courtesy of Shutterstock

When your town hasn't even reached the low side of middle aged, finding a cultural event that's over two decades old is too good to pass up. Here are two you don't want to miss.

Santa Clarita Ballet Company Celebrates 25th Anniversary with "Beatrix Potter" & "Hansel & Gretel"
Twenty-five years ago, the Santa Clarita Ballet Company was formed and debuted their most beloved ballet, "The Tales of Beatrix Potter." Over the years, SCBC has enriched local arts by presenting wonderful ballet performances such as "Cinderella," "A Midsummers Night's Dream," "Sleeping Beauty" and their annual "Nutcracker." Through rigorous training at the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy, SCBC dancers have been able to perform exquisite choreography alongside professional artists. Many SCBC alumni have earned their place within highly-regarded national dance programs on collegiate and professional levels all over the world, such as San Francisco Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Lines Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Washington DC Ballet and Grand Rapids Ballet just to name a few.

To celebrate their 25th anniversary, this June 8 the Santa Clarita Ballet will bring back "The Tales of Beatrix Potter: along with one of their original works for ballet, "Hansel and Gretel." There will be two shows at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons on June 8 - 2pm and 7:30pm.

"The Tales of Beatrix Potter" is a children's ballet inspired by the Royal Ballet version. SCBC will set their performance to same musical score as the original and will be narrated by an amazing English performer. There will be new, elaborate costuming including full masks for all major characters and of course the set is a darling backdrop to the cherished stories of Peter Rabbit, Flopsy Bunny, Jeremy Fisher, Jemima Puddle-duck and more.

"Hansel & Gretel" is new production for SCBC, complete with beautiful costumes and sets. This dramatic story will feature SCBC's beautiful, highly-accomplished upper-level company dancers. This work is set to the very recognizable "Hansel & Gretel" opera score by Engelbert Humperdinck.
Advance ticket purchase is recommended as shows will sell out. For ticket information and box office hours, call the Santa Clarita Ballet Company.
251-0366

College of the Canyons Art Gallery to Present 23rd Annual Student Art Exhibition
The College of the Canyons Art Gallery will present the 23rd Annual Student Art Exhibition, an eclectic collection of art work created by the college's talented student artists. The 23rd Annual Student Art Exhibition will run through Thursday, May 30.

The works on display will include drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, graphic design, animation, 2D and 3D design. "This exhibition is always a highlight of the Art Gallery's exhibition season," said Pamela Lewis, COC Art Gallery director. "I'm looking forward to celebrating our students' creativity and artistic achievements."

Some student art exhibition works become part of COC's permanent student art collection and are displayed at the college's Valencia and Canyon Country campuses. The annual showcase exhibition also acts as an educational and professional experience for students. Works are submitted for review and a guest juror selected from the greater Los Angeles arts community traditionally curates the exhibition.

This year's juror is Los Angeles artist Devon Tsuno. His abstract paintings and social practice projects are exhibited widely, and his work can be found in many public and private collections. It is Tsuno's mural "California Seedlings," that currently graces the exterior of the Art Gallery's Mentry Hall location. He received his MFA from Claremont Graduate University, BFA from CSU Long Beach and is currently an assistant professor of art and design at California State University Dominguez Hills.

The College of the Canyons Art Gallery is open 10am to 4pm Monday through Thursday. Those unable to visit the gallery during normal hours are welcome to contact the gallery to schedule a viewing appointment. All gallery exhibitions and related events are free and open to the public. canyons.edu