Blending music and dance has been common for centuries. But less common for Ballet Kelowna and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra.

The two groups will combine together tonight to celebrate Canada含羞草研究社檚 150th birthday.

The upcoming performance titled Canadiana Suite: A Sesquicentennial Celebration is a special tribute, May 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kelowna Community Theatre, and May 6 at 7 p.m. at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.

Simone Orlando, artistic director and CEO of Ballet Kelowna, said the program has been in the works for two years.

The Capital News visited the artists含羞草研究社� first dress rehearsal, seeing the artists perform together for the first time.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e had to redefine how we brought the orchestra and ballet together on stage,含羞草研究社� said Orlando, adding the symphony sits on a scaffolding set which gives the dancers room to perform on stage.

The first half of the program carries the theme of trains and the journey through Canada via train, at one point utilizing Gordon Lightfoot含羞草研究社檚 Canadian Railroad Trilogy, 含羞草研究社淚 think what this choreography shows is that it含羞草研究社檚 the energy, it含羞草研究社檚 a journey building a nation and the dancers are moving like crazy for the eight minutes. They含羞草研究社檙e all over the stage. They move as a unit and then they separate and come and move back together,含羞草研究社� said Orlando.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 almost like the corners of the nation are coming together and meeting and dispersing forward含羞草研究社� It really has a sense of momentum.含羞草研究社�

The combining of Ballet Kelowna and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, Orlando said is 含羞草研究社渇antastic.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a collaboration on a scale I don含羞草研究社檛 think this community has seen and we really hope through our partnership, we create a model for organizations to move forward together.含羞草研究社�

Orlando hopes to work with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra again in the future.

According to a Ballet Kelowna release, 含羞草研究社淭he OSO brings the magic of live music celebrating Canadian music icons including R. Murray Shafer, Gordon Lightfoot and Oscar Peterson with a specially commissioned arrangement by Lance Anderson, and guest performances by local jazz ensemble The Neville Bowman Trio, and renowned blues artist Shakura S含羞草研究社橝ida.含羞草研究社�

Tickets can be purchased through Ballet Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 .