Back by popular demand, the New York Theatre Ballet will return to Keihin Auditorium at Edgecombe Community College on April 9 to present “Cinderella,” plus three short ballets guaranteed to get your feet tapping and your heart filling with joy.

According to a press release, the free performance, underwritten by the Furman-Mathewson Trust of the Edgecombe County Memorial Library, includes award winning Broadway choreographer Dan Siretta’s “Three Shades of Blue”, featuring an original score by Lynn Crigler, performed live by pianist Michael Scales; the heart touching balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet” with choreography by former Prima Ballerina of American Ballet Theatre, Sallie Wilson; and the grand finale of the evening will be the enchanting storybook ballet, “Sleeping Beauty’s Wedding”.

According to the press release, the trust is authorized “to provide a perpetual and continuing memorial to the Mathewsons’ in the form of a continuing program of superior cultural, literary, educational or scientific presentations for the patrons of the Edgecombe County Memorial Library.

“Last year, I pitched the idea to them to bring things to the area that normally wouldn’t come,” said Anderson Ferrell, director of the DeMille Working Group and advisory board member of the Furman-Mathewson Trust. “They very kindly trusted me and we brought them here, last year, and it was a big success. We filled the auditorium twice.”

According to Ferrell, the well-known ballet company tours frequently and is committed to bringing ballet to smaller cities and venues where it is less-often performed as well as to reaching underserved audiences.

“In rural settings, you don’t get a lot of that,” Ferrell said. “The mission of both the trust and the ballet are one in the same. That worked out well.”

According to the press release, the NYTB, dedicated to inspiring a love of dance in diverse audiences through performances of chamber ballet masterpieces and bold new works, brings audiences a new understanding and appreciation of dance. It is the most widely seen chamber ballet company in the country, having toured from coast to coast and internationally for over 34 years.

“This company is a very racially, culturally and ethnically diverse company,” Ferrell said. “The dancers are from all over the world.”

Ferrell went on to say how the company’s diversity matched the audience in the area. Several different demographics have enjoyed separate presentations at the college, but not together as one audience like that of the ballet.

“The audience reflected the ethnic and racial makeup of the area so well,” Ferrell said. “We got people into it that had not normally come to see the things at Edgecombe Community College. Certain people would come to see certain things, but the ballet’s audience was the most diverse. One of my goals was to get a diverse audience. We are very excited to bring this here again and hope that we will have the same sort of audience.”

The NYTB will present the program on Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Keihin Auditorium at Edgecombe Community College. Free tickets for this performance can be obtained in advance by calling the box office. Seating is reserved and tickets are required. Remaining tickets will be available at the door on the day of the performance.

For tickets or more information, call the box office at 252-823-5166, ext. 187.