The professional ballet company, under the artistic direction of John McFall, has teamed up with OutKast's Big Boi for a world premiere collaboration called "big."

With choreography by Lauri Stallings and live music by Big Boi and his label mates, the production combines ballet, hip-hop, and opera for a "daring, progressive, and soulful" experience.

"big is the place, event, and experience where we leave our inhibitions at the door, and move forward," explains Stallings. "big is an example of possibilities... place for the senses to open, and be lifted, setting a new height for creativity and awareness towards ourselves and the people sitting right next to us."

For Atlanta Ballet, unconventional musical collaborations are nothing new. Back in 2001, the company teamed up with the Indigo Girls for "Shed Your Skin: The Indigo Girls Project," a world premiere choreographed by Margo Sappington. "Ramblin' Suite" followed in 2002, a wildly energetic ballet choreographed by Diane Coburn Bruning and performed to live music by The Red Clay Ramblers. A few years later, they premiered "Transcendence," a work that incorporates gospel music by the African-American New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Choir.

According to Atlanta Ballet's artistic director, "big" not only continues the company's great tradition of creative collaboration, but it also presents an opportunity to reach the people of Atlanta.

"This is the collaboration that I have wanted to bring to audiences in this city for years," says John McFall. "This project looks to the heart and soul of Atlanta and brings it together with our exquisite dancers."

"big" will debut at Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theater on April 10 and run through April 13 with a total of six performances.

Here is a little taste of what they are working on...

Ballet, Hip Hop, Enthusiast, Performance, Altanta Ballet, OutKast, Pop Culture, Collaborations (all tags)