Travel Advisory: Friday, May 21, 8 p.m. through the weekend, I-30 west-bound between I-40 and Broadway Street will be closed. From I-40 eastbound, take exit 153 and turn right on JFK to downtown. From I-40 westbound, take exit 153A, turn left on JFK to downtown.

The second weekend of Ballet Arkansas Presents Live at the Plaza, featuring free recreational classes and performances, will be Friday, May 21 – Sunday, May 23, at Argenta Plaza at 510 Main Street in North Little Rock. The events are sponsored by North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of North Little Rock, First Orion, ACANSA Arts Festival of the South, Taggart Architects, Fit 2 Live and Argenta Downtown Council.

“Over the course of the first weekend of performances, we were pleased to entertain nearly 600 attendees from diverse populations, including 50 participants in our morning classes at the Argenta Plaza,” said Michael Fothergill, Ballet Arkansas’s Executive and Artistic Director. “We anticipate the momentum to continue through the second weekend, if not accelerate, and are thrilled to bring our programming to new audiences that may not have experienced the power and beauty of a Ballet Arkansas performance before.”

“Ballet Arkansas has been a joy to work with and seeing the events come to life has been incredible,” said Karen Trevino, President & CEO of the North Little Rock CVB. “We love being able to provide opportunities for locals and visitors to experience North Little Rock’s amazing performing arts scene; with the addition of outdoor dining and live music on Main Street, we anticipate an even more festive atmosphere for the next weekend of Live at the Plaza.”

Schedule updates of note from the first weekend include the addition of a Friday, May 21, 11:30 a.m. performance; morning recreational classes 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. Monday, May 17 – Thursday, May 20, and a new “Dancing with Dogs” class scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 22.

Ballet Arkansas live performances will feature excerpts from the classical “Raymonda” suite, Paul Tillman’s “Echo”, Matthew Larson’s “Satie”, and a new work by Yoshito Sakuraba. The finale of each performance will be “Water Work,” a new work choreographed by Deanna Stanton featuring the Argenta Plaza water wall. All performances are free and open to the public. Attendees may bring their own lawn chairs.

Morning recreational classes, sponsored by ACANSA Arts Festival of the South, include Pilates at the Plaza, Stretch & Strengthen, Jazz at the Plaza, Ballet on the Grounds, Rise & Shine Silver and Unbound: Improvisational Motion for Well-being. Ballet Arkansas has also added a Dancing with Dogs class, perfect for families and their furry friends. All classes are free and open to all ages and abilities. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats and bottled water as needed.

For class descriptions and program details, visit www.BalletArkansas.org/plaza. Arkansas Department of Health guidelines will be enforced for a safe learning and viewing experience. Attendees will be asked to practice social-distancing and wear masks when closer than six feet. Dancers will be masked and will maintain appropriate distance from audience members.