Ballet Fantastique

New dance theater: in fy 20232024, ballet fantastique continued to innovate bold new performance offerings proven to attract a growing nontraditional performing arts audience. Our third annual ballet in the vineyard at silvan ridge winery sold out again in september 2023, featuring live music. At the hult center as part of ballet fantastiques 9th annual resident company season, we presented: nevermore: stories of edgar allan poe (oct. 2023, sold out); babes in toyland (nov. 2023); cinderella: a rock opera ballet (march 2024), with original choreography and live music by agents of unity and local legends shelley and cal coleman; alice in wonderland: remix (may 2024), revived by popular demand and earning ballet fantastiques largest audience in history. We also expanded to new communities, including a debut tour performance in casper, wyoming, and brought our work to international viewers via streaming through broadways on the stage platform. In december 2023, ballet fantastiques gala returned to the downtown athletic club ballroom, showcasing new repertoire and engaging the community with a preview of the season. Bfans emmy-nominated original ballet film an american christmas carol earned the silver telly award.

Dance education & outreach: ballet fantastique reached title i, rural, and under-resourced k-college students with outreach efforts, free and discounted performance tickets, and experience dance project performances at home and on tour, including in the companys first wyoming tour (alice in wonderland: remix, may 2024). Ballet fantastiques diverse team included 15 international artists from across the globe, a majority-women leadership, and a robust mentorship model that engages emerging dancers, interns, and teaching artists through hands-on training and professional development. In the 20232024 season, approximately 85 volunteers contributed their time and talents to ballet fantastique, supporting everything from backstage production and hospitality to front-of-house, outreach events, and administrative projects. Theatrical rentals supported other nw and west coast arts groups.