Summerlin to hold ballet under the stars within The Hills Park

Nevada Ballet Theatre, the state's only professional ballet troupe, will perform tonight at The Hills Park in the master-planned community with a fun, lively performance open to the general public that begins at 8 p.m.

This one-night-only performance, Ballet Under the Stars, is presented by The Howard Hughes Corp. and City National Bank. Co-sponsors include G.C. Wallace and Summerlin Hospital Medical Center.

The program will feature a variety of lighthearted performances of Balanchine excerpts and a special one-act ballet, "NKH." In addition to the company's professional dancers, some students from the academy will also perform.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. They can be purchased at the gate this evening beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Seating is general lawn seating only and attendees are encouraged to bring picnic blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets.

According to Bruce Steivel, artistic director of Nevada Ballet Theatre, this annual late summer production at The Hills Park is always a tremendous success thanks to the support of the Summerlin community, The Howard Hughes Corp. and businesses in the Summerlin area. This year, City National Bank, which will move into its new Summerlin office later this year, is one of the production's presenting sponsors.

"Best of all, community residents came out in droves. When we dance for a full audience, we dance with our whole heart," he said.

According to Kevin Orrock, executive vice president of The Howard Hughes Corp., Nevada Ballet Theatre moved to Summerlin in 1999 when it received a grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation to design and build a state-of-the-art dance facility to house the professional company, its student academy, administrative offices, costume workshop and scenery storage area.

"Summerlin is both privileged and honored to count Nevada Ballet Theatre as a resident," said Orrock. "We take pride in the fact that the state's only professional ballet troupe is a part of our community and a major contributor to our community's cultural offerings. Hundreds of Summerlin children and teens study dance at the Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre."

Summerlin began to take shape in 1990 and is a 22,500-acre master-planned community located along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley.

The community is currently home to more than 95,000 residents. With about 7,500 acres still to develop, including its urban core, Summerlin Centre, Summerlin is continuing to unfold.

Summerlin is home to more than 100 neighborhood and village parks, more than 150 completed miles of the Summerlin Trail System, nine golf courses, a dozen houses of worship, shopping centers and more than 100 actively selling floor plans.

Single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and lofts are available.

Prices range from the low $200,000s to more than $2 million. Custom home sites in The Ridges are priced from the $500,000s. Luxury apartment homes offer monthly rents starting from the low $1,000s.

For more information on Summerlin, visit summerlin.com or call 888-898-5015.