The Mid-Winter Masquerade Ball is coming soon to serve up a delicious course of glamour with a heaping side serving of fairytale magic. Don your mask, dress to the nines, and be ready to dance the night to music.

The Mid-Winter Masquerade is part of Tacoma City Ballet's Soiree Series, which weaves visual arts, live music, dance performances, and other artistic media into TCB's already artsy focus. Likewise, Mid-Winter Masquerade has set out to feature several art-astic aspects all under one roof. Ancillary rooms will host short film screenings and art installations and Tacoma City Ballet's company will perform throughout the evening. Each Soiree Series event zeroes in on a visual arts focus, so as not to overwhelm attendees with too much awesomeness all at once.

"Our visual arts focus this time is photography, and we're still confirming with the finalists from our selection process," says Melissa Lovejoy Goldman, director of Community Relations, Development, and Marketing at TCB. "Local poet Sandra K. King will be reading her work. Artistic Director Erin M. Ceragioli has choreographed two ballets set to music and three more to King's poetry. Resident Choreographer Travis Goldman is working on a new ballet and Assistant Artistic Director Joel Myers will be performing his piece, ‘The Garden,' with Guest Artist and Tacoma City Ballet Alumnus Alisha Cushing."

More than this, though, the Soiree Series is designed to appeal to adults in the community. Most TCB events are family-friendly or even kid-friendly, but you won't find any young children decked out in their ballroom best on the night of Feb. 23. The event is 21+ only and there will be a no-host bar and refreshments.

"You know the scene in Sleeping Beauty - Disney's version, not the ballet - where the fairies are changing Aurora's dress back and forth between pink and blue?" asks Goldman. "Well, I'm not sure there will be any magic involved, but we'd love to have something like that scene. We'll be decorating our gorgeous ballroom space and encouraging attendees to dance to the live music. During breaks from dancing, TCB Company members will perform the seven original ballets we're presenting that evening."

Stand by and wait to see if TCB can pull any magic off. Hats off to them if they do.

Attendees are invited to wear their finest formal or semi-formal wear as well as their masquerade masks of choice. None of these things are required, but - come on - why go to a masquerade ball if you intend to wear jeans and a T-shirt? If you don't have a mask or don't have time to find one before the event, there will be masks available for purchase, too. There will also be a dance floor upon which you can set your tinkle toes in action to live music by TOUCHE - a band of guitars, synthesizer, bass, percussion and a violin with an intriguing tagline of "eclectic music sextet." They play a bit of jazz, a bit of folk, original pieces and more. Needless to say, don't expect a boring wedding singer here.

Tickets are $10 and are available at Tacoma City Ballet website or in person at the Tacoma City Ballet office.

MERLINO ART CENTER, MID-WINTER MASQUERADE BALL, SATURDAY, FEB. 23, 7 P.M., $10, 508 SIXTH AVE., TACOMA, 253.272.4219