Celebrating 75 years  of the Washington School of Ballet

Ballet lovers from around the world were invited to tune in for the first-ever LIVE online celebration of The Washington Ballet! Performances by The Washington Ballet artists and stories from students and faculty highlighted the event.

Ballet in Washington, D.C., under Artistic Director, Julie Kent, was beginning to soar and rival many American and international ballet companies. Their 2020 season promised to deliver breathtaking performances of classical ballets and repertoire. The season started with their exceptional production of Balanchine + Ashton in February to be followed by the full-length Swan Lake – music by Tchaikovsky. The classic ballet, Coppélia, to the music of Léo Delibes, was scheduled to premiere in May.  Casting, choreography, costuming, and rehearsals were in progress. I planned to attend Coppélia and write a blog article about the performance.

Producing a full length classical ballet is an very expensive and laborious process. The costuming alone, is extremely expensive with a single tutu potentially costing over $3000. The cost of costumes added to the salaries, overhead, and theater rental runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sold out productions, sponsors, grants, and patrons help cover these expenses. What happens when the curtain does not rise? The last Washington Ballet rehