THE SEVENTH NIGHT SKY School Shows
Recommended for Ages 4 and up
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
In Vietnam, the Double Seventh Festival (Thất Tịch) is celebrated as a day honoring love, inspired by the enduring legend of Ngưu Lang (Altair) and Chức Nữ (Vega).
———
Separated by the vast Milky Way, the humble Cowherd Ngưu Lang longs to reunite with the celestial Weaver Chức Nữ. Only once each year, on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month, a bridge of magpies spans the heavens, allowing the two to cross the celestial river and meet once again.
The Seventh Night Sky reimagines this beloved Vietnamese tale. A festival celebration brings the community together amid glowing lanterns, colorful costumes, music and dance. As the evening ends, a lonely young man’s dream carries him up into the world of Altair and Vega. His journey offers a meditation on love and hope, reminding us that even across great distances and the passage of time, love has the power to endure.
FEATURING: Ballet Austin TWO
CHOREOGRAPHY: Thang Dao
MUSIC: Duy Tran and James G. Lindsay
CURRICULUM
Coming Soon!
The Seventh Night Sky curricula are offered to Pre-K4 – Grade 8 at no charge to schools attending the performances, and include the following:
Elementary School:
- TEKS-Aligned Pre-Show Curricula in ELAR and Science, designed for Grades K-2 and 3-5
We encourage you to share these lessons with your students before they experience the performance to help contextualize their experiences with the ballet. The dance lessons can be shared before or after experiencing the ballet.
PERFORMANCE DATES & TIMES
Location & Parking:
- Ballet Austin, 501 West 3rd St., Austin, 78701
- Please note there is no onsite parking available at Ballet Austin.
Date & Times:
- Monday, October 19, 2026 at 10am
- Monday, October 19, 2026 at 12pm
Registration Requirements:
- Minimum 10 students per school for registration.
- Minimum of 200 registered students to proceed with either show
TICKET PRICES
Students:
- Title I Elementary Schools: $6 per ticket
- All Other Elementary Schools: $10 per ticket
Adults (includes teachers, administrators & other chaperones):
- 1 free adult chaperone per every 20 students
- Additional chaperones are $25 each
IMPORTANT DATES
Registration and Payment Schedule
Please enter the following dates in your calendar now to insure you meet all registration and payment deadlines.
- Tuesday, August 18:
- Registration opens for all campuses
- All students must be 4 years of age or older
- Friday, September 18:
- Registration closes at 9am
- All payments are due
- All registration changes are due
Dates for Receiving Materials
- Monday, September 21: All schools that have paid in full receive the link to Maria and the Mouse Deer curricular materials. All other schools receive these materials upon completion of payment.
PAYMENT OPTIONS & INFORMATION
- Ballet Austin accepts EFT/ACH payments from several school districts, including AISD and Hutto ISD. If your district prefers payment by EFT/ACH and does not have that set up with us yet, please contact us to do so.
- Checks and credit card payments are accepted.
- No purchase orders are accepted as payment.
- There are no refunds for school shows.
REGISTRATION
Registration opens on Tuesday, August 18 at 10am.
BEHIND THE SCENES
As the Double Seventh Festival begins, lanterns illuminate the night and families gather beneath the summer sky to celebrate one of East Asia’s most cherished traditions.
Among them is a young man quietly carrying the memory of someone he loves.
As the evening unfolds, the ancient legend of Altair and Vega begins to echo through the celebration. Guided by a mysterious flock of crows, he embarks on a dreamlike journey across the Milky Way where memory and myth become one, leading him toward an unexpected reunion that reminds him love is never truly lost.
Without a single word, The Seventh Night Sky tells a deeply human story of remembrance, hope, and the enduring bonds that connect us across time.
THE LEGEND OF ALTAIR & VEGA
Vega
The Weaver Girl
The Milky Way
The Silver River
Altair
The Cowherd
At the heart of The Seventh Night Sky is the timeless legend of Altair and Vega, two lovers separated by the celestial River of Stars.
According to the story, they are permitted to reunite for just one night each year, crossing the Milky Way on a bridge formed by birds. For generations, this tale has inspired festivals, poetry, music, and art throughout East and Southeast Asia.
Today, the Double Seventh Festival remains a celebration of love, devotion, and reunion—a tradition that brings families and communities together beneath the night sky.
The Seventh Night Sky reimagines this beloved legend through dance, inviting audiences into a world where mythology, memory, and hope meet.
🌟 Did You Know? The Double Seventh Festival is often called the Chinese Valentine’s Day because it celebrates the annual reunion of Altair and Vega, two lovers separated by the Milky Way. On this special night, many people look to the sky to find the two bright stars and imagine the bridge of birds that reunites them each year.
✨ How We Bring the Stars to Life In our production, Altair and Vega appear as dancers — mythic reflections glowing across the night sky. Watch for the magic of shadow, light, and puppetry as the legend comes alive on stage!
THE MUSIC
Original music by Duy Tran and James G. Lindsay carries audiences from the joyful rhythms of the festival into the mystery and wonder of the night sky.
Their collaborative score creates a rich emotional landscape that moves effortlessly between celebration and reflection, complementing the ballet’s sweeping choreography while honoring the story’s cultural roots.
Duy Tran
Composer
James G. Lindsay
Composer
THE CHOREOGRAPHY
Created by choreographer Thang Dao, The Seventh Night Sky blends classical ballet, contemporary movement, and Vietnamese dance vocabulary into a choreographic language that feels both deeply rooted and entirely new.
Drawing inspiration from traditional Vietnamese folk dances alongside contemporary ballet, Dao honors the cultural origins of the story while creating something fresh, expressive, and universally moving.
The result is a visually rich and emotionally resonant ballet filled with striking imagery, symbolic movement, and moments of quiet beauty that linger long after the final curtain.
🩰
Thang Dao
Choreographer
🎵
Duy Tran
Composer
🎵
James G. Lindsay
Composer
Additional creative team credits will be added as the production takes shape. Check back soon!
A WONDERFUL FIRST BALLET
Whether you’re introducing a child to ballet for the first time or planning an extra-special family outing, The Seventh Night Sky offers a warm and welcoming experience for audiences of all ages.
Filled with soaring music, spectacular visuals, imaginative storytelling, and extraordinary dancing, this one-act production invites audiences to experience the magic of live performance together. No prior ballet experience is needed—only a sense of curiosity and wonder.
Inspired by a festival that has brought families together for centuries, The Seventh Night Sky offers the chance to begin a tradition of your own.
🎶
Soaring Music
An original score that moves from joyful celebration to dreamlike wonder
🏮
Spectacular Visuals
Lanterns, starlight, and breathtaking dance brought to life on stage
✨
For All Ages
No prior ballet experience needed — only curiosity and wonder
VIDEO GALLERY
Video content coming soon — check back as we get closer to the show!
PHOTO GALLERY
Production photos coming soon.
- The Story
-
As the Double Seventh Festival begins, lanterns illuminate the night and families gather beneath the summer sky to celebrate one of East Asia’s most cherished traditions.
Among them is a young man quietly carrying the memory of someone he loves.
As the evening unfolds, the ancient legend of Altair and Vega begins to echo through the celebration. Guided by a mysterious flock of crows, he embarks on a dreamlike journey across the Milky Way where memory and myth become one, leading him toward an unexpected reunion that reminds him love is never truly lost.
Without a single word, The Seventh Night Sky tells a deeply human story of remembrance, hope, and the enduring bonds that connect us across time.
- The Legend
-
THE LEGEND OF ALTAIR & VEGA
Vega
The Weaver Girl
The Milky Way
The Silver River
Altair
The CowherdAt the heart of The Seventh Night Sky is the timeless legend of Altair and Vega, two lovers separated by the celestial River of Stars.
According to the story, they are permitted to reunite for just one night each year, crossing the Milky Way on a bridge formed by birds. For generations, this tale has inspired festivals, poetry, music, and art throughout East and Southeast Asia.
Today, the Double Seventh Festival remains a celebration of love, devotion, and reunion—a tradition that brings families and communities together beneath the night sky.
The Seventh Night Sky reimagines this beloved legend through dance, inviting audiences into a world where mythology, memory, and hope meet.
🌟 Did You Know? The Double Seventh Festival is often called the Chinese Valentine’s Day because it celebrates the annual reunion of Altair and Vega, two lovers separated by the Milky Way. On this special night, many people look to the sky to find the two bright stars and imagine the bridge of birds that reunites them each year.
✨ How We Bring the Stars to Life In our production, Altair and Vega appear as dancers — mythic reflections glowing across the night sky. Watch for the magic of shadow, light, and puppetry as the legend comes alive on stage!
- The Music
-
THE MUSIC
Original music by Duy Tran and James G. Lindsay carries audiences from the joyful rhythms of the festival into the mystery and wonder of the night sky.
Their collaborative score creates a rich emotional landscape that moves effortlessly between celebration and reflection, complementing the ballet’s sweeping choreography while honoring the story’s cultural roots.
Duy Tran
Composer
James G. Lindsay
Composer - The Choreography
-
THE CHOREOGRAPHY
Created by choreographer Thang Dao, The Seventh Night Sky blends classical ballet, contemporary movement, and Vietnamese dance vocabulary into a choreographic language that feels both deeply rooted and entirely new.
Drawing inspiration from traditional Vietnamese folk dances alongside contemporary ballet, Dao honors the cultural origins of the story while creating something fresh, expressive, and universally moving.
The result is a visually rich and emotionally resonant ballet filled with striking imagery, symbolic movement, and moments of quiet beauty that linger long after the final curtain.
🩰
Thang Dao
Choreographer🎵
Duy Tran
Composer🎵
James G. Lindsay
ComposerAdditional creative team credits will be added as the production takes shape. Check back soon!
- A Wonderful First Ballet
-
A WONDERFUL FIRST BALLET
Whether you’re introducing a child to ballet for the first time or planning an extra-special family outing, The Seventh Night Sky offers a warm and welcoming experience for audiences of all ages.
Filled with soaring music, spectacular visuals, imaginative storytelling, and extraordinary dancing, this one-act production invites audiences to experience the magic of live performance together. No prior ballet experience is needed—only a sense of curiosity and wonder.
Inspired by a festival that has brought families together for centuries, The Seventh Night Sky offers the chance to begin a tradition of your own.
🎶
Soaring Music
An original score that moves from joyful celebration to dreamlike wonder🏮
Spectacular Visuals
Lanterns, starlight, and breathtaking dance brought to life on stage✨
For All Ages
No prior ballet experience needed — only curiosity and wonder - Video & Photo Gallery
-
VIDEO GALLERY
Video content coming soon — check back as we get closer to the show!
PHOTO GALLERY
Production photos coming soon.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions that are not answered on this page, please contact Emily Williamson, by email.
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