced by more
than 150,000 schoolchildren across Stark County—many of them seeing live
theater for the first time through this beloved work.

“Launching our anniversary season with these partnerships underscores how
collaboration strengthens the arts,” said Jennifer Catazaro Hayward,
executive artistic director of Canton Ballet. “One Stage, Two Legacies
celebrates the bright future of dance with Ballet Excel Ohio’s remarkable
young artists, while Peter and the Wolf continues our mission to inspire
the next generation of audiences through live music and dance.”

Mia Klinger, artistic director of Ballet Excel Ohio, added: “For 50 years,
Ballet Excel Ohio has given young dancers the chance to perform at a
professional level. Partnering with Canton Ballet at Gervasi is a
meaningful way to celebrate that history while looking ahead to the future.
Together, our dancers will share the stage, building connections that will
last long after the curtain falls.”

Tickets for One Stage, Two Legacies and Peter and the Wolf are available
through Canton Ballet at www.cantonballet.com or by calling 330-455-7220..

Canton Ballet’s 2025-26 performance season and education programs are
supported by Arts in Stark, Ohio Arts Council, George H. Deuble Foundation,
Hoover Foundation, Henry and Louise Timken Foundation, Krugliak, Wilkens,
Griffiths, Dougherty Co., LPA, GreenLines Transportation, Kempthorn Motors,
Visit Canton, William L. and Sharon K. Luntz Family Philanthropic Fund,
Employer’s Health, Stark Community Foundation, Arthur P. Underhill and
Martha Q. Underhill Charitable Fund, Fred Marion in memory of Dave Sherrod,
Downtown Canton Partnership.

Ballet Excel Ohio’s 2025-26 season is supported by Acme Fresh Market, Akron
Community Foundation, ArtsNow -Arts Forward, Cantine-Nora Family Fund,
Noble Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, Peg's Foundation, Pouttu Family Fund,
Read Family Fund, Welty Family Foundation.


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About Canton Ballet

Canton Ballet has fostered an appreciation of the art of dance throughout
the region for 60 years. Under the direction of Jennifer Catazaro Hayward,
the Ballet is regarded as one of the most admired pre-professional dance
companies in Ohio, nurturing talent and artistic excellence. Its School
provides the highest quality of instruction for all ages and skill levels,
from toddlers to adults, inspiring a lifelong love of dance and providing a
strong foundation for future professional dancers.

About Ballet Excel Ohio

Ballet Excel Ohio is proudly celebrating 50 years of transforming lives
through the power of dance. Since 1975, this vibrant nonprofit youth ballet
company has trained thousands of young artists, brought dance education
into schools across Northeast Ohio through its Reach Out And Dance®
program, and made the arts accessible to all through scholarships and free
ticket initiatives. As the longest-running youth ballet production at the
historic Akron Civic Theatre, Ballet Excel Ohio continues to honor its
legacy while stepping boldly into the future.



-- 
Jessica Thomas
ROAD® Administrator
Reach Out and Dance®
(330) 822-4BXO

Click HERE <https://balletexcelohio.org/performances/> for information on
our upcoming performances.
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