The romantic and timeless tale of a magical kiss and the beloved story of Princess Aurora, her handsome prince, and the evil Carabosse. A quintessential classical ballet inspired by the fairy tale of true love’s kiss and the triumph of good over evil presented at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater.
Sleeping Beauty Synopsis
“The Washington Ballet awakens with a lavish, triumphant ‘Sleeping Beauty’ one beautifully detailed scene after another, masses of sumptuous costumes and a breakout, starmaking showcase for dazzling new Company member Katherine Barkman. It is every bit the show of refinement it was destined to be.”
Cast

Princess Aurora
Eun Won Lee from Korea is in her third season with The Washington Ballet. She was formerly a Principal dancer with Korean National Ballet for six years and received her …

Princess Aurora
Born in Kanagawa, Japan, Maki enters her 18th season with The Washington Ballet after one season with The Studio Company. Before joining TWB, she danced and studied with Goh Ballet …

Princess Aurora
Ayano Kimura of Japan, is in 13th season with The Washington Ballet and sixth year teaching at The Washington School of Ballet. Kimura, born in Germany, went on a short-term …

Prince Desire
Andile Ndlovu of Johannesburg, South Africa, is in his ninth season with The Washington Ballet, after dancing one season with TWB’s Studio Company. Ndlovu began his training in Latin American …

Prince Desire
Ariel Martínez began his ballet studies at School of Ballet Alejo Carpentier and continued his education at Fernando Alonso National Ballet School, associated with Ballet Nacional de Cuba. His instructors included Dunia Vera, Verónica Muxó, Normaria Olaechea, and Elena Cangas. He has competed in Italy, South Africa, Mexico, and Cuba, obtaining awards in many of these events, including a silver medal in the contest of the International Meeting of Academies for the Teaching of Ballet in 2014 and a gold medal for contemporary ballet performing Innovation in South Africa in 2016. In 2014 he became a company member of Ballet Nacional de Cuba, becoming a first soloist in 2016. He performed in the world premiere of Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa’s Oscurio, as well as her ballet Celeste. His repertoire includes Giselle, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Coppélia, and other other ballets by noteable Cuban choreographers. Martínez is now a company member of The Washington Ballet.
Ariel Martinez is sponsored by The Honorable Ann Brown.
Photo by XMB Photography.