What makes a great date even better? Well, how about one that’s FREE and includes Walton Arts Center tickets and dinner at Bordinos Italian Restaurant? We thought so!

We’ve got two tickets available for Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montreal scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13. If you wanna go — and you know you do — just comment on this post or e-mail us at mamas@nwaMotherlode.com by 6 p.m. tonight! We’ll announce the winner Friday. Increase your chances of winning the tix by e-mailing your friends about nwaMotherlode. Just CC us on the e-mail and your name will go in the hat for each person you tell.

Les Grands Ballet will be performing a piece entitled Minus One. No tights and tutus here; instead, the performance will feature cha-cha music, bossa nova, and Broadway music.

WAC says Minus One has become a signature work to Les Grands; patrons should expect a dynamic evening-length contemporary ballet that draws on the human experience. An exciting finale ensues during Minus One that involves audience interaction. In order to experience it, one must see for themselves! You don’t want to miss this amazing night of extraordinary and unique dance!

FYI: On Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Walton Arts Center will host a ballet master class for intermediate dancers, ages 14 years and up. The master class will be taught by Pierre Lapointe, Principal Ballet Master of Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montréal. Lapointe joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal in 1982; his superb mastery and understanding of dance earned him the position of Principal Ballet Master. Mr. Lapointe brings great originality and dedication to his position as he draws from the host of talented dancers that surround him.

The ballet workshop fee is $25, and the maximum amount of students is 22. Class will take place in Starr Theatre. Classical ballet attire is expected (black leotard, pink tights, hair in a bun). For more information on learning with Principal Ballet Master, Pierre Lapointe, visit waltonartscenter.org.

You’ll also have a chance to meet and learn from Pierre Lapointe at a pre-show question/answer session at 6 p.m. (just before the 7 p.m. performance). Join Lapointe in the lounge at McBride Studio to learn more about the artistry of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. If interested in attending this creative conversation, please RSVP by Tuesday, Nov. 11, to Christina Clark at 479-571-2752 or christinaclark@waltonartscenter.org.

For more information about ticket prices, this performance, the Creative Conversation, Ballet Master Class or Slow Dancing (Thursday is the last night for the free outdoor exhibit), contact the Walton Arts Center Box Office at 479-443-5600 or visit waltonartscenter.org.

Good luck winning a Great Date! And remember: We’ll select a winner at 6 p.m. tonight!

Edited to add: We’ll choose a winner at noon Monday, Oct. 27.

If you’ve got kids ages 9 and up, then this “Mom & Me Giveaway” is for you. We’ve got tickets for two lucky Motherlode mamas to take their kids to see Jason and the Argonauts, coming to the Walton Arts Center Wednesday, October 29th at 7 p.m. We’ve got four tickets each for two winners. All you need to do to enter the drawing is post a comment (by clicking the word “comment” below) or by sending an e-mail to us at mamas@nwaMotherlode.com. If you e-mail some friends about the giveaway or our website, we’ll throw your name in the hat again to increase your odds of winning. (Just be sure to copy us on your e-mail so we’ll know you helped spread the word.)

Jason and the Argonauts is based on a tale from Greek mythology and stars Jason, a hero who is returning to claim his rightful throne from his power-hungry uncle. The evil uncle has murdered his brother, the king, and stolen the kingdom. But now Jason is back. But first he must sail on The Argo to the other side of the world to find the Golden Fleece and bring it back in order to unite the people again. Along the way, the Odd Monster, Sleeping Dragon and Clashing Rock attempt to ruin his trip.

If you like, you can also participate in a family workshop for this performance, offered before the show by Tricycle Theatre for Youth (Cost is $5 each and available only to those attending the show).

For more info on this performance, call the Walton Arts Center Box Office at 479-443-5600 or check out their website by clicking HERE.

Good luck in our online drawing. We hope to be e-mailing you soon to let you know you’re a winner!

Rogers mom Lesya Morrison won 4 tickets to the ScrapArtsMusic show at the Walton Arts Center coming up on October 19th! She and her husband will be taking their son Austin, who is 14-months-old, to his first live show. Lesya said Austin is already crazy about music and will love the chance to see five guys dancing around and beating on drums. As part of the “Mom & Me Giveaway”, the family will also be treated to dinner at kid-friendly Jose’s Mexican Restaurant before the show.

Lesya is a new Motherlode reader and found out about us from her co-worker Beverly. (Thanks for spreading the word, Beverly!) They work at Benchmark Group in Rogers, an architectural and engineering firm. Lesya’s husband manages another good, kid-friendly restaurant, Slim Chickens (on Walnut Street in Rogers). Congrats to the Morrison family, and we hope you have a great time at dinner and the show.

If you didn’t win the tickets this time, don’t be too bummed out because there will be more chances to win tickets to future shows (including kid shows as well as great shows for date nights). Your best bet is to check back here often so you won’t miss the chance to throw your name in the hat for our drawings.

You can still purchase tickets for ScrapArtsMusic show by calling the ticket office at 479-443-5600 or visiting the Walton Arts Center website by clicking here.

There was a huge response to last month’s “Mom & Me Giveaway,” so we’re doing it again – this time with four tickets to a very cool show called ScrapArtsMusic. The show will be held at 7 p.m. on October 19th at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. Enter our online drawing by posting a comment on this site or send us an e-mail at mamas@nwaMotherlode.com with the words “ticket giveaway” in the subject line.

Some people have compared ScrapArts to the well-known show Stomp. It’s based around five high-energy percussion musicians who play instruments crafted from salvaged and recycled junk. They’ve made more than 100 one-of-a-kind instruments that are as visually amazing as their music is riveting. The show is full of energetic music including jazz and street performance, but your kids will really love the athletic fast-paced choreography that goes along with it.

We Motherlode mamas already have our tickets and will be there with four kiddos sitting between us. We’d love to have one of our readers sitting nearby, enjoying the show with her own music-loving munchkins.

Of course, we can’t send you to a show on an empty stomach, so once again we’ll be sending the winning Mom and her crew to the legendary Jose’s Mexican Restaurant, just a few steps away from the Walton Arts Center on Dickson Street. Jose’s is super kid-friendly, so you’ll feel right at home.

So you think your kids might like some cheese dip, chips, tacos and five energetic, colorful guys beating on crazy-looking drums? Heck, even your husband could get into a show like this. All you need to do to enter is post a comment here or send an e-mail, so be sure to get your name in the online hat now because we’ll draw a winning name on Thursday at 6 p.m. and announce the winner on Friday. Good luck!

For more info on tickets (which cost between $22 and $28) visit the Walton Arts Center website by clicking here or call them at 479-443-5600.