Bach to the Streets

Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn (CBT) students will perform BACH TO THE STREETS alongside professional dancers as part of Vanderbilt Avenue’s Open Street on Saturday, July 30, at 5pm, between Dean and Bergen Streets.

CBT’s choreographer and artistic director, Marla Hirokawa, created BACH TO THE STREETS in 2022. It premiered in CBT’s South Brooklyn community of Gravesend last spring. The program includes “Open Air” and “Gavotte,” both set to Bach’s ORCHESTRAL SUITE NO. 3 IN D MAJOR. This month, CBT brings BACH TO THE STREETS to Prospect Heights, adding jazz, modern and contemporary works to the program, as well as Renaissance dance staged by CBT faculty. Audience members can participate in a guided ballet warm-up and perform in select works with the dancers.

Now in its third year of operations, Vanderbilt Open Street is the only volunteer-run program of its kind in Brooklyn and one of the most visible in NYC. The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council sponsors the Open Street program and has designed an attractive and safe environment for thousands of visitors. Today, more than 20 restaurants on Vanderbilt Avenue help fund the Open Street program; additional funding is provided by the City of New York, community members, local businesses and corporate sponsors.

Since 1987, CBT has invested in the children and families of south Brooklyn, where cultural activities and resources are limited. Artistic Director Marla Hirokawa founded CBT on the conviction that a serious ballet education is needed to advance the art form, train youth, and improve the lives of those within its embrace. In an accepting yet rigorous environment, CBT fosters the love of dance through pre-professional training, educational programs in NYC schools, and original ballet productions.

CBT’s BACH TO THE STREETS has received generous support from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and from Investors Bank.

Photo by Jaime Gamez