Colorado Ballet


Colorado Ballet encompasses a 31-member professional performing ballet company, a studio company for advanced dance students, an Academy, and an education and outreach department. Based in downtown Denver, Colorado, Colorado Ballet serves more than 125,000 patrons each year.
The professional company performs primarily at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Performing Arts Complex and one show each year at the Robert and Judi Newman Center for Performing Arts at the University of Denver. Colorado Ballet performs classical ballets and contemporary dance works. The Colorado Ballet Orchestra performs with the Company at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, either at three or four productions a year.
With an annual operating budget exceeding $7.8 million, the company employs more than 150 people on either a full-time or part-time basis during the year.
Colorado Ballet received the 2009 Colorado Masterpieces Award. As part of the award, Colorado Ballet toured Colorado in the 2009–2010 season as a part of American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius initiative, funded by the Colorado Council on the Arts.
Colorado Ballet has performed at the Vail International Dance Festival in 2011, 2015 and 2017.
In 2013, Colorado Ballet purchased a building in Denver's Art District on Santa Fe. The company moved to its new location in August 2014.

History

In 1961, Lillian Covillo and Freidann Parker established Colorado Concert Ballet to showcase talented students they had been teaching at their ballet school. Their first production, The Nutcracker, played to sold-out houses in Denver's Bonfils Theatre. By 1968, the Company hit the road for its first tour of the state. By 1976, Colorado Concert Ballet produced 33 performances of The Nutcracker and three other productions that season. By October of that year, Colorado Concert ballet achieved full professional status with a total roster of eight professional dancers. Two years later, the Board of Trustees changed the Company’s name to Colorado Ballet.
In 1987, Parker and Covillo conducted a nationwide search, at their own expense, for a new artistic director. With their choice of Martin Fredmann, they changed the course of Colorado Ballet. Also that year, a lagging economy in Denver forced Colorado Ballet to look at an emerging national trend among dance companies and as a result entered into an alliance with Tampa Ballet. Colorado Ballet and Tampa Ballet joined forces, performing 18 weeks in Tampa and 18 weeks in Denver. The partnership remained successful for three years, and in 1990, the Board of Trustees decided to the dissolve the alliance and move the Company permanently to Denver.
In 1993, Colorado Ballet made its New York debut to favorable reviews. In 1995, the Company formed Colorado Ballet II, which is now known as Colorado Ballet’s Studio Company. By the time the Company celebrated its 40th anniversary in the early 2000s, the organization’s annual budget had grown to $5.1 million, with 30 professional dancers, 20 apprentices and an Academy with 250 students. In March 2006, Gil Boggs, former principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, was hired as the new artistic director.
After more than two decades of leasing a space near the Colorado State Capitol, Colorado Ballet purchased a building at the north end of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe in 2013. The Company renovated the space and moved into its new home in August 2014.
During the 2016-2017 season, Colorado Ballet’s ticketing revenue exceeded more than $4 million for the first time and more than 87,000 people watched Colorado Ballet’s productions. In December 2016, Colorado Ballet's The Nutcracker was named the best-loved Nutcracker in the 10th Annual Goldstar National Nutcracker Award contest, winning this coveted honor in a field that included more than 80 other productions throughout the U.S.

Artistic leaders

The artistic leadership of the Colorado Ballet includes :
Artistic Director: Gil Boggs, former principal dancer of American Ballet Theatre
Ballet Mistresses: Lorita Travaglia, Sandra Brown
Music Director/Principal Conductor: Adam Flatt
Associate Conductor: Catherine Sailer
Company Pianist: Natalia Arefieva
Academy Principal: Erica Fischbach

Dancers

Colorado Ballet consists of 33 professional dancers from around the world :

Principal dancers

The Studio Company is a pre-professional training program; members are selected by audition. The program is designed to offer young dancers training and experience working with the professional company.

2018-2019 season

Colorado Ballet's 2018-2019 season will open on October 5, 2018.
Sleeping Beauty
The Nutcracker
The Wizard of Oz
Tour de Force
Ballet MasterWorks: Carmina Burana

2017–2018 season

Colorado Ballet's 2017-2018 season opened on October 6, 2017.
Dracula
The Nutcracker
Romeo and Juliet
Ballet Director's Choice

2016–2017 season

Colorado Ballet's 2016-2017 season opened on October 7, 2016.
Swan Lake
The Nutcracker
Ballet MasterWorks
The Little Mermaid

2015–2016 season

Colorado Ballet's 2015-2016 season opened on October 2, 2015.
La Sylphide
The Nutcracker
Alice in Wonderland
Ballet Director's Choice

2014–2015 season

Colorado Ballet's 2014-2015 season opened on September 26, 2014.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Dracula
The Nutcracker
Ballet MasterWorks
Peter and the Wolf

