Ballet Ariel announces its season finale featuring, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, a new and original ballet based on the short story in Rudyard Kipling’s beloved classic Jungle Book. In a tropical, jungle setting and full of animals, this child-friendly ballet is a story of great courage and loyalty as the little mongoose Rikki stands in the face of grave danger from two slithering cobras Nag and Nagaina to protect his adopted family.

Director Ilena Norton, in collaboration with contemporary choreographer, Gregory Gonzales, is creating this spellbinding ballet to the melodic and rhythmic music of Alberto Ginastera, a leading Argentinian composer of the 20th century. Norton’s fluid and elegant style combined with Gonzales’ slightly edgy approach, results in an innovative and novel ballet the whole family will enjoy.

Ballet Ariel will also be performing La Fille Mal Gardee (The Misbehaving Daughter). Light and comedic, La Fille Mal Gardee is a charming “peasant style” ballet that audiences will find equally captivating. Oleg Dedogryuk and Patricia Renzetti will be staging the historic version of this two-act ballet using the original pastiche score of 1789, with Jennifer Kuhn and Alexandru Glusacov as the young couple in love and Oleg Dedogryuk as her domineering Mother.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and La Fille Mal Gardee will be performed April 29, 2017 at 7:00p.m. and April 30, 2017 at 2:00 p.m., at the Lakewood Cultural Center.

Tickets are $26 adults, $23 students/seniors, and $20 for children. Tickets can be purchased online at www.Lakewood.org/Tickets, by calling 303-987-7845 or at the Lakewood Cultural Center box office, 470 S. Allison Pkwy, Lakewood.