Company: 2007-2008 Prelude

It's 7 PM in Santa Barbara. The humidity must be well over 80 percent, and the warm temperature and sweating bodies are constant reminders of summer in full swing. At Gustafson Dance's studios, Ravel's Bolero starts pounding out its relentless rhythm as dancers scramble to the front of the dance floor for the second week of rehearsals preparing to kick off State Street Ballet's 2007-2008 season.

Gary McKenzie rehearses Dana Young in Rodney Gustafson's Bolero

In two days, on August 3rd, SSB performs its Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at its annual fall Redlands Bowl performance. On Sunday, August 5, SSB helps celebrate Santa Barbara's Fiesta week by performing Rodney Gustafson's Bolero at the Sunken Garden of the Santa Barbara Courthouse in the Fiesta finale, starting at 8 PM.

Two more weeks of rehearsal, and the dancers will be performing William Soleau's full-length Carmen at the Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood on August 17 at 8 PM. This new full-length Carmen will later make its Santa Barbara debut on October 19, opening SSB's home season.


Many dancers will be rehearsing two or three different parts set to completely different music, sometimes all in one night. The heat's sweltering. Rehearsals run late into the night, but everyone's glad to be back: friends are reunited, new dancers are welcomed, and the dances are coming together.

Gary McKenzie rehearses Leila Drake, Terez Dean, new apprentice Angela Rebelo, Alyson Mattoon, and Dana Young in Bolero

Be sure to join us for an exciting new season of State Street Ballet by subscribing to our performances. We have several exciting things in store for you this season, and this blog will be the first to let you know about them.