2013–2014 season

Giselle
The Nutcracker
Cinderella
Director's Choice

2012–2013 season

The Sleeping Beauty
The Nutcracker
Ballet MasterWorks

2011–2012 season

Swan Lake
The Nutcracker
Peter Pan
Tribute

2010–2011 season

Anniversary Triple Bill
Dracula
The Nutcracker
Romeo and Juliet

2009–2010 season

Great Galloping Gottschalk
Rodeo
Don Quixote
The Nutcracker
Beauty and the Beast
Echoing of Trumpets
Celts

Repertoire

Since 1961, The Nutcracker has been in the Colorado Ballet's repertoire every holiday season. Although primarily a classical ballet company, the Company's repertoire ranges from classical to contemporary ballets.
BalletChoreographerComposer
"...smile with my heart"L. LubovitchM. Laird
Afternoon of a FaunV. Nijinsky, staged by I. YouskevitchC. Debussy
ALICE S. WebreM. Pierce
Among Silken CordsL. WymmerW.A. Mozart
ApolloG. Balanchine, staged by P.NearyI. Stravinsky
Appalachian SpringM. Graham, staged by T. Capuccilli, J. Herring, J. EiblerA. Copland
ArchetypesE. LeCroneT. Riley
Ave MariaD. RhodenGiulio Caccini, vocals by Kagen Paley
A Little LoveM. FredmannSongs sung by Nina Simone
Beauty and the BeastM. FredmannM. Ravel
Billy the KidE. Loring, staged by H. SayetteA. Copland
Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1C. TippetM. Bruch
Buffalo Bill's SaloonA. ErbR. Jarboe, performed by Tim and Molly O'Brien
Carmina BuranaG. Gonzales, P. Renzetti, J. WallaceC. Orff
CeltsL. YorkTraditional Irish music
Centennial SuiteM. FredmannR. Thompson
Cinderella M. FredmannS. Prokofiev
Company BP. Taylor, staged by R. AndrienSongs recorded by The Andrews Sisters
Concerto BaroccoG. Balanchine, staged by P. NearyJ.S. Bach
ConfigurationsC. Goh, staged by J. SchergenS. Barber
CoppéliaM. FredmannL. Delibes
Cry and SilenceM. MurdmaaK. Sink
Diana and Actaeon A. VaganovaC. Pugni
De ProfundisJ. LangArvo Pärt
Don Quixote M. Petipa/ A. GorskyL. Minkus
DraculaM. PinkP. Feeney
DreamspaceM. FredmannG. Mahler, W. Piston, H. Hanson, C. Ives, S. Coleridge-Taylor, A. Hovhaness
The Dying SwanM. Fokine, staged by N. KrassovskaC. Saint-Saens
Earth TribeR. HarrisD. Ross; Romanthony
Echoing of TrumpetsA. TudorB. Martinu
ElysiumT. KorobeynikovaMeredith Monk and Kronos Quartet
EmbellishJodie GatesWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
FaçadeF. Ashton, staged by A. GrantW. Walton
Feast of the GodsE. LiangO. Respighi
FirebirdY. PossokhovI. Stravinsky
Flames of Paris J. LangR. Schumann
Giselle J. Perrot/J. Coralli, staged by Gil BoggsA. Adam
Great Galloping GottschalkLynne Taylor-Corbett, staged by Jeff GriblerLouis Moreau Gottschalk
The Hunchback of Notre DameT. IshidaC. Pugni
The Hunchback of Notre DameM. PinkP. Feeney
In the Upper RoomT. Tharp, staged by S. WashingtonP. Glass
InversionJ. WallaceS. Barber
JamNationD. McKayleC. Dobrian, K. Akagi, L. Armstrong, C. Parker, D. Ellington, A.C. Jobin, D. Reinhart, S. Grapelli, J. Johnson
La Bayadere M. Petipa, staged by M. StavitskayaL. Minkus
Land Beyond HorizonsH. GarzaT. Bell
La SylphideA. Bournonville, staged by Z. Dubrovskaya, S. KozadeyevH. Lovenskjold
La VivandiereA. Saint-Leon, staged by P. RenzettiC. Pugni
Le Beau DanubeL. Massine, staged by G. VerdakJ. Strauss II
Le Spectre de la RoseM. Fokine, staged by T. ArmourC. Von Weber
Light/The Holocaust & Humanity ProjectStephen MillsSteve Reich, Evelyn Glennie, Michael Gordon, Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass
The Little Mermaid Lynne Taylor-CorbettMichael Moricz
Masquerade SuiteM. FredmannA. Khatchaturian
A Midsummer Night's DreamC. WheeldonF. Mendlessohn
Miraculous MandarinS. KozadayevB. Bartok
Mon Dieu M. FredmannSung by Edith Piaf
Nine Sinatra SongsT. Tharp, staged by S. WashingtonSongs recorded by F. Sinatra
The Nutcracker M. Fredmann, Additional Choreography by S. Brown, staged by L. Travaglia and S. BrownP.I. Tchaikovsky
Of Blessed MemoryS. WelchJ. Cantaloube
Picture of SedaliaP. PucciS. Joplin
Peter PanG. Conzales/ A. ThompsonL. Delibes
Peter PanMichael PinkPhilip Feeney
Petite MortJiří KyliánW. A. Mozart
Pounds and StompsD. VaroneSongs by the Yardbirds
Rachmaninov SecondK. UralskyS. Rachmaninov
Raymonda M. Petipa, staged by M. StavitskayaA. Glazunov
RicordanzaM. FredmannF. Liszt
The Rite of SpringGlen TetleyIgor Stravinsky
The RiverA. Ailey, staged by M. ChayaD. Ellington
RodeoA. de Mille, staged by P. SutherlandA. Copland
Romeo & Juliet M. FredmannS. Prokofiev
RubiesG. Balanchine, staged by B. CookI. Stravinsky
SachertorteM. FredmannStrauss Family
Second ExposureD. Grand MoultrieR. Romaneiro
SerenadeG. Balanchine, staged by P. NearyP.I. Tchaikovsky
Silent Woods M. FredmannA. Dvorak
Size Nine SpiritP. PucciB. Goodman
The Sleeping BeautyMarius Petipa, staged by M. Daukayev, J. LabsanP.I. Tchaikovsky
Soul of PorcelainO. MessinaP.I. Tchaikovsky
Stars and StripesG. Balanchine, staged by B. CookJ.P. Sousa
Swan Lake M. Petipa/L. Ivanov, staged by S. Kozadayev, Z. Dubroskaya, A. McKerrow, & J. GardnerP.I. Tchaikovsky
Talisman M. PetipaR. Drigo
Theme and VariationsGeorge Balanchine, staged by P. NearyP.I. Tchaikovsky
Things Left UnsaidA. SeiwertF. Mendelson
Traveling AloneA. SeiwertM. Richter
Troy GameR. North, staged by J. MossB. Downes
Vital SensationsD. MoultriePuente, Sidestepper, R. Size/ Reprazent
Western SymphonyG. Balanchine, staged by B. CookH. Kay
When the Lad for Longing SighsM. Fredmann, J. LevinsonG. Butterworth
Where the Wild Things AreS. WebreR. Woolf
Who Cares?G. Balanchine, staged by J. FugateG. Gershwin
WingborneL. HoultonA. Dvorak
Winter MoonsP. TateJ. Tate
Without WordsT. ShimazakiT. Kako, R. Eno, L.M. Gottschalk, F. Mendlessohn
Yes, Virginia, Another Piano BalletP. AnastosF. Chopin

Academy

The is the official school of the Colorado Ballet Company, located in Denver, CO. The Academy provides training to students ages 1 ½ through adult, beginner through professional
The Academy begins teaching students from ages 3 through 6 for creative dance and pre-ballet, two classes that lay the foundation for further study of classical ballet
Beginning at age seven, students are placed in Level 1 and advance according to age, experience, and ability. The Academy curriculum is designed to guide students from their first introduction to the art through a full course of ballet study. During their time at Colorado Ballet Academy, students take classes in technique, pointe work, pas de deux, modern, jazz as well as vital conditioning classes.
The Colorado Ballet Academy’s designed method follows a structured sequence of training stages intended to increase student’s technical skills, stamina and discipline in accordance with their age and physical development.
Academy students perform in showcase performances as well as Colorado Ballet's professional ballets, including the annual productions of The Nutcracker. The Academy is located in downtown Denver.

Education and Community Engagement

Colorado Ballet's Education and Community Engagement department serves in-need students, teachers, families, people with disabilities and lifelong learners in Colorado. Colorado Ballet's outreach programs make more than 35,000 contacts each year in 225 schools/organizations.
Education & Outreach Includes:
Be Beautiful Be Yourself - Based on Boston Ballet’s “Adaptive Dance” program and supported by the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome at Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Dance program provides 10 weekly dance classes to ten 5-9 year-old-children with Down syndrome.
Five by Five Project - The 5 X 5 Project is the Mayor's Office for Education and Children's program designed to offer Head Start families opportunities to give their children five cultural experiences by the age of five. Colorado Ballet has been a partnering organization in this program for four years.
Leap N Learn - Leap N Learn is an after school residency that lasts 10–15 weeks, classes focus on creative movement and ballet. The students study a variety of dance concepts while working on spatial awareness, problem solving, and strengthening the body and brain. The program culminates with a performance for the parents, school, and community.
Rhythm and Grace - Rhythm & Grace is an adaptation of the nationally recognized Dance for PD® model created by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. This national model is offered in more than 40 communities in the U.S. and Europe. The Parkinson Association of the Rockies is the first Parkinson’s-oriented Colorado organization to bring this dance-focused method of physical therapy to the Denver community. Since its inception in September 2011, approximately 50 individuals with Parkinson’s disease have participated in the program.
School workshops, assemblies and field trips - Colorado Ballet's education and outreach department offers school workshops and assemblies teaching students about dance. In addition, the department offers students discounted tickets to the professional Company's final dress rehearsal for selected shows each season.