The rendition of Tchaikovsky’s ballet by Chiara Ajkun performed by the Ajkun Ballet Theatre is offered in August 2023 by The Face To Face and the Theater Experience in partnership with SecretNYC and is completed by an after show meet-and-greet the dancers.

Chiara Ajkun is an Italian American choreographer, formerly a principal ballet dancer, and the artistic director of the Ajkun Ballet Theatre. Chiara ’s rendering of timeless classics are one act versions reenergizing iconic ballets into more dynamic works with centerstage the richness of the choreography, the fascinating music, and the elegant lines of the dancers. www.ajkunbt.org/chiara-ajkun

Based on Charles Perrault’s fairy tale “The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood” (1697), the ballet The Sleeping Beauty premiered in 1890 at the Mariinksy Theater with a strong French flavor, choreographed by Marius Petipa to music by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky. In the world of fairies and illuminating vignettes borrowed from other tales, Princess Aurora is cursed to sleep by the malevolent Carabosse (AKA Maleficent) and awakened after 100 years by the pure love of Prince Désiré.

The Ajkun Ballet Company presents Classics and Contemporary ballets performed for thousands of people in theaters of four continents and millions in televised and online platforms. The company is operated by the nonprofit Ajkun Ballet Theatre, also supporting the activities of the fund for performing artists and arts education for the community.