| Ballet Memphis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Name | Ballet Memphis |
| Previous names | Memphis Concert Ballet |
| Year founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Dorothy Gunther Pugh |
| Principal venue | Orpheum Theatre |
| Website | balletmemphis |
| Senior staff | |
| Chief Executive | Gretchen Wollert McLennon |
| Administrator | Carol Miraglia |
| Artistic staff | |
| Artistic Director | Steven McMahon |
| Ballet Mistress | Julie Marie Niekrasz |
| Other | |
| Orchestra | Memphis Symphony Orchestra |
| Official school | Ballet Memphis School |
Ballet Memphis is a regionally and nationally recognized professional ballet company based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded as Memphis Concert Ballet in 1986 by Dorothy Gunther Pugh. Ballet Memphis regularly performs at their Midtown home, at Playhouse on the Square, Crosstown Theater and the Orpheum Theatre.
Ballet Memphis presents classical and mixed-repertory contemporary choreography.
History
Ballet Memphis was founded in 1975 as Memphis Youth Concert Ballet. In 1986, it was renamed Memphis Concert Ballet when it was refocused as a professional troupe under Dorothy Gunther Pugh.[1] In July 1996, the company was renamed Ballet Memphis.[2]
In August of 1997, Ballet Memphis began constructing a new location on Trinity Rd in Cordova. The building was designed with metal and glass to give it an industrial feel and included a marquee-like sign and five sculptures of dancers to maximize its visibility from the road.[3]
The current Ballet Memphis building was designed by archimania and opened to the public in August 2017.[4] That same month, Ballet Memphis sold its Trinity Rd building to Tennessee Shakespeare Company.[5]
In 2019, Pugh began to retire from leading Ballet Memphis, selecting Steven McMahon to succeed her as artistic director. In July 2020, Gretchen Wollert McLennon was selected by the company's board of directors as the new president and CEO.[6][7]
Company
Dancers (as of 2023-2024 season)
| Name | Nationality | Training | Joined Ballet Memphis | Other Companies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iori Araya |  Japan |
Australian Ballet School | 2017 | Singapore Ballet, New Jersey Ballet, The Australian Ballet Dancer's Company |
| Kennedy Ballard |  United States |
Feijoo Ballet School | 2023 | Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre, Huntsville Ballet Company |
| Angelina Broad | Orlando Ballet School, BalletMet | 2022 | ||
| Anwen Brown | Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, San Francisco Ballet School | 2013 | ||
| Matthew Cunningham | Ballet West Academy, Boston Ballet School Pre-Professional Program, Orlando Ballet Second Company | 2023 | ||
| Joey Dlearo | Lilburn School of Ballet, Orlando Molina Ballet Training Center, Richmond Ballet Trainee Program | 2021 | ||
| Eileen Frazer |  Panama |
Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive (2011), Butler University B.A. Dance Pedagogy | 2015 | Ballet Nacional de Panama |
| Andre Gallon | United States |
Florida Ballet, Orlando Ballet School Pre-Professional program, Orlando Ballet | 2021 | Orlando Ballet |
| Cecily Khuner | Berkeley Ballet Theater, San Francisco Ballet School | 2010 | ||
| Phoebe Magna | The Hartt School Community Dance Division, The Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts | 2022 | Colorado Ballet (Studio Company), City Ballet of San Diego, Boulder Ballet, Richmond Ballet (Guest Artist) | |
| Beth Ann Maslinoff | The HARID Conservatory | 2019, 2021 | Eugene Ballet, Amy Seiwert's Imagery, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, San Francisco Opera, Canadian Opera Company | |
| Darcy McLoughlin | Manhattan Youth Ballet, BalletMet | 2022 | ||
| Wyatt Pendelton | Ballet Tucson, University of Utah, Milwaukee Ballet II | 2022 | Rochester City Ballet | |
| Demetrious Reed | The Pointe! Dance Studio in Philadelphia, The Joffrey Ballet School in New York | 2023 | BalletX | |
| Emilia Sandoval | Crockett-Deane Ballet (Sacramento), Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre | 2019 | Nashville Ballet 2 | |
| Rianna Talento | Grand Rapids Ballet, BalletMet, Virginia Balley Company & School | 2023 | ||
| Gretchen Vander Bloomer | Dance Academy of Libertyville, Colorado Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Alabama Ballet | 2021 |
2022-2023 season
Dracula choreography by Steven McMahon
Ballet Memphis' The Nutcracker
Winter Mix: Love Songs/Love Stories: Gerald Aprino's Birthday Variations, Marcus J. Willis' T&C's Apply, Garrett Ammon's Short Trip Home
Cinderella choreography by Steven McMahon
2021-2022 season
In This Moment: Gabrielle Lamb's Elapse, Steven McMahon New Work, Mariana Oliveira's Pagliacci
Ballet Memphis' The Nutcracker
Winter Mix: George Balanchine's Concerto Barocco, Trey Mcintyre Patsy Cline Gets Her Heart Broken, Brandon Ramey New Work
Soul: Julie Niekrasz's In Search Of, Emilia Sandoval's In Mind’s Eye, Chanel DaSilva's Heathen Hearts
2019-2020 season
Romeo and Juliet choreography by Steven McMahon at Playhouse on the Square
Ballet Memphis' The Nutcracker
Winter Mix: New works with choreography by Crystal Michelle Perkins, Julie Marie Niekrasz and Uri Sands
Ballet Memphis School
The Ballet Memphis School offers ballet lessons for ages 3 through adult in a nurturing environment that encourages all students to reach their potential, discover the joy of movement, and appreciate the art of dance.
Youth Ballet Memphis is the highest level of the school, with students practicing and performing alongside members of the professional company.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ Smith, Whitney (February 6, 1987). "Ballet company outgrows its name". The Commercial Appeal. pp. B3. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ↑ Smith, Whitney (June 11, 1996). "Memphis Concert Ballet becoming Ballet Memphis". The Commercial Appeal. pp. B5. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ↑ Smith, Whitney (July 30, 1997). "Ballet facility 'to have a presence'". The Commercial Appeal. pp. A12. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ↑ Ferello, Jamie (10 August 2018). "The Ballet Memphis building shines behind a corrugated copper curtain". archpaper.com. The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ↑ Dries, Bill (September 1, 2017). "Tennessee Shakespeare Company Buys Ballet Memphis' Cordova Facility". Memphis Daily News. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ↑ "Dorothy Gunther Pugh, CEO and Founding Artistic Director of Ballet Memphis, announces retirement". ABC24. January 7, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ↑ Sparks, Jon (July 6, 2020). "Gretchen Wollert McLennon to lead Ballet Memphis". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ↑ "Youth Ballet Memphis". Ballet Memphis. Retrieved 2023-12-17.