OVATION RAISES THE CURTAIN ON "BIG BALLET"

The New Limited Series Premieres Wednesday, May 28

SANTA MONICA, CA - April 29, 2014 - Ovation, America's only arts network, presents the U.S. television premiere of Big Ballet, the seat-gripping docu-series about making dreams come true for plus-sized dancers. Wayne Sleep, the shortest man ever to become principal dancer with London's Royal Ballet Company, and Monica Loughman, a Russian-trained prima ballerina, are determined to prove that grace and beauty can be found in untraditional sizes. Big Ballet premieres on Wednesday, May 28 at 10 p.m. ET, only on Ovation.

Each one-hour episode of the three part series follows 18 unlikely performers as they transform into amazing classical dancers. While some of the Big Ballet hopefuls are novices, others have years of experience, like 52-year-old Christine. Having loved ballet since being a small child, Christine achieved her ambition of winning a place at the Royal Ballet School. But, having been told she wouldn't fit their criteria because at 4' 11" she was "too short and the wrong build," she became obsessed with the way she looked and stopped eating, eventually having to return home and sever all ties with ballet.

For many, this is the final opportunity to realize a childhood dream prematurely dashed due to size. The cameras follow the dancers' every move, starting with a tense audition before the grueling training begins. The final episode culminates in a phenomenal production of Swan Lake.

"Every now and then something comes along that changes people's perceptions of what they thought was true," said Monica Loughman, co-host and dancer trainer and mentor. "This could be a game-changer."

"Big Ballet is bound to win over skeptics -- It is truly one of the most touching and heart-felt pieces of content I've seen in a long time," said Scott Woodward, SVP Programming and Production, Ovation. "These incredible dancers remind us that all of us have creative dreams and talents. Sometimes those dreams are dashed by a harsh reality, but they can be reignited and what results can be beautiful and inspiring. "

Produced by Rare Day, Big Ballet will premiere on Wednesday, May 28 at 10 p.m. ET, only on Ovation. Big Ballet is distributed internationally by Zodiak Rights.

For more information, please visit www.ovationtv.com/

About Ovation

Ovation is America's only arts network, whose mission is to inspire the world through all forms of art and artistic expression. Ovation programming is a one-of-a-kind mix of original and selectively curated art-centric series, documentaries, films and specials. Ovation's signature programming includes The Art Of, A Young Doctor's Notebook, and The Fashion Fund. Ovation reaches a national audience of over 50 million homes and is available on cable, satellite, and telco systems, such as Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Comcast Cable/Xfinity, RCN, DIRECTV, DISH, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Charter, and Hawaiian Telcom. Ovation is also available on VOD (in both standard and high definition). Ovation's diversified viewer experiences extend across its linear network, the popular ovationtv.com, and active social presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more. Ovation is a cause based-media company and is deeply engaged with the arts both nationally and locally, providing more than $15 million in contributions and in-kind support to community organizations, cultural institutions, and arts education programs. See the Ovation Facebook page for the latest information and conversations happening across the Ovation brand and the arts: www.facebook.com/OvationTV.