The much loved classical ballet Sleeping Beauty waltzes into town on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m. when Ballet Jörgen visits the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.

After bringing both Swan Lake (2013) and Romeo and Juliet (2014) to Vernon; Ballet Jörgen now rounds out Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet trio with Sleeping Beauty. Artistic director and choreographer Bengt Jörgen creates his own unique classical ballet rendition of Aurora and her prince complete with its inherently magical qualities and dazzling choreography.

This fairytale of the beautiful princess who sleeps for a hundred years, only able to be woken by true love’s kiss, is one that many have grown up with. Sleeping Beauty was first presented in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1890, and today is the crown jewel in the tiara of classical ballet.

“It is Tchaikovsky’s most remarkable and riveting tale,” says Jörgen.

The underlying theme is the tug between the forces of good (the Lilac Fairy) and evil (Carabosse). Told in three acts, the ballet benefits from the character development and technical expertise for which Canada's Ballet Jörgen is known.

Bengt Jörgen has seamlessly woven iconic French and German versions of the beloved fairytale together to create a new ballet with a refreshing focus on the seasons. “The original version was created in Russia, it was created to reflect the glorification of the Russian court,” explains Jörgen. “Strip away the autocratic Russian setting, but keep the grandeur of the lush French court and the setting becomes the proverbial Garden of Eden.”

Celebrating 25 years of advancing the art and appreciation of ballet in Canada, Ballet Jörgen Canada aims to inspire, innovate, and educate.

After amazing audience responses to their past sold out appearances in Vernon, the company is proud to present 22 talented dancers for their performance of Sleeping Beauty. Local dance students will also have their chance to take on small cameo roles.

Many of Ballet Jörgen’s original ballets have earned national and international recognition launching Ballet Jörgen to the forefront of the North American dance scene. The fifth largest ballet company in Canada, Ballet Jörgen is known as Canada’s ‘local’ ballet company, and they are committed to reaching out to over 50,000 Canadian audience members every year.

“Audiences need to see this once in a life time opportunity work,” Jörgen explains; “This fairytale is profound, with strong archetypal scenes that have sustained it through the generations. It truly is the gold standard of ballet.”

Tickets for Sleeping Beauty are $45 for adults, $42 for seniors and $40 for students and can be purchased now through the Ticket Seller Box Office by calling 549-SHOW (7469) or online at www.ticketseller.ca.