Is there anyone out there, still locked in the throes of frigid weather as we are, who would not rejoice in the reemergence of Persephone – and soon? The tale of the ancient Greek daughter of Demeter and Zeus recounts how Persephone endured abduction by Hades: an act that supposedly brought on the seasonal shifts, the dying and regeneration of nature. Nearing the end of winter’s cycle at last, the Saugerties-based Boundless Edge Ice Dance Ensemble joins with Bond Street Theatre of New York City to present the New York premiere of Persephone and the Birth of Winter, to be performed at a gala benefit at Mohonk Mountain House on Saturday, March 12 at 5:30 p.m.

Co-produced and directed by NYC-based Mike Carson Productions, Persephone’s story is told in comedic Bond Street style, with the cast of eight skaters recreating the action on ice. Five-foot-tall Lost Soul puppets and a masked Zeus on stilts lurk at the periphery of the ice stage as a winged Hades, the two-faced character of Winter/Summer, the distraught Demeter and the beautiful young Persephone dramatize the tale. The program will also include company repertoire pieces Volcano, Tulle and Satin, Flight and Run to the Rock.

After the performance the audience members are invited to get out on the ice themselves, or sit on the sidelines and sip hot chocolate while enjoying the giant fireplace and bidding on silent auction items. Later, benefit guests are invited to dinner and an awards ceremony at the Mountain House.

Boundless Edge is an artistic, choreography-based ice dance ensemble and school, with the mission of offering both a training program and performance outlet for students who wish to pursue ice skating as a creative art, and of presenting this innovative choreography to audiences in the Hudson Valley and beyond. The fundraiser is being held in support of the company’s 2011/12 artistic endeavors. With more than 40 students currently enrolled, Boundless Edge will use funds raised to offer scholarships to attend skate camp and classes, to pay for costumes, rehearsal time and artistic fees and to further program development.

Tickets are $125 for adults, $75 for children ages 4 to 12 for the performance, all-skate and dinner; performance and all-skate only cost $35 for adults and children. Ticketholders will be charged no additional entrance fee at the gatehouse. Call (845) 626-4596 or e-mail beth@boundlessedge.org for tickets and information.