Photo by Eli Akerstein
About Boulder Ballet T he origins of Boulder Ballet begin with the Ballet Arts Studio, founded by former American Ballet Theatre dancer Larry Boyette and British dancer Barbara Demaree, and located above Tom’s Tavern (now the restaurant Salt) at 11th and Pearl Street in downtown Boulder. The first performing company to grow out of the school, Boulder City Ballet, was founded in 1982 by Barbara Demaree and Wanda Tierney. In 1985 the company changed its name to Boulder Ballet Ensemble, and in 1995 to Boulder Ballet. Over this time, Boulder Ballet has had a number of strong influences including the versatile artistry of past artistic directors Milenko Banovich (Zagred Ballet), Robin Haig (Royal Ballet), and John Prinz (American Ballet Theatre). Since 1989, Boulder Ballet has enjoyed a partnership with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra in presenting classical ballets complete with professional scenery, costumes, lighting designs, and casts of up to 100 dancers. Our rich history includes bringing classic, contemporary, and uniquely theatrical ballet to an audience that stretches from Estes Park to Highlands Ranch, in venues from the 2,000-seat opera house Macky Auditorium, to historic Boulder Theater in downtown Boulder, and to outdoor amphitheaters throughout the Denver-metro area. Artistic Director Ana Claire and Associate Artistic Director Lance Hardin continue to build on the proud tradition of artistic excellence through innovation. They have challenged their dancers and enlightened their audiences with the versatile productions from the contemporary Stepping Out to the classic The Nutcracker, to the timeless tale of Cinderella. Under their direction the company’s season continues to expand and performances now reach over 20,000 annually in the Denver Metro area. The Boulder Ballet School (BBS) provides ballet training for all ages, pre-school through adult, in a uniquely artistic and creative atmosphere. As a professional-track ballet school, BBS challenges students dedicated to pursuing dance as a career but also welcomes those who dance purely for enjoyment. BBS focuses on ballet technique because it is a beautiful art in its own right and a strong base for many other styles of dance. Under the direction of Ana Claire since 1999, she has successfully recruited an outstanding faculty with international performing and teaching experience. The seven-level curriculum is designed to produce well-rounded artists who achieve not only technical proficiency but also an essential expressive quality in their dancing. To achieve this, the classical ballet technique is augmented with modern dance, character dance, and physical theater. Such comprehensive training prepares students for the many artistic challenges demanded of today’s professional dancers. Our students have excelled in a number of competitions, including the world’s largest, the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), where BBS students have won first-place awards and the regional Grand Prix (single highest award), and have been invited to perform in New York City among the world’s finest young dancers. Former BBS students have gone on to dance with world-class companies throughout the world including American Ballet Theatre, Ballet British Columbia, Hubbard Street Dance, Mark Morris Dance Group, Miami City Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, England’s Royal Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet, to name a few.