Dance troupe moving to Summerlin

     Soon, movers' boxes in Summerlin will look a little different than usual. Instead of furniture, dishes and clothing there will be hundreds of costumes, scores of stage sets and a sea of tutus making their way into Nevada Ballet Theatre's new home, the Donald W. Reynolds Cultural Center.
      The group plans to move into their new 35,000-square-foot home next month. Their arrival further enhances the cultural climate of the development, according to Summerlin President Dan Van Epp.
      "There are not many communities in the country that are home to a professional regional dance troupe the caliber of Nevada Ballet Theatre," Van Epp said. "Dance will add a whole new element to Summerlin's cultural environment. We're looking forward to the cultural and artistic enrichment Nevada Ballet Theatre will bring to our community."
      Funded by a $3.6 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the new facility is on property donated by The Howard Hughes Corp. It is adjacent to the Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation headquarters, and The Plaza business center.
      "Nevada Ballet Theatre's move to Summerlin represents the beginning of a new chapter in our history," said Nancy Houssels, chairman of the dance theatre's board of trustees. "For the first time in 28 years, all our operations will be under one roof, including our teaching academy, rehearsal studios for our professional troupe, storage and design facilities for costumes and sets and administrative offices. We are grateful to The Howard Hughes Corp. and the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation for generously and graciously bringing NBT into the new millennium."
      The facility includes a 3,000-square-foot rehearsal studio with seating for invited guests to watch dancers rehearse. Also featured are dressing rooms, a physical therapy room, a lounge and kitchen area, and a 6,000-square-foot area for the wardrobe and scenery departments. The dance library will feature reference materials, archival and contemporary dance videos and three video viewing areas. A history hall showcasing memorabilia from the company's past, as well as nine bronze sculptures by artist Mario Jason, will be housed in the lobby.
      The Academy of Nevada Ballet Theatre will offer its summer dance program at the facility in June. A community open house is scheduled for June 12.
      Summerlin has ranked as the nation's best-selling master-planned community in six of the past seven years, according to Robert Charles Lesser & Co.
      It features two Tournament Players Club golf courses, three Sun City courses, two Arnold Palmer-designed courses under development, nine major parks, more than 40 neighborhood parks and 35 completed miles of the 100-mile long Summerlin Trail. It is also home to a dozen schools, houses of worship, business parks, shopping centers, medical centers and more than 230 model homes.
      Housing ranges from single-family homes to townhomes and condominiums priced from the mid-$80,000s to more than $500,000. Custom lots from one-third to one-half acre are also available, and priced from $80,000 to $300,000. Pre-designed custom homes built by Featured Builders are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Apartment homes rent from the $700s.
      To visit the sales centers, take Summerlin Parkway to Town Center Drive and turn north, then turn east on Hillwood Drive. Or, take Sahara Avenue to Blue Willow Lane, west of Hualapai Way, and turn south. Both centers are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.