Boulder Ballet

A nonprofit organization

Step into a world of discovery with Boulder Ballet's 42nd season: UNLOCKED

As we reflect on an inspiring year at Boulder Ballet, we are filled with gratitude for your unwavering support. Your contributions have made a profound impact on our dancers, our community, and the art of ballet itself. Thank you for considering Boulder Ballet in your year end giving.

A year in review - see the impact of your donation! 

In this past year alone we had 120 new supporters who joined us in our mission. We have witnessed a remarkable 400% increase in overall individual giving since 2019, allowing us to enhance our programs and support our talented dancers with a 64% increase in salaries. This growth has been made possible because of donors like you. 

Our professional company thrived with over 35 performances and 5 world premieres, showcasing the creativity and dedication of our artists. We are proud to have partnered with wellness experts to support the physical and mental health of our dancers and were honored with the What's your peace award' from Mental Health Colorado. Initiatives like our Dance Direct Space Residency Program and the Bilingual Ballet have expanded our community outreach, providing access to dance education for all.

Looking ahead, we are excited to continue creating original ballets and professional development opportunities, fostering an environment where our dancers can grow and shine. Your support is vital as we seek to expand access to dance education and continue our mission of inclusivity.

Thank you for being an essential part of the Boulder Ballet family. Together, we are making a difference in the lives of our dancers and the community we serve.

Our 2024/25 season invites you to join us in a series of unforgettable performances that will unlock new dimensions of art, wellness, and human connection. Prepare to be moved and captivated by a diverse program featuring stirring works that will inspire and resonate long after the final curtain falls.

This Colorado Gives Day your gift unlocks the power of the arts and supports the following programs

Testimonials

“I found my home. I don’t think there is anywhere else where I could be my authentic self” 

~ Catherine Lasak – Company Artist (on joining Boulder Ballet on 2023)


"The work Boulder Ballet is doing is so important."

~ Julia Manning (Artistic Director of Colorado Movement Lab)


"I was stunned by the excellent quality of the performances. Boulder Ballet has reached heights I would only expect from a large city".  

~ Marc Vick (Colorado Ballet subscriber) 


“After relocating to Boulder during the pandemic, I was thrilled to find such a tremendous ballet school for my two daughters. I am impressed with their increased confidence, body awareness, joy (every class is fun for them), and sense of belonging; they have certainly found a community. I am grateful to have the wonderful teachers and staff at Boulder Ballet supporting my daughters as they grow through adolescence!”

~ Alicia Curtin (Parent of BBS Student)


Boulder Ballet has won "Best of Boulder Live Dance Group" every year for over ten years. "With performances that range from elegant, classic fairy tales to contemporary stories of imagination, power and love, ballet is a mixture of athleticism and grace. Boulder Ballet takes the audience into different worlds through its rich interpretations of the human story. Since the 1980s, the company has been enriching the whole region with their mix of classic and contemporary shows, while pursuing innovation, programmatic growth and an attention to quality that really makes these dancers shine. With programs all year long, Boulder Ballet always has a unique theatrical performance just waiting for you to experience." 

~Boulder Weekly, 2019


"Boulder has much to be proud of with it's resident production of The Nutcracker." 

~Denver Post

 


Mission

Boulder Ballet creates engaging dance performances and educational initiatives that enrich human connections through the transformative power of the arts.

Vision: Boulder Ballet’s Vision is to be a leading force in the dance world, inspiring audiences, students, and communities alike to embrace creativity, wellness, and resilience through the art of dance.

Background Statement

The Ballet Arts Studio was founded in the 1970s as the Ballet Arts Studio of Boulder by Larry Boyette. In 1982 Barbara Demaree and Wanda Tierney took over the studio and started the first performing ensemble, then named Boulder City Ballet. In 1985, the name was changed to Boulder Ballet Ensemble, and in 1995 the present names Boulder Ballet and Boulder Ballet School were adopted. Our rich history includes bringing classical, contemporary, and uniquely theatrical ballet to venues that range from Estes Park to Highlands Ranch. Boulder Ballet typically performs in Chautauqua Auditorium, Macky Auditorium, Vance Brand Auditorium, the Dairy ARTS Center, the Stanley Hotel, Lakewood Cultural Center and in outdoor venues in Highlands Ranch and Boulder. Last season, we were thrilled to make our debut at the Vail Dance Festival.

Since its founding, the professional company has been influenced by several notable artists, including Milenko Banovich (Zagreb Ballet), Robin Haig (Royal Ballet), and John Prinz (American Ballet Theatre). Subsequent directors Peter Davison, Ana Claire and Lance Hardin built on this strong tradition of artistic excellence through innovation, programmatic growth, and attention to quality. The past two years have featured works by well known choreographers such as Paul Taylor, Christopher Wheeldon, Amy Hall Garner, Amy Seiwert, Gregory Dawson and Sidra Bell. In 2022 Ben Needham-Wood was named Artistic Director, ushering in a new phase of growth for the company. The 2022-23 season features works by Twyla Tharp and Caili Quan, a reimagined Nutcracker, and the spring production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. In a typical season we offer 25 performances reaching 20,000+ people in the metro-Denver region including continuing collaborations with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra and Longmont Symphony Orchestra.

Students of the Boulder Ballet School have excelled in a number of competitions, including the world's largest, the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), where BBS students have won first-place awards and the regional Grand Prix (single highest award), and have been invited to perform in the finals among the world's finest young dancers. Former BBS students have gone on to study and dance with eminent companies throughout the world including American Ballet Theatre, Ballet West, Ballet British Columbia, Dutch National Ballet (Amsterdam), New York City Ballet, the Royal Ballet (London), and Sacramento Ballet among others.

Boulder Ballet is a founding resident organization of the Dairy ARTS Center in central Boulder.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Boulder Ballet

Year Established

2005

Tax id (EIN)

20-3447830

Category

Arts, Culture & Humanities

Organization Size

Large Organization

Address

2590 Walnut Street, Suite #10
Boulder, CO 80302

Service areas

Boulder County, CO, US

Douglas County, CO, US

Jefferson County, CO, US

Phone

303-443-0028

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