Oregon Ballet Theatre 2 (OBT2) is a group of 9 talented students from School of Oregon Ballet Theatre, who are on the fast track toward becoming professional dancers. These young performers share the stage with the dancers of Oregon Ballet Theatre in their large productions as well as dancing in their own shows. The OBT2 Program not only prepares dancers for a career in dance, it also allows Oregon Ballet Theatre to reach out into our community by bringing a high quality of classical and contemporary ballet to smaller venues such as schools, libraries and senior facilities. By doing this, we hope to inspire more people to enjoy our beautiful art form.

OBT2 Program Director, Lisa Sundstrom, a native Oregonian and former ballerina with American Ballet Theatre and Pennsylvania Ballet, will be presenting the dancers in these pieces:

The Sleeping Beauty Wedding Pas de Duex – by the most influential choreographer of the 19th Century, Marius Petipa. Set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, this is classical ballet at its purest – a dance performed the world over by some of the most celebrated dancers in history.

Within – a new OBT2 Premiere, choreographed by former OBT Principal Dancer, Alison Roper. The ballet is set to classical contemporary music by Ludovico Einaudi and Yann Tiersen.

Crush Pas de Deux – also by Alison Roper, to music by Brian Crane. Inspired by the energy and youth of the OBT2 dancers, Ms. Roper created this dance to celebrate OBT2’s premiere 2015/16 Season. It is about a young couple learning about real love.

Flower Festival Pas de Deux – a charming and flirtatious dance for two, choreographed in 1858, by the great Danish choreographer, Auguste Bournonville. It is often performed by ballet companies at galas and by contestants at international

About Noontime Showcase

Portland’5 Centers for the Arts presents Noontime Showcase, bite sized entertainment for you to squeeze into your lunch hour! These FREE monthly performances will feature some of Portland’s most popular acts. Noontime Showcase is presented by the volunteers of Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, whose goal is to make the performing arts accessible to everyone in Portland. Each season over 1,000 people attended the FREE monthly performances.

Noontime Showcase performances take place in the Antoinete Hatfield Hall rotunda, located at 1111 SW Broadway Ave in downtown Portland, Oregon.