Raleigh’s Cultural Heritage: Carolina Ballet
Posted by RealEstate_Guru
Did you know that the Raleigh region is host to one of the top ballet companies in America? Carolina Ballet has won many accolades, national and international, helping to fulfil its mission to enrich the quality of life in Raleigh and in vibrant suburbs like Cary. Carolina Ballet is dedicated to performing world-class professional ballet that uplifts, enlightens and entertains a wide range of audiences in the region, and beyond.
Carolina Ballet’s Mission and Goals
This ballet company is committed to presenting traditional ballets crafted by legendary masters. It strives to recognize new talents by commissioning works from innovative choreographers. The ballet also has a strong educational component, which seeks to raise awareness in current and future audiences with programs for school-aged children, along with other outreach activities. Carolina Ballet’s commitment to excellence is reflected in activities that are designed to attract, develop, and retain highly talented dancers, and the artistic personnel that supports them. Known for its fiscally responsible management and enlightened board of directors, the company has created a perfect, but delicate balance, between art and economic reality.
The Company’s Season Highlights
With a carefully crafted schedule of performances designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences, Carolina Ballet performances range from Stravinsky’s classic Firebird to Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. For younger audiences, there are productions of Pinocchio and The Ugly Duckling. The classic Carmen is on tap as well. Innovative performances of Monet Impressions and Dracula round out the schedule.
About Carolina Ballet
The company has blossomed under the deft guidance of artistic director Robert Weiss, along with sound management, and strong, deep-rooted community support. These factors have converged to make Carolina Ballet an important contributor to the quality of life in the Raleigh region. Weiss is an energetic leader who has presented more than 72 new works in Carolina Ballet’s first 12 seasons, more than any other ballet company in the United States, except for New York City Ballet. The 13th season promises to be spectacular, with five world premieres by Weiss, along with principal guest choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett, and principal dancers Timour Bourtasenkov and Attila Bongar.
Information about becoming a subscriber is available by calling the Carolina Ballet box office at (919) 719-0900, or online at www.carolinaballet.com. There are many benefits to being a subscriber, including the opportunity to purchase tickets for performances before they go on sale to the public.
Raleigh Region Rated as One of the Top 6 Places for Business and Careers
Posted by RealEstate_Guru
July 2011 – According to Forbes.com, Raleigh NC tops their list of places with the most jobs and lowest cost of doing business. The annual list, entitled “Best Places For Business And Careers,” is a result of an evaluation of 200 metropolitan areas, which includes key factors like current and projected job growth, living and business costs, income growth, projected economic growth, and educational attainment. In fact, the Raleigh region tops the Forbes list, thanks, in part, to its high level of entrepreneurial activity and strong educational infrastructure. Other factors that influenced the rating include business costs that are 18% below the national average and a well-educated work force, 42% of which has a college degree. These factors combine to make the Raleigh region a very attractive place for large employers like Progress Energy and First Citizens Bank.
Reasons for the Region’s Success
People are flocking to Raleigh, and suburbs like Cary, in significant numbers. The net migration rate to the region has been the second highest in the US over the past 5 years. It doesn’t hurt that Raleigh is the state capital, so there are plenty of secure public-sector jobs available as well. When creating the ranking, Forbes also considers quality of life issues like recreational opportunities, cultural activities, and crime rates. Educational opportunities also are factored in, and this helped the region rise to the top of the ranking, due to the large number of highly ranked colleges and universities, including University of North Carolina, Duke University and North Carolina State. In addition, the Raleigh area has a strong and vibrant primary and secondary public education system.
Look to the Heartland
In recent years, recession has wiped out more than 9 million jobs in the US. Many of those jobs will never return, so any region that’s actively creating new jobs has a distinct advantage. Raleigh is one of those areas. Over 80% of the listings in the Best Places for Business and Careers list are located in the nation’s heartland, which seems to be thriving while traditional centers like the east and west coasts, along with large cities like New York and Los Angeles, continue to decline. The Raleigh area has an active and flourishing cultural life as well. The Progress Energy Center Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, the Raleigh Little Theater, the North Carolina Museum of Art, the North Carolina Museum of History, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and many more contribute a strong dimension to the region.
With so much to recommend it, the Raleigh area is a great place to live and work.