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Ballet West

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Ballet West
General information
NameBallet West
Year founded1963
Founders
Websitewww.balletwest.org
Artistic staff
Artistic DirectorAdam Sklute
Other
Official schoolBallet West Academy
Formation

Ballet West is an American ballet company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was founded in 1963 as the Utah Civic Ballet by Willam F. Christensen, the company's first artistic director, and Glenn Walker Wallace, who served as its first president. Christensen had previously established the first ballet department in an American university at the University of Utah in 1951.[1]

In 1968, the Federation of Rocky Mountain States chose the company to represent that group, and by extension, to represent the western United States. Due to that choice, the group's name was changed to Ballet West.[2] This is not to be confused with Ballet West in Taynuilt, Scotland.[3]

The Ballet West Academy is the official school of Ballet West and is located in Salt Lake City.[4]

Ballet West was featured in the reality TV series Breaking Pointe in the Summer of 2012 and 2013 aired on the CW Network, part of a BBC Production.

History of Ballet West

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Ballet West was established in Salt Lake City in 1963. Willam F. Christensen was the company's first artistic director, co-founding the company together with Utah's “First Lady of the Arts” Glenn Walker Wallace. In 1951, Christensen had established the first ballet department in an American university at The University of Utah and with the tireless assistance of Mrs. Enid Cosgriff this program grew into the Utah Civic Ballet, Ballet West's first incarnation. But this was not the first ballet company Willam Christensen's founded. Along with his brothers Lew and Harold, Christensen made history by establishing the oldest ballet company in the western United States, the San Francisco Ballet. There he went on to create the first full-length American productions of Coppélia, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker, which remains in Ballet West's repertoire to this day.

A 20th Century ballet pioneer, Christensen developed a distinctly American and theatrical repertoire for his company based on his early training in Utah and New York City as well as his years traversing the American Vaudeville circuit. He also built a strong connection to the works of George Balanchine. In 1975 Christensen invited the great American dancer Bruce Marks to join him as Ballet West's Co-Artistic Director. Marks became Artistic Director in 1978 when Christensen retired. Under Marks’ direction, the company presented its first full production of Swan Lake and it earned a reputation for developing emerging choreographers of the time. Also during this period Marks made history, along with his wife, the acclaimed Danish Ballerina, Toni Lander, by presenting the first American full-length production of Abdallah by renowned 19th Century Danish choreographer, August Bournonville. John Hart, CBE, former dancer, administrator, and Assistant Director of The Royal Ballet in England succeeded Marks as Artistic Director of Ballet West In 1985. Under his leadership, the company's repertoire was expanded to include more well-loved 19th Century classics such as The Sleeping Beauty. Hart further enriched the company's repertoire of ballets with the works of many early 20th Century masters, most notably the great English choreographer, Sir Frederick Ashton. From 1985 to 1996, Hart engaged San Francisco-based Val Caniparoli as Ballet West's resident choreographer. Dancer and choreographer Jonas Kåge served as Artistic Director from 1997 to 2006. During this time Kåge maintained Ballet West's repertoire of classics while revitalizing its profile with notable late 20th Century choreographers such as Christopher Bruce, Hans van Manen, Glen Tetley and William Forsythe.

Artistic directors

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The founding artistic director, Willam Christensen, retired in 1978. He was succeeded by Bruce Marks, who had been co-artistic director since 1975. Starting in 1985, the company's third artistic director was John Hart, CBE, a former dancer, administrator, and assistant director of The Royal Ballet. From 1997 through 2006, the position belonged to Jonas Kåge, a dancer and choreographer.[1]

The company's fifth and current artist director is Adam Sklute, who has served in that capacity since 2007. Sklute was dancer, ballet master and associate director with The Joffrey Ballet.[1][5]

Dance company

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Dancers with Ballet West as of June 2023 include:[6]

Principal Dancers

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Name Nationality Training Joined Ballet West Promoted to Principal
[7] Emily Adams  United States School of American Ballet
Studio Maestro
Ballet Technique
Princeton Ballet		 2007 2015
[8] Katlyn Addison National Ballet School of Canada, Quinte Ballet School of Canada, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, Boston ballet, and Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy 2010 2021
[9] Hadriel Dinz  Brazil Guiomar Boaventura at the Vortice Escola de Dancas 2015 2021
[10] Adrian Fry  Canada Omaha Theater Ballet School
School of American Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet School		 2010 2017
[11] Jenna Rae Herrera  United States She trained under Cynthia Young, Lawrence Blake, and Randall Graham 2010 2021
[12] Amy Potter Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts 2012, 2021 2022
Jordan Veit Pacific Northwest Ballet School 2013 2022

