Led by dance icons Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet has awakened audiences to a new, exciting genre with their singular approach of reinventing dance and contemporary ballet. Armed with a rich Alvin Ailey lineage and a cadre of sixteen stunning dancers, Complexions has been hailed as a “matchless American dance company” by the Philadelphia Inquirer and “game changing” by London’s The Guardian.
The program opens with favorites from Retro-Suite, a series of short works celebrating Complexion’s thirty years as a company. The second half is STAR DUST, an utterly transfixing tribute to the life and music of David Bowie, full of glitter and glam. This ballet takes an array of his hits and lays a visual imprint inspired by his unique personas and his restless invention artistically to create a rock opera-style production in his honor. With Bowie’s forty-plus year career and twenty-five albums that stretch across musical borders, STAR DUST pays homage to the iconic and chameleonic spirit of what can only be described as… BOWIE. Get ready to witness the raw power and diversity of Complexions as they redefine what ballet can be.
"Companies like Complexions are game-changing: they’re forging a path for what ballet can be instead of what it historically has been.” – The Guardian
“If there is one thing that Complexions knows how to do well (and, let’s be honest, they do many things quite well), it’s their choreographic exploration of rock ‘n’ roll and popular music.” – Hollywood Soapbox
“The genius of legendary Co-Founders, Co-Artistic Directors Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden cannot be underestimated.” – BroadwayWorld
- Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026
- Time: 11:00 AM
- Recommended Grades: 6th-12th
- Length: 60 minutes
- Curriculum Connections: Dance
Pricing
- $7 per ticket with one complimentary ticket for every 15 purchased
- Ticket and Transportation Subsidies are available. Subsidy requests can be made on your SchoolTime Order Form.
Sign Language Interpretation
- The 11:00 AM performance will have a sign language interpreter. Guests who need the assistance of the interpreter: please note this on your order form so we can seat you appropriately.
Registration
- Registration will open May 14, 2025. To request a field trip, please complete the online 2025-2026 SchoolTime Order Form by clicking the “Buy Tickets” button on this page.
- Order by phone is not accepted, but we are happy to answer your questions. For assistance in choosing the best shows for your class, please contact the 513-977-4116 or education@cincinnatiarts.org.
