2006 will be the 30^th year that the City of Akron has supported free ballet performances in the summer for area residents. "This has become a tradition for Akron area families," said Mayor Don Plusquellic. "It's one more way among many that Akron supports the arts."

The City of Akron began sponsoring outdoor performances of Ohio Ballet in 1977 at Cascade Plaza. For 25 years, the performances have been in neighborhood parks. Since 1977, the city has provided $1.6 million in support of the free summer Ohio Ballet performances.

"I'm not aware of any city in the United States that provides such support for the dance," said Jeffrey Graham Hughes, Artistic Director of the Ohio Ballet. "We have enjoyed a tremendous relationship with the city of Akron, and Mayor Plusquellic has always given us great support."

Ohio Ballet will perform outdoors, one program of five ballets, on three weekends as follows*:

• Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22, at Hardesty Park
• Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29, at Firestone Park
• Friday, August 4, and Saturday, August 5, at Goodyear Metropolitan Park

*All performances begin at 8:45pm

Ohio Ballet will use 11 of its dancers to perform "Capture," choreographed by Jacques Heim of the Diavolo Dance theater of Los Angeles; "Bossa Nova," choreographed by Leslie Cook of Los Angeles; a pas de deux, "Pygmalion and Galatea," choreographed by Jeffrey Graham Hughes, and a new ballet set on the company by Hughes this summer to the music of Bach.

Dancers for this year's festival include Alicia Pitts, Damien Highfield, Grant Dettling, Eric Carville, Will Hoppe, Toby George, Oren Porterfield, Kristin Knapp, Katie Keith, Anna Kirker, and Andrea Blankstein.

Also returning for the summer performances are lighting designer Dennis Dugan, stage manager Rachael Sauber, Ballet Mistress Pamela Reyman, Music Director David Fisher, wardrobe mistress Janet Bolick, and Technical Director Julie Sumy.

"We have a great cast of dancers and an experienced staff," said Hughes. "We're all looking forward to returning to the summer stage and providing some quality entertainment and fun."

Ohio Ballet is supported by the University of Akron, which continues to provide facilities for rehearsal to the company and additional support. Underwriting for the 2006 summer performances is also being provided by the Akron Community Foundation, the John S. And James L. Knight Foundation, the GAR Foundation, and the Howland Memorial Fund. Individual gifts from Francia and Fred Albrecht and Meg Stanton- Harris also have assisted in underwriting costs for the free shows.