First Soloists

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Name Nationality Training Joined Ballet West Promoted to First Soloist
[13] Tyler Gum  United States Ballet Society of Colorado Springs
Sangre de Cristo Ballet Theatre		 2010 2018
[14] Chelsea Keefer Ballet West Academy
University of Utah		 2014 2022

Soloists

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Name Nationality Training Joined Ballet West Promoted to Soloist
[15] David Huffmire  United States Ballet West Academy 2018 2022
[16] Brian Waldrep North Carolina School of the Arts 2022 N/A, Joined as Soloist

Demi-soloists

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Name Nationality Training Joined Ballet West Promoted to Demi-Soloist
[17] Dominic Ballard  Australia Australian Ballet School 2017 2022
[18] Olivia Gusti  United States Ballet West Academy 2016 2022
[19] Kazlyn Nielsen 2014 2022
[20] Jake Preece  Canada Goh Ballet Academy
Pacific Northwest Ballet School		 2019 2022
[21] Kristina Weimer  United States 2017 2022
[22] Joshua Whitehead Ballet West Academy 2012 2016

Corps de Ballet

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  • Jazz Khai Bynum
  • Lillian Casscells
  • Beau Chesivoir
  • Isabella Corridon
  • Amelia Dencker
  • Nicole Fanney
  • Robert Fowler
  • Connor Hammond
  • Jacob Hancock
  • Noel Jensen
  • Vinicius Lima
  • Joseph Lynch
  • Amber Miller
  • Rylee Ann Rogers
  • Anisa Sinteral
  • Tatiana Stevenson
  • Victoria Vassos
  • Loren Walton
  • Claire Wilson

Ballet West II, Second Company Artists

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  • Stella Birkinshaw
  • Micheal Bushman
  • Kye Cooley
  • Anderson Duhan
  • Maren Florence
  • Luca Freudenberg
  • Victor Galeana
  • Elijah Hartley
  • Schuyler Lian
  • William Lynch
  • Jonas Malinka-Thompson
  • Lexi McCloud
  • Julia Outmesguine
  • Kennedy Sheriff
  • Rebecca Trockel
  • Kaeli Ware

Notable Dancers

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Name Rank Date Joined Date Left
Beckanne Sisk Principal 2011 2022
Chase O'Connell Principal 2013 2022
Allison Debona First Soloist 2007 2022
Christopher Sellers First Soloist 2006 2019
Christopher Ruud Principal 1998 2019
Rex Tilton Principal 2008 2022
Kathrine Lawrence Principal 2004 2021
Elizabeth Weldon Soloist 2009 2018
Jeff Rogers Principal 1980 2000
Max Hall BW II 2002 2010
Silver Barkes Corps de Ballet 2004 2012
Jane Wood Principal 1981 2001

References

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  1. ^ a b c "About Us". Ballet West. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
  2. ^ "Ballet West", Utah History Encyclopedia, University of Utah Press, 1994, ISBN 9780874804256, archived from the original on November 3, 2022, retrieved April 2, 2024
  3. ^ "Ballet West - Ichrachan House - Taynuilt - Argyll - Scotland". Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
  4. ^ "Ballet West Academy". Ballet West. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
  5. ^ "Artistic Director". Ballet West. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
  6. ^ "Dancers : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  7. ^ "Emily Adams : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  8. ^ "Katlyn Addison : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  9. ^ "Hadriel Diniz : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  10. ^ "Adrian Fry : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  11. ^ "Jenna Rae Herrera : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  12. ^ "Amy Potter : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  13. ^ "Tyler Gum : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  14. ^ "Chelsea Keefer : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  15. ^ "David Huffmire : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  16. ^ "Brian Waldrep : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  17. ^ "Dominic Ballard : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  18. ^ "Olivia Gusti : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  19. ^ "Kazlyn Nielsen : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  20. ^ "Jake Preece : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  21. ^ "Kristina Weimer : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  22. ^ "Joshua Whitehead : Ballet West". balletwest.org. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
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