08.02.11 at 10:33 a.m.
Maura Hughes

A Change of Season

It has been a busy couple of weeks for the Houston Ballet. They're gearing up for a brand new season full of all the things you want from the ballet – beautiful music, enchanting choreography, glittering costume and a little bit of magic.

This season will feature the classic ballets such as Giselle, the Nutcracker, Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet. The season will also introduce world premieres from Nicolo Fonte and Stanton Welsh.

And is there anyone out there who might not be a huge ballet fan? (I know, gasp!?) Well if so, then you might want to look into seeing Rock, Roll & Tutus, which will debut in March. This fast-paced contemporary ballet is set to eight classic tracks by the one and only, Rolling Stones. What? You thought ballet was slow and classical? C’mon now, this is Houston. We do things our own way.

Tickets for single shows are on sale now! You can order by phone or online. Just visit the Houston Ballet’s website. And trust me; you’re not going to want to miss out. There are some big changes in store for the ballet and I have a feeling this is going to be one heck of a season.

Oh and if you’re sitting there reading this saying, "Changes? What changes?", let me fill you in.

A few weeks ago, the wonderful CC Connor, announced his retirement after 17 years with the ballet. As managing director, Connor has been a force of nature during his tenure. He navigated financial issues of the Ballet early on, ending a deficit of one million dollars, operating on balanced budget for the past 12 years and tripling the non-profit’s endowment to roughly over 50 million. He adeptly handled artistic changes in 2003 when Stanton Welsh took over for original artistic director, Ben Stevenson. And, perhaps his greatest achievement was the construction of the downtown Houston Ballet Center for Dance, a five year, $47-million project that opened this spring.

Connor will continue with his duties until February 2012. He will also be working closely with his replacement, James Nelson, the company’s current general manager. Connor will continue to help with fundraising for the ballet and plans to spend his retirement travelling. On December 2^nd, Connor’s accomplishments will be honored during the ballet’s Jubilee of Dance performance.

The Houston Ballet has grown from one of the hidden treasures of this town to a nationally acclaimed company that has collaborated with other major national companies and toured all over the world. The ballet has become a window into our city, opening the eyes of many fans to the Houston theater scene. Mr. Connor’s efforts and work played a large role in that growth and his legacy will live on long after he has left the stage. The Houston Ballet, the Theater District and Houston will miss him greatly. I wish him only the best of luck in the future.

So come out to a show this season. Let’s show Mr. Connor just how beloved he is and let’s show Mr. Nelson that we’ll love him too.

I’ve already got the dates for the Nutcracker, Jubilee of Dance, Cinderella and Rock, Roll & Tutus penciled in on my calendar. So let me ask you, what ballet will you be at?

And, do you have any well wishes for Mr. Connor?

CC Connor, Houston Ballet