For the first time, the Surry Arts Council and the Carolina Ballet will present “Swan Lake” to Mount Airy for both children and adults at the Andy Griffith Playhouse today and Friday.

Inspired by the story and illustrations of Lisbeth Zwerger, an award-winning Viennese children’s book author and illustrator, this Robert Weiss’ production is an abbreviated Act II and Act IV from the popular story ballets. Twenty-one dancers will tell the story of a beautiful queen cursed by an evil sorcerer to live as a swan until she can find true love.

Performances for local schools are today and Friday at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. A public performance will be held at tonight at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $10.

In the public performance, the dancers will tell the story of the princess and her friends enjoying a beautiful afternoon when suddenly the sky darkens, and a sorcerer disguised as an owl flies over the young women and changes them all into swans. This is Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.”

The performances will be presented thanks to the cARTwheels program, through the funding support of the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources.

“The Carolina Ballet is one of several companies chosen to participate,” said Lorrie Tollerton, the tour manager for the Carolina Ballet. “The performance motivated show is an opportunity for children, third to fifth grade, to experience a live performance.”

Condensed to 50 minutes, the performances are professionally-staged and free for participating schools through funding provided by the N.C. Legislature. cARTwheels also offers educational materials demonstrating the connection between the performance and schoolwork.

The Carolina Ballet, founded as the Raleigh Dance Theatre in 1984, was started as a student company to provide performance opportunities for students. In 1993, it made its first small steps toward becoming a professional dance company, the first of its kind in the Research Triangle.

During the 2006-07 season, Carolina Ballet joined with the North Carolina Dance Theatre, Opera Carolina and Piedmont Opera in cARTwheels. On six occasions, the Carolina Ballet has presented a shortened version of “Swan Lake” attended by more than 10,000 students from 21 counties around the state.

For more information about the Carolina Ballet, visit www.carolinaballet.com/cartwheels.html, or to purchase tickets, call the Surry Arts Council at 786-7998.