Former MLB catcher Piazza starts rehearsals for role with Miami City Ballet

CP22946097
Former MLB baseball player Mike Piazza is fitted for his costume by Maria Morales for his role in "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" at the Miami City Ballet, as costume designer Haydee Morales, looks on at left, Tuesday, April 16, 2013, in Miami Beach, Fla. Piazza will play a gangster in the ballet on May 3. He will say a few lines and then watch the rest of the performance from a seat onstage. Piazza says his turn with the troupe is his gift to his 6-year-old daughter, a student at Miami City Ballet School. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Former Major League Baseball catcher Mike Piazza is joining Miami Heat basketball stars in promoting the athleticism of the dancers at Miami City Ballet.

Piazza began rehearsing Tuesday for his walk-on role in the company’s May 3 production of “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.” He also got fitted for the taupe houndstooth suit that he’ll wear as a gangster hired to shoot a dancer’s rival.

The Miami Beach dance company is embracing new collaborations as it emerges from a financial restructuring. Its dancers also have joined Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in an ad campaign promoting downtown Miami’s cultural scene.

Piazza says he’s excited to draw more attention to the dancers and to the correlation between sports and ballet.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles