There was good news for Columbus Dance Theatre on the eve of its 18th season. The Columbus, Ohio-based troupe was awarded the Greater Columbus Arts Council's 2015 award for Artistic Excellence for organizations with budgets less than $1 million for their encore production of Claudel (2014) at the Lincoln Theatre last February.

CDT’s new 2015-2016 season entitled Murder, Movement, Music and More will be a mix of repertory favorites and brand new productions including the world-premieres of artistic director Tim Veach’s Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet Prism.

Here’s a look:

Dancers Making Dances – October 23-24, 015 @ Fisher Theatre

The season kicks off with the return of Dancers Making Dances, where eight of CDT’s eleven company dancers take a turn at choreographing works on each other. On tap are new creations by Christian Broomhall, Erika Junod, Jaime Kotrba, Terrence Meadows, Chloe Mellblom, Alex Napoli, Stefani Repola and Seth Wilson.

Matchgirl – December 11-12, 2015 @ Lincoln Theatre

CDT's beloved holiday classic Matchgirl returns for its 16th anniversary year, this season performed for the first time at Columbus’ Lincoln Theatre. The 90-minute family-friendly production based on Hans Christian Anderson’s short story “The Little Match Girl,” tells the tale of dying child's hopes and dreams that are sadly dashed on earth but realized in the afterlife. Structured like that of a romantic ballet, act one, set to music by Aaron Copland, follows Anderson’s tale of the girl in her village and act two is Veach’s envisioning of her afterlife danced to John Rutter’s “Magnificat.” Some 70 students from The School of Columbus Dance Theatre and CDT’s company dancers will be accompanied by orchestra and chorus conducted by Ohio Wesleyan University’s Associate Professor of Music Jason Hiester for this heartwarming production.

V2 – March 4-5, 2016 @ Fisher Theatre

Father and son unite in V2, featuring dance works by and for CDT artistic director Tim Veach and son Judson, a former School of Columbus Dance Theatre student now a principal dancer with Nashville Ballet. “It’s a collaboration for father and son that I don’t think happens all that often in dance,” says the elder Veach. The father-son team will be joined by CDT resident musical ensemble Carpe Diem String Quartet as Judson reprises the solo “His Own Skin,” choreographed for him by Tim in 2012. Judson then creates for Tim what he refers to as a new “age appropriate” solo for him. Also on the program will be repertory works by Tim and a new group piece by Judson for CDT’s company dancers.

Hamlet Prism [World Premiere] – April 8-9, 2016 @ Fisher Theatre

This new dance work based on the Shakespeare classic "Hamlet" features a gritty, urban landscape in which Tim Veach, as the voice of Hamlet, wife and actress Christina Kirk, as the voice of the play’s other characters, CDT’s dancers and the Carpe Diem String Quartet bring to life this iconic tale in a way never seen before. Set to an original soundscape by composer Korine Fujiwara, the work follows in the footsteps of CDT’s other recent collaborative dance-theater successes, Cleopatra and Claudel.

Romeo & Juliet [World Premiere] – May 20-21, 2016 @ Capitol Theatre

Shakespeare’s timeless tale of two star-crossed lovers is retold in a new evening-length ballet choreographed by Tim Veach. Says Veach: “It will be a fairly traditional take on the 'Romeo & Juliet' story." The production will feature guest dancer Judson Veach as Romeo, some 90 students from The School of Columbus Dance Theatre, CDT’s company dancers, other guest dancers and a full orchestra under the baton of maestro Jason Hiester. “We have dancers of tremendous technical ability who also bring a great depth of theatrical capability,” says Veach. “It feels like the right moment for us (CDT) to take on the fullness of such a production.”

Columbus Dance Theatre
Murder, Movement, Music and More

Season Tickets: $125 –Adult, $100 - Senior (60 and up), $65 – Student
Individual Tickets: $30 – Adult, $25 - Senior (60 and up), $15 – Student

For more information visit columbusdancetheatre.com or call (614) 849-0227.

CDT's Elena Keeny and Stefani Repola. Photo © & courtesy of Wes Kroninger

CDT dancers Christian Broomhall and Kerri Riccardi. Photo © & courtesy of Wes Kroninger