Viva Frida!
On the eve of the U.S. premiere of Frida, I could not carry more pride for our community than I do in this moment. We were honored to be the first US company to premiere the work of world-renowned choreographer, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. When we embarked on this journey, two years ago, we knew it would be a pivotal moment in Ballet Arizona’s history, and our community rose to embrace this premiere exactly as we had hoped. Thank you for making Frida the blockbuster it has become. Â
Frida is the grand finale of the Latino Arts Initiative, a 5-year grant funded by Jacquie and Bennett Dorrance that has successfully broadened our reach to Latino audiences in the valley. We extend our deep gratitude to them for their visionary support.
Not only is Frida an artistic achievement, it is also a financial win for the ballet. Producing this new work allows us to rent it to other ballet companies around the globe – next stop, Hong Kong Ballet, then onto Santiago, Chile. Not only is this an investment in our artistic vision, but it also diversifies our revenue streams and extends the reach of Ballet Arizona’s influence and brand on an international scale.
The School of Ballet Arizona Blooms
The New Year launched the opening of a satellite campus for The School of Ballet Arizona in Mesa, created in partnership with Child Crisis Arizona. Located at the Center for Child & Family Wellness on Rio Salado, this campus will expand access to dance education for students and families in the East Valley. With classes for children ages 2-8, along with adult programs and community engagement opportunities, this initiative complements our full school-year curriculum while fostering greater inclusivity in the arts.
Project: Ignite Takes Flight
None of these exciting projects would be possible without the generous support of our donors. This year, Ballet Arizona was the recipient of a transformational grant award from the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation. This 3-year initiative, called Project: Ignite, is inspired by Ballet Arizona’s recently completed strategic plan. This initiative outlines five major goals: artistic vision and innovation, growing our patron base, achieving financial resilience, operational excellence, and enhancing our school.
This historic gift comes at a pivotal moment as Ballet Arizona continues to build momentum following the challenges of the pandemic. Project: Ignite will strategically invest in programmatic growth, mission enhancements, and organizational stability through expanded revenue opportunities and infrastructure development. By deepening our commitment to cultural outreach, dance education, and equitable access, this visionary initiative will create meaningful, lasting impact for our community. We thank the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation for such an extraordinary investment in our mission.
Many of you have approached me over the past few months and asked the question: what is the secret ingredient to the ballet’s recent success? My answer is the same every time…it is YOU. You have helped us by spreading the word to your friends, colleagues and neighbors. You helped us sellout our entire run of The Nutcracker performances by making it part of your family’s holiday tradition, you have made generous donations to support our community programs, and you have helped the ballet go viral on social media by sharing our content with your network. We are here, because of you. On behalf of every heart touched by this organization, I thank you from the bottom of mine.
