By Kathy Valin

Claudia Rudolf Barrett's BALLET TECH OHIO PERFORMING ARTS ASSOCIATION has a hot ticket. Formed in 1997, the association has consistently provided a performing outlet for aspiring dancers to mix with professional guests. But there's more.

ANNA REZNIK and ALEXEI KREMNEV (former principals with Cincinnati Ballet) add their acclaimed performing and producing skills to this weekend's Rojo Ya Ngoma (translation: 'The Spirit of Dance'), a program originally conceived and directed by Barrett. At the Aronoff's Jarson-Kaplan, they'll duo in Val Caniparoli's 'Aquilarco.' Each also solos -- Kremnev in Caniparoli's 'Aria' and Reznik in Fokine's 'Dying Swan.' The dancers, a married couple, have confirmed their intention to stay in the Cincinnati area by affiliating with Barrett to produce an annual series of dance performances. Having worked with ballet tech since their arrival in Cincinnati, the two are naturals for the expanded job of performers plus co-producers, teachers and coaches since their resignation from Cincinnati Ballet. Most recently they staged the comic La Fille Mal Gardée for the company (with Kremnev notably appearing as the widow Marcelina) with great success.

Others on this weekend's multi-cultural bill are Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II (presenting Veronica Green's 'Race' and 'Kaleidoscope' by Debbie Blunden-Diggs), Bi-Okoto Drum & Dance Theatre (in 'Agbeko' and 'Agegbo'), and Wo-Yingi African Drum & Dance Group ('Ijo Apeja'). The dancers of ballet tech with other guests appear in 'The Conductors,' (choreographed by Barrett), an uplifting tale of separation and strength, tribulation and triumph, about one family's quest to obtain their freedom through the Underground Railroad.

We're sure to hear -- and see -- more from dazzlers Kremnev and Reznik. 'We are very happy to be in this gala performance, in front of our audience once again,' says Kremnev. The two also are excited to be part of a multicultural event.

'Dance is a multicultural language. If you know just one word of this language, it makes you very happy,' says Reznik. 'Dance is unique,' adds Kremnev. 'Events like this bring people together, and in our opinion, this is a primary goal of the arts.'

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