As part of the Summer Arts Festival, the Dance Council – Malta in collaboration with the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts will be presenting two varied performances by the Ballet D’Europe.

Mireille will be performed at the Opera House Ruins, Valletta on 4 August, while Mozart’s Requiem will be performed at the same venue on 5 August.

The Ballet D’Europe is a professional company made up of 18 dancers from around the world. It is also a specialised laboratory where the dance and the dancers construct and develop themselves. The cornerstone of this European project is the development of stable employment for the dancer.

The Dance Council – Malta was founded in 1995 by Tanya Bayona and 12 founder members on the initiative of Jean Robin, vice-president of the International Dance Council, UNESCO. It was officially inaugurated in 1997 at the Museum of Fine Art, Valletta.

The Dance Council has been very active in bringing together teachers, dancers and students from all artistic backgrounds in working together towards the common aim of preserving the Maltese national heritage and legacy of dance.

Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech announced details of the two performances at a press conference held at Le Meridien in Floriana.

Minister Zammit Dimech said the art of dance formed part of our culture. He said that dancing should be encouraged and for this reason the aim of the Dance Council to work towards a cultural policy that will incorporate an artistic education in dance in primary and secondary schools, opening up new venues for the profession on the island should be commended.

He said the art of dance in Malta was very popular and that proof of this popularity was the fact that there were over 25 dance schools. He said the collaboration of the Dance Council – Malta with the Ballet D’Europe will give local dance the added incentive of having distinguished star choreographers auditioning for the best dancers in our country.

“The performance of Mireille and Mozart Requiem at the Opera House Ruins in Valletta is meant to bring the art of dance closer to the Maltese public. These two performances are part of a wider variety of performances that are being organised at Freedom Square and the Opera House Ruins,” said Minister Zammit Dimech.