Ballet Des Moines

Last updated
Ballet Des Moines
General information
NameBallet Des Moines
Previous namesBallet Theatre of Des Moines
Year founded2002
Founding artistic directorJulie Grooters
Location Des Moines, Iowa
Principal venue Hoyt Sherman Place
Websitewww.balletdesmoines.org
Artistic staff
Artistic DirectorTom Mattingly

Ballet Des Moines is a ballet company based in Des Moines, Iowa.

Contents

History

The company was founded in 2002 as the Ballet Theatre of Iowa. Previously, the city had been served for by Ballet Iowa for three decades; however, that company had gone defunct in 1997 following financial mismanagement [1] Ballet Des Moines staged its first show, The Nutcracker , that winter and its first spring show, Swan Lake and Divertimento, the following spring. [2]

In 2005, Serkan Usta, a longtime star of Tulsa Ballet, was named artistic director. In 2006, the company renamed itself Ballet Des Moines. In 2012, the company hired its own professional resident dancers for the first time. [3]

In November, 2021, Tom Mattingly was named Artistic Director of Ballet Des Moines.

Performances

Ballet Des Moines perform at various locations in Des Moines, most often at Hoyt Sherman Place and the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines.

Education and development

Ballet Des Moines II, formed in 2009, is a corps of pre-professional dancers who represent the organization through community outreach events and public performances. [4] In addition, Ballet Des Moines offers classes for students ages 13–18. The annual production of The Nutcracker uses more than 350 local young dancers. [5]

Dancers

As of 2021, the company has eight professional dancers:

See also

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Jorge Samaniego was a dancer with the New York City Opera Ballet, Western Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Milwaukee Ballet. He choreographed for Puerto Rican Dance Theater and the Des Moines Ballet in Iowa. In 1981 he choreographed a PBS production of Romeo and Juliet, in which he played the role of Mercutio. His company was called the Samaniego Dance Gallery, established in 1977. Dance Magazine reports: "His annual stagings of A Christmas Carol, Peter and the Wolf, and The Nutcracker were holiday favorites in southern California."

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References

  1. "Ready to Leap". 24 July 2012.
  2. "Ballet des Moines Performance Repertoire || Ballet des Moines". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  3. "Nonprofit: Ballet des Moines".
  4. "Ballet des Moines || Ballet des Moines II and Company Structure". Archived from the original on 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
  5. "Ballet des Moines Education || Ballet des Moines". Archived from the original on 2013-12-27. Retrieved 2013-10-29.