BalletMet is an American
ballet company
A ballet company is a type of dance troupe that performs classical ballet, neoclassical ballet, and/or contemporary ballet in the European tradition, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-rou ...
and training program based in
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...
. Located in downtown Columbus, BalletMet facilities include a black box theatre performance space, seven dance studios, administrative offices, and costume and scene shops.
BalletMet's professional company stages 60 to 70 performances each year in Columbus and on tour. In the past, the company has toured 28 U.S. states and internationally to Russia, Poland, Egypt, Spain and Canada. Edwaard Liang has led the company as the artistic director for over 10 years.
BalletMet operates a dance academy that instructs about 1,500 students of all ages yearly. Classes offered include ballet, tap, modern, and Pilates. The current Academy Director is Maria Torija, a former professional dancer with
Berlin State Ballet.
BalletMet developed DanceReach, a series of educational and outreach programs serving nearly 30,000 people annually. The DanceReach program offers up to 60 scholarships each year to talented youth, many from minority and under-served groups, who could not otherwise participate in dance training.
The current company came into existence in July 1978, with a $200,000 grant from the
Battelle Memorial Institute Foundation. At that time it consisted of three staff and 12 dancers, and soon hired Wayne Soulant as its first artistic director. By 1997, the company had expanded to 25 dancers. The current company consists of 26 dancers and a second company of 6 dancers.
Professional Company
BalletMet's main focus is an ensemble professional Company consisting of 25-26 dancers, depending on the season. BalletMet does not rank its dancers (ex. corps, demi-soloist, soloist, prima). The dancers are all members of
AGMA. The repertoire is rooted in classical ballet techniques yet ranges greatly, often showcasing contemporary ballet work or postmodern influences in the same seasons as classics like ''The Nutcracker.'' This diversity of repertoire, unusual for American ballet companies, requires a strong ballet foundation and experience with other forms to perform successfully. Audience members thus enjoy a variety of artistic offerings each season.
BalletMet has an associated pre-professional company, BalletMet 2. BalletMet 2 performs with the Company in select shows throughout the season as well as in local schools as part of the Movement Makers initiative. BalletMet 2 dancers are selected during Company auditions.
Current Dancers
BalletMet's current Company consists of the following dancers:
*Erica Alvarado
*Miguel Anaya
*TyLeigh Baughman
*Jessica Brown
*Leiland Charles
*Iris Dávila
*Francesca Dugarte
*Zachary Guthier
*Johnathon Hart
*Matoi Kawamoto
*Miguel Wansing Lorrio
*Rie Matsuura
*Sophie Miklosovic
*Beñat Andueza Molina
*Rachael Parini
*Austin Powers
*Grace-Anne Powers
*Andrew Rossi
*Alvin Tovstogray
*Vincent Van Harris
*Cooper Verona
*David Ward
*Victoria Watford
BalletMet 2
*Amélie Freeman
*Isaac Orrante
*Gabriel Roush
*Jordan Sheppard
*Kyler Valentine
*Claire Wessells
*Lauren Woodward
Source:
Artistic Directors
* Wayne Soulant (1978–86)
* John McFall (1986–94)
*
David Nixon (1994-2001)
* Gerard Charles (2001–2012)
*
Edwaard Liang (2013–2024)
* Remi Wörtmeyer (2024-Present)
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Met, Ballet
1978 establishments in Ohio
Musical groups established in 1978
Musical groups from Columbus, Ohio
Dance in Ohio