Ballet & BBQ fundraiser set for Oct. 20 at Livingston
The Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet is hosting an upcoming fundraising event, Ballet & Barre-BQ. Ballet & Barre-BQ, which organizers promise will be an afternoon of music, food and fun for the entire family on Sunday, October 20th from 4-6 p.m. at the Town of Livingston on the Square. The fundraising event will feature catering by The Pig & Pint, music by The Red Hots, Snow Cones from Snobiz, activities and games for the young and young at heart, and even a costume contest. To cap the day, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet senior, soloist, and principal company members will perform. This vibrant event promises to be an enchanting celebration of the arts, community, and the flavors of the south.
“The Barre-BQ is an event everyone in our dance family looks forward to each fall” says Mandy Woodward, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet’s guild president. “It gives the community a chance to see our company showcased in a fun, relaxed, family atmosphere. There is yummy food, drinks, games, music - truly something for everyone. So bring your chairs, blankets, family and friends, and enjoy an afternoon of fellowship and fun with us.”
Tickets for the event are $20 and include admission and a boxed barbecue plate featuring The Pig & Pint award-winning barbecue. You can purchase tickets at www.msmetroballet.com.
Music for the afternoon will be provided by The Red Hots, a laid-back folk and rock group from Jackson, sure to play some of your favorite tunes. “The kids are smiling big playing games and getting their faces painted, while we get to eat the very best BBQ and bananas foster I’ve ever had, listening to the classic rock songs we all love” says Ashlee Lutz, one of the guild’s event chairmen. “There’s something truly special about the way the arts—both the dancing and the music—bring people together,” says Executive Director Taylor Binkley.
Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet seniors, soloists, and principals will present "There It Is”, a precise and dynamic piece choreographed by award-winning choreographer, Kassandra Taylor Newberry. “This unique piece showcases the artistry, performance quality, and versatility of our company dancers,” says Artistic Director Jennifer Beasley. The company will also perform Pas de Trois des Odalisques from the classical ballet, “Le Corsaire”.
“This event serves a dual purpose-not only to provide attendees with a memorable evening but also to rally the community’s support for the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet,” says Jennifer Beasley. The contributions from this event will help sustain the ballet’s mission of inspiring, educating and enriching lives through the magic of dance. MMB’s 2024-25 season includes their 32nd annual production of “The Nutcracker” on December 14 and 15 and an original production of “Beauty and the Beast” on March 22 and 23, 2025. Both will be presented at Jackson Academy Performing Arts Center. Tickets for “The Nutcracker” are now available at
www.msmetroballet.com and also will be available at the Ballet & Barre-BQ event.
“Partnerships with The Pig & Pint and the Chapel at Livingston make this event possible,” says Woodward. “We are grateful for their support.”
Now in its 32nd season, Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet is a pre-professional, non-profit ballet company based in Madison. Members of the company are serious dance students selected through audition from students of Mississippi Metropolitan Dance Academy with locations in Madison and Brandon. For more information on the academy and the ballet company, visit www.msmetroballet.com.