ROCK THE BALLET

Direct from New York and following on from sell out seasons in Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna and Frankfurt comes Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet starring the Bad Boys of Dance. Rock the Ballet is a fusion of classic Ballet technique blended with the excitement of musical theatre, hip hop, ballet, tap, contemporary, gymnastics and more.
Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet features a stellar soundtrack including some of the biggest hits from U2, Michael Jackson, Prince, Queen, Coldplay and Lenny Kravitz. Set against a backdrop of video projected scenery, the show is exciting, fun, fleshy, raunchy powerful, and brilliantly entertaining and as the New York Times wrote “Rasta Thomas has enormous talent and undeniable charisma”, “Excellent dancers”, “Crowd pleasing” – The New York Times
Rock the Ballet commences its national tour of Australia in Melbourne with performances following in Gold Coast, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin and Perth.
Founder, Director & Principal Dancer, Rasta Thomas describes Rock the Ballet as “It’s a new type of ballet for the 21st century and we are calling it Pop-Ballet”.
In 2007, Thomas founded Bad Boys of Dance and they debuted at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts. Then in 2008 Thomas went on to create Rock the Ballet and since then has taken the world by storm.
Versatile and gutsy, these talented performers stretch the bounds of dancing with athletic jumps, endless turns and endearing individuality. Featuring the sensational talents of six Bad Boys and one Pretty Girl, this show will surely get you on your feet and smiling.
Multi award winning Director and Principal Dancer, Rasta Thomas was, in 2001, the first American to become a member of the Kirov Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia and then in 2003 he joined Dance Theatre of Harlem. In 2005, Thomas starred on Broadway in Twyla Tharp’s hit musical, Movin’ Out. Thomas has danced some of the greatest roles ever created by Petipa, Balanchine, Robbins and more. He has been a principal dancer with over 20 professional companies including American Ballet Theater and Japan’s K-Ballet. He has performed at the Academy Awards, danced at the White House and made the film One Last Dance with Patrick Swayze.
The Rock the Ballet company includes the talents dance of New York Fringe Festival dancer, Michael Keefe, Robbie Nicholson from Broadway’s Music Man, award-winning choreographer and director, Adrienne Canterna-Thomas and So You Think You Can Dance US finalists, Karla Garcia, Jakob Karr, Kameron Bink and Kevin Mylrea.
“Rock the Ballet is a show that goes way beyond a normal dance company experience… I am amazed by our success…and I am so excited about introducing pop-ballet to Australian audiences!” said Rasta Thomas.
“The Bad Boys of Dance strive to free ballet from its prissy aura… The Bad Boys of dance… are proclaiming loud and clear that ballet is sexy,
spectacular, and yes, very masculine” The New Yorker
National Tour
JUNE – JULY 2010
www.rocktheballet.com.au