Ballet Des Moines
| Ballet Des Moines | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Name | Ballet Des Moines |
| Previous names | Ballet Theatre of Des Moines |
| Year founded | 2002 |
| Founding Artistic Director | Julie Grooters |
| Location |
Des Moines, Iowa  |
| Principal venue | Hoyt Sherman Place |
| Website | www.balletdesmoines.org |
| Artistic staff | |
| Artistic Director | Serkan Usta |
| Ballet Mistress | Lori Grooters |
Ballet Des Moines is a ballet dance company based in Des Moines, Iowa.
History
The company was founded in 2002 as the Ballet Theatre of Iowa. Previously, the city had been served for by Ballet Iowa for three decades; however, that company had gone defunct in 1997 following financial mismanagement[1] Ballet Des Moines staged its first show, The Nutcracker, that winter and its first spring show, Swan Lake and Divertimento, the following spring.[2]
In 2005, Serkan Usta, a longtime star of Tulsa Ballet, was named artistic director. In 2006, the company renamed itself Ballet Des Moines. In 2012, the company hired its own professional resident dancers for the first time.[3]
Performances
In addition to community performances, Ballet Des Moines primarily performs its repertoire at Hoyt Sherman Place in the city's Sherman Hill neighborhood near downtown Des Moines. However, the company stages one performance per year the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines.
Education and Development
Ballet Des Moines II, formed in 2009, is a corps of pre-professional dancers who represent the organization through community outreach events and public performances.[4] In addition, Ballet Des Moines offers classes for studenbts ages 13–18. The annual production of The Nutcracker uses more than 250 young dancers.[5]
Dancers
As of 2013, the company has seven professional dancers:
- Serena Chu
- Carolina Machado Alves
- Carrie Ruth Trumbo
- Kiyota Nomura
- Jose Gamero
- Amand Pulaj
- Sergio Alvarez
- Ashton Plummer
