It’s your turn to take a bow!
Your support gives us strength. Your generosity helps achieve greatness.
You make our work on stage and in our community possible.
For this and so much more, we thank you.
We are happy to share what we consider to be your
Top 10 Moments from the 2016-2017 season, brought to us by…YOU!
MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE
This year, you made Cailee Herrell’s dream come true. Cailee suffers from a very rare retinal disease and is losing her eyesight. Seeing The Nutcracker and guesting on stage was at the top of her sightseeing bucket list. On December 16, you helped make it possible. In addition to Cailee, you made the holidays shine by providing more than 5,500 FREE tickets to children & families through our Angel Night Program. Click here Learn more about our Angel Nights.
TOPIA
In May, you helped us celebrate the return of Ib Andersen’s Topia to Desert Botanical Garden. Beethoven’s 6th Symphony drew together ballet and nature into a stunning and surreal production. Thank you to our New Works Initiative sponsors for making our annual Evening at Desert Botanical Garden possible this year and for the next three years. Read more about Topia’s opening night festivities here.
SBAZ NOW ACCEPTING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
After a five-year-long process, SBAZ received official Student and Exchange Visitor Program government approval in May! This achievement would not be possible without your support, the dedication of SBAZ faculty and parents. You have helped make SBAZ one of only 25 programs like this in the country and the only one in the Southwest. Read more about SBAZ’s international certification here.
RIO
You made Ib Andersen’s premiere of Rio possible during our annual Today’s Masters repertoire. Hailed as a “beautiful mix of playful and poignant” by the Phoenix New Times, Rio told the story of Samba set to Phillip Glass’s Days and Nights in Rocinha. Thank you for helping us develop new works in addition to embracing the classical beauty of ballet. To learn more about Rio, click here.
DANCE WITH ME GALA
What a party! We thank everyone that spent the evening with us on January 20 in honor of Carol and Randy Schilling (click here to view their tribute video). You raised more than $450,000! Your generosity means that our community outreach and education programs can now create bigger impacts on our community. Click here to read more about this wonderful evening.
ADAPTIVE DANCE
You’ve made Adaptive Dance for Down Syndrome a huge success! Every Saturday, instructor Kay Murray Price and her team of SBAZ student volunteers work with Down Syndrome students to nurture their interests in music, dance and self expression. Each session teaches rhythm, safe stretching and music appreciation through dance. These classes go far in building assurance, self confidence and enhancing social skills.
PRIMA CIRCLE EVENING
On January 27, Prima Circle members joined together in conversation and laughter as they traveled to Fair Verona in celebration of Romeo & Juliet. The evening hosted by Susie & Don Fowls and Ricki Dee & John Jennings. During wine and appetizers, dance educator, Katherine Barber, discussed the many ways Prokofiev used different musical themes to convey various characters and story arches. Read more about this magical evening here.
MARIA SIMONETTI
On January 13, we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of our rehearsal director, Maria Simonetti. Over the last two decades, Maria has played a key role in making Ballet Arizona the desert jewel we are today. Thank you for your support and generosity along the way, allowing us to attract and retain amazing and talented staff like Maria. Learn more about Maria and her impact on Ballet Arizona here.
CREATIVE AGING
In September, Ballet Arizona launched a six-week Creative Aging ballet workshop in partnership with Benevilla Senior Day Care Services. This pilot program offers curriculum that welcomes seniors as active participants in the dance community. Thank you for making this impactful outreach into the community possible. To learn more about the Creative Aging pilot, please click here.
SEASON WELCOME HAPPY HOUR
Each September, our Circles of Support members help kick off the season at this donor appreciation happy hour. This unique event allows us to take a moment and sincerely thank everyone for their support and passion for Ballet Arizona while allowing attendees a unique opportunity to meet and socialize with our Company dancers. Learn how you can participate in this year’s event on 9/12.
