Chris James/Pioneer
Jaimi Cullen dances center stage with the Tulsa Ballet II in OCCC’s Bruce Owen Theater on April 17. The Tulsa Ballet II visit was part of the Cultural Arts Series this semester. The series featured a total of twelve events, eight scheduled and four special.

From the thrilling performance of “Don Quixote” to a subtle, graceful “Romeo and Juliet,” the Tulsa Ballet II had it all as they performed in the Bruce Owen Theater on April 17.

Tuesday night’s performance was upbeat yet peaceful at the same time.

The ballet company brought 14 young professional dancers who performed four different pieces, “Don Quixote Suite,” “Blue Velvet,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and “Folia.” Each offered something different to the audience.

The twirling skirts of the ladies and strong, bull fighting men were intriguing to watch in “Don Quixote” as the costumes attracted the audience’s eye. Women attired in red and orange patterned skirts and men dressed in tight knee breeches and black cape-like blazers created quite a spectacle.

In contrast to the high energy of “Don Quixote,” “Romeo and Juliet” provided a softer touch to the program. The young girl and boy, who meet and fall passionately in love, end the performance with a romantic kiss.

“Blue Velvet” was performed by a quartet of female dancers who incorporated neo-classical choreography into a modern piece. It was a light-hearted dance that flowed with their elaborate black-and-white dresses.

Finally, Tulsa Ballet II ended with a piece called “Folia” that was actually choreographed to be used to celebrate Tulsa Ballet’s 50th Anniversary. The complicated performance required five couples.

The music started out very slowly with a Renaissance sound. Throughout the piece it picked up with a more vibrant feel that turned into a modern dance. The whole performance made great use of leaps, turns, pirouettes and more.

Tulsa Ballet II is a essentially a link between the Tulsa Ballet of professional dancers and those aspiring young dancers who are making their way to the professional level, according to the Tulsa Ballet II Dance Diversified program.

The Tulsa Ballet School is a professional company that teaches young men and women technique and skills to make them more talented dancers, according to the informational biography in the pamphlet.

They are a professional program, which means they pay the dancers and offer them different performances to participate in throughout their time there.

Carlton Thompson, a freshman at OCCC, said he enjoyed the show.

“I appreciated the uniqueness of ‘Blue Velvet’ and the elegance of all the colors and the art form.”

To contact Meredith Hudson, email onlineeditor@occc.edu.