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Imagine this: You unfurl a picnic blanket onto a carpet of warm grass. The sharp heat of the day fades as the sky softens into pinks and shadows grow long toward golden hour. A soothing soundtrack of chirping crickets, leaves whispering in a soft breeze, and giggling children plays in the background as you recline, a glass of wine in hand, and watch a ballet performance on an amphitheater stage. This is more than just a thought experiment to help you look forward to a perfect summer evening. You can experience it—for free. Ballet Des Moines (BDM) is taking its summer STEM tour to five cities across the state in early June and invites you to participate in a sure-to-be ethereal—and educational—experience.
This year, BDM’s Summer STEM tour is built around the theme See the Music. “From coding and choreography to sound waves and virtual reality, this year’s tour explores how we can ‘see the music’ and visualize the invisible,” marketing director Jami Milne says. An hour or so before professional company dancers take the stage in each location, tour sponsors host booths with free activities for families, children, and adults. Iowa PBS, Science Center of Iowa, NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium, 4-H, ISU’s FLeX Lab, and Pi515 and local partner organizations will offer accessible, hands-on activities such as testing your skills at a straw rocket launcher, VR headsets, choreography and coding, and take-home art projects. “We hope audiences will join us to experience what happens when you approach a concept from a creative and unexpected direction,” Milne says.
Mixing science with dance might be unexpected for audiences, but the experience is one they will want to create again and again. “Every event is outdoors, open to the public, and free of charge. In most locations you can bring a chair or blanket and picnic from home or purchase food and drinks from food trucks.” The performance will showcase excerpts from BDM’s 2024-2025 season See the Music, which includes world-premiere choreographic works of both contemporary ballets and classical love stories.
Don’t miss Ballet Des Moines’ summer STEM tour:
- Dubuque Alliant Energy Amphitheater, Sunday, June 1
- Waterloo RiverLoop Amphitheatre & Expo Plaza, Wednesday, June 4
- Malvern Downtown, Saturday, June 7
- Des Moines Water Works Park, Thursday, June 12
- Cedar Rapids Brucemore, Saturday, June 14
In Des Moines, the performance will take place at Lauridsen Amphitheatre in Water Works Park. “As mentioned, the night is free for the public to bring their picnics and blankets for the expansive lawn, but you can level up your involvement with a VIP experience,” Milne says. A VIP package secures exclusive front-row seats and guests will sip on a Winefest sparkling wine flight while enjoying a picnic dinner by Tangerine. After the show. VIP ticket holders are invited to join the artists of BDM at an exclusive reception. “The STEM events are each rich in their own uniqueness. Kids are running around, kites are flying, and the final performance takes place after sunset, so it’s beautifully lit,” Milne says. “It’s the most beautiful summer night, always.”
> CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BALLET DES MOINES
655 Walnut Street | Des Moines, IA 50309 | www.balletdesmoines.org
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