Ballet is blooming onstage this spring, with SIX world premieres all happening in downtown Grand Rapids. Lark Ascending drops the audience right in the middle of Jules Breton’s famed painting, “Song of the Lark”. Classical and contemporary ballet combine to produce the stunning work Awakening, set to Vivaldi’s Spring Movement of “The Four Seasons.” A female solo will explore our inner emotions and true Stirrings, while the contemporary duet Partita exhibits a call-and-response conversation between dancers and a live violinist onstage. The collaboration with local musicians continues with Former Things, a piece featuring improvisation by both dancers and cellist Teresa Haggerty, creating a unique experience that will never be repeated the same way again. Water Serpents is another installation of Tess Sinke’s larger work Art of Gold, exploring Gustav Klimt’s infamous, seductive painting of the same name. The mixed repertory show concludes with Bitter Earth, choreographed by former Martha Graham Dance Company Principal Dancer Steve Rooks. Bitter Earth is a stunning modern dance work that's been performed around the country by various professional companies, showcasing the range and power of the dancers of Deos Contemporary Ballet.