Last season marked the return of a MADCO classic: The MADcracker! We are bringing it back for 2024-2025. The gala includes reprised and reimagined excerpts of the parodic ballet for MADCO’s second annual MADcracker Gala. Patrons will have the chance to celebrate the spirit of the season, support the company, and see excerpts of an old MADCO fan-favorite brought back to life! Lovers of dance are welcome to join us in their best holiday party attire for the first annual MADcracker Gala - an annual holiday fundraising gala.

Patrons can expect an evening of fundraising and holiday cheer. Guests will enjoy a silent auction, food and open bar, as well as experience reimagined excerpts of MADCO's original MADcracker!

FALL FÊTE: Angels & Demons | Oct. 26th, 2024 | Touhill at UMSL in the Lee Theater | This elegant evening fundraiser explores one of human kind’s most prevailing fascinations; the afterlife. Featuring a brand-new work by Artistic Director Robert Poe, Ballet 314 also welcomes for the first time ever, guest choreographers, Kristopher Estes-Brown and William Smith.

A progressive dining and dance showcase event, featuring intimate dance vignettes from the 23/24 Becoming Season’s repertoire throughout the Grand Center arts district. Each performance is paired with curated eats and cocktails by David Kirkland Catering, giving each audience member an incredibly immersive experience and the chance to see the Walls off Washington mural exhibit, curated by Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

This year’s 2024 Space Station Dance Residency Fundraising Event features “Cloven III,” an evening-length work by Jacob Henss in collaboration with Betsy Brandt. This duet, performed by both creators, is the third installment of an exploration of the rural relationship between farmer and bovine as a lens for personal reflection. The dairy cow is a site of industrialized sexuality and consumption, and the “Cloven” trilogy is an ode to this overlooked yet ubiquitous animal, symbol, and food source. This eccentric choreographic work lives at the intersections of experimental theater, contemporary dance, burlesque, and performance art. Its St. Louis debut will be followed by a series of performances throughout the Midwest this spring.

COCA Pre-Professional Division students in Ballet Eclectica will attend Regional Dance America’s (RDA) National Festival in Daytona Beach, Florida, this April. The festival is attended by the top pre-professional ballet companies nationwide. To reach their ambitious fundraising goal, Ballet Eclectica is hosting the Ballet Ball Luncheon on February 3 from 3:00–5:00PM. Tickets are on sale for $35 per person, and ticket price includes drinks and lunch. The Ballet Ball Luncheon will feature performances by Ballet Eclectica, showcasing new works for the festival and Triumphant, and a silent auction. The silent auction begins at 2:00PM in the Centene Commons. The dress code is casual chic. All proceeds will support Ballet Eclectica’s attendance at the festival.