Ballet Images is hosting a live theater performance and instrument ‘petting zoo’ at Hahnville High School on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $11.50 for students and kids and $16.75 for adults.
Katelyn Fitts, artistic director of Ballet Images, said the performance of “Peter & the Wolf” introduces audiences to classical music in an engaging and story-driven way. Each character of the story – Peter, the Duck, the Cat and the Wolf – is represented by a different musical instrument.
Before the show and during intermission, audience members can interact with and touch the French horn, flute, violin and oboe in an “instrument petting zoo.”
“The idea really connects to something kids already understand – petting zoos,” Fitts said. “They know what it means to go up, explore and interact, so this is kind of like ‘petting’ their orchestral counterparts. It makes the experience feel familiar, fun and a lot more personal.”
Fitts said she wants residents to know that this performance is not just a ballet.
“It’s an experience,” she said. “It’s designed for families, for kids, for people who may have never stepped into a theater before. There’s something for everyone: storytelling, dancing, live music and even hands-on interaction.”
The decision to host the performance at Hahnville High School was an intentional one, Fitts said.
“We want to meet our community where they are and make the arts feel accessible, not something you have to travel far or pay a premium to experience,” she said. “It also gives us the opportunity to collaborate with local students and highlight the talent already in St. Charles Parish. It really becomes a community-centered event rather than just a performance.”
The studio’s “Peter & the Wolf” was choreographed by Susan Burke and first performed in 2014.
“It’s really special to be bringing it back,” Fitts said. “It’s one of those pieces that sticks with people – it’s fun, it’s clear and it draws you in from start to finish.”
The show features a mix of dancers who train regularly through the studio’s monthly education classes, along with open-cast performers and some returning dancers.
“It’s a really special combination because you have different levels of experience and a lot of heart coming together on one stage,” Fitts said. “There’s a strong sense of community behind it, and you can really feel that in the performance.”
Ballet Images opened its studio on Paul Maillard Road in 2025, after closing its school of dance on Apple Street in Norco and changing its name from River Region Ballet. The organization’s board said that maintenance issues, inflation and the effects of Hurricane Ida led to the school’s closure.
The new studio offers ballet classes, dance workshops, full-length ballet productions and community events. The studio is preparing summer camps and summer intensives for June 22 to June 26 and July 6 to July 9 and is planning a library performance on June 27.
Each year, the studio puts on a production of “The Nutcracker.”
“We’re focused on growing our programs, creating more performance opportunities, developing our 2026-2027 season, and continuing to make the arts accessible and meaningful for families in our area,” Fitts said. “There’s definitely more to come, including a few community outreach events.”
