First up on June 24-26, The Rite of Spring & other works continues their give back program by helping to raise funds for the WNC Aids Project. A tribute to artistic director Heather Maloy’s mentor, critically acclaimed choreographer Salvatore Aiello, this show features tried and true works by a master. Innovative and brilliant, Aiello’s contemporary version of the infamous work that caused audiences to riot at its Paris premiere, has drawn dancers from six companies across the country eager to participate in this landmark performance. His version of The Rite of Spring premiered in Asheville in 1993 at the opening of the Diana Wortham Theatre and has since been performed hundreds of times in theaters across the country. Maloy created Terpsicorps in part as a vehicle for Aiello’s work. To better understand why, join her and a panel of the original cast of his The Rite of Spring at An Evening with Aiello, at BoBo Gallery on June 20. This free of charge evening includes two short documentaries and a discussion with those who knew his work best, fifteen years after his passing.

This summer is also exciting because it marks the first season that former students of Heather Maloy’s at Center Stage Dance Studio will be acting as apprentices for the company and performing alongside the Terpsicorps dancers. Asheville’s own Emma Tilson, Kelsey Lee and Devon Kelley have gone on to study at UNC School of the Arts, the School of Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre and Florida State University, respectively, and are returning for their first performing opportunities with a professional company.

Specially for those who enjoy VIP treatment, Gala Night 2010 tickets are available for opening night of The Rite of Spring, granting patrons admission to a pre-show backstage tour complete with champagne, where they hear Maloy’s perspective on the show and witness dancers preparing for the performance. After watching the show in a specially reserved area, participants will be treated to an elegant reception at Sazerac, along with the dancers and other Terpsicorps supporters.

Save the date for Terpsicorps’ second summer offering The Dream Project, August 12-14, an evening of dance inspired by the subconscious thoughts of the Asheville community. A series of short works interpreting what goes on in the minds of your neighbors as they sleep, these dances will grant us a peek at the unbridled imaginations of those we see on the street everyday.

An Aiello Evening – June 20, 7:00 p.m., BoBo Gallery, 22 Lexington Avenue. Free of charge.

The Rite of Spring & other works – June 24-26, 8:00 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Place, Asheville, NC.
$32.50/27.50 students & seniors ($2 goes to support the WNC Aids Project). To purchase tickets, call 828-257-4530 or visit dwtheatre.com.

Gala Night 2010 – June 24, 7:00 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Place, Asheville, NC.
VIP tickets are $75. To purchase tickets, call 828-257-4530 or visit dwtheatre.com.

The Dream Project – August 12-14, 8:00 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Place, Asheville, NC.
$30/25 students & seniors. To purchase tickets, call 828-257-4530 or visit dwtheatre.com.