What do you get when you combine the grace of ballet with passionate rock, dance and Broadway? Vortex presented by A.V.A Ballet Theatre. 

For just two nights, July 23 and 24 at the Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater, a cast of extremely talented performers from Reno and guest artists from Ballet West perform demanding and passionate movement inspired by the dynamic force of music.   

Artistic director Alexander Van Alstyne has choreographed an exciting contemporary ballet that’s like no other.Ballerinas perform grande jetés to music by popular rock artists all with exciting props and sets to create a visual spectacle not to be missed. 

Tickets are $15 and $20 for adults.  Students with I.D are only $10.  VIP tickets are also available for $40 and include wine, beer and hors d’oevres.  Gates for both shows open at 7:30 p.m. for picnicking and the VIP party and the performance begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online by calling 775-762-5165 or at the Bartley Ranch box office the night of both shows.

Wearable art is one of the unique elements incorporated into Artown in 2010. Fiber, Paint and Pearls showcases just that July 24, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and July 25 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The exhibit and sale, featuring four local artists, takes place at the Bartley Ranch Brick House in south Reno.

Jill Altmann, Toni Lowden, Pamela Hunt Lee and Arlene Wohl all began as weavers, some dating back 20 years. Jill’s wearable art combines weaving and knitted elements creating an individual look in contemporary design. Toni, known as a tapestry maker of large commissions, is now exploring painting and altered fiber works. Pamela Hunt Lee has done large fiber pieces and paintings and now does unique jewelry designs for individuals rather than the department stores of the days past. Arlene Wohl ‘s woven garments were juried into the Smithsonian Craft Show this past year showcasing her unique combinations of fibers and colors.

After the lights dim on the stage at Wingfield Park and July’s arts and culture festivities come to a close Artown continues its stream of performances with a world-class lineup for the 2010-2011 Artown Encore series. Blending bluegrass and Broadway, dance and spoken word, the series brings six evenings of art to Grand Sierra Resort’s Grand Theatre stage. 

2010-2011 Artown Encore series runs October through April and features:

Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers: An Evening of Bluegrass and Banjo, Oct. 5, tickets $40, $55, $70. Following his successful 2009 tour in support of his Grammy Award-winning album The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, Steve Martin is once again joined by the award-winning Steep Canyon Rangers for an evening of bluegrass.   

John Lithgow’s Stories By Heart, Oct. 28, tickets $30, $45 and $60. In his one-man theatrical memoir, Stories By Heart, Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor John Lithgow explores storytelling as the unacknowledged tie that binds humanity. 

Ailey® II, Jan. 25, tickets $25, $35 and $45. Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers.  

An Evening with Bernadette Peters, Feb. 14, tickets $40, $55 and $70. Throughout her illustrious career, Tony Award-winning actress and Broadway’s brightest star Bernadette Peters has sizzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage and television, in concert and on recordings. 

Max Raabe & Palast Orchester, April 10, tickets $25, $35 and $45. Founded in 1986 by the charismatic baritone Max Raabe, Max Raabe & Palast Orchester embodies the high style and musical glory of the 20s and 30s and has been heard in venues the world over. 

Arlo Guthrie, “The Journey On” Tour featuring The Burns Sisters, April 16, tickets $35 and $45. As a masterful storyteller, humorous philosopher and uncompromising artist, Arlo Guthrie proves that folk music is alive and well. He reunites with The Burns Sisters whose Siren song brings evocative, exquisite support to his seasoned and celebrated performances. 

All performances are at 8 p.m. at Grand Sierra Resort’s Grand Theatre. Members of Friends of Artown receive advance ticketing privileges through July 30 and a 10 percent discount on tickets. Friends need to contact the Artown office at 322-1538 to receive the pre-sale purchasing code. Tickets for the Oct. 5 Steve Martin performance are already on sale to the general public.  

Tickets go on sale to the general public July 31 and are available online at www.RenoIsArtown.com, by phone at 800-648-3568 or in person with no service fees at the Grand Sierra Resort box office.