Naissance – Renaissance Ballet Collective’s Inaugural Performance

Naissance is a weekend of classical ballet performances featuring excerpts from Cavalry Halt and Harlequinade, choreographed by Marius Petipa, as well as selections from Walpurgisnacht from Charles Gounod’s opera Faust.

Cavalry Halt is a comedic one-act ballet set to music by Johann Armsheimer, portraying the playful mischief and flirtation that ensues when cavalry officers arrive in a quiet village. Harlequinade, set to Riccardo Drigo’s lively score, draws from Commedia dell’Arte and Venetian carnival traditions, blending wit, romance, and theatrical elegance. Walpurgisnacht is a fantastical ballet interlude inspired by German folklore’s witches’ sabbath, featuring music by Gounod and choreography in the tradition of Leonid Lavrovsky.

Performances will take place at The Pavilion at Grace in Providence, Rhode Island, on Friday, July 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 18 at 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Naissance marks the beginning of RBC’s inaugural summer season. RBC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ballet company founded in 2026 by Nina Yoshida-Webster, a professional ballet dancer with more than ten years of experience in the professional ballet community. She established RBC in Providence, Rhode Island, to preserve and continue the performance of classical story ballets for future generations.
Through its work, RBC seeks to revitalize classical ballet by emphasizing storytelling and emotional expression, making the art form accessible and engaging for audiences of all backgrounds, ages, and levels of experience.

“I hope Naissance and RBC will bring RI and New England audiences a much-needed dose of joy and light-heartedness this summer!” said Nina Yoshida-Webster, Founder and Artistic Director of Renaissance Ballet Collective.

Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a minimum contribution of $20 and can be purchased here:
https://www.renaissanceballetcollective.org/performances. For questions, please email renaissanceballetcollective@gmail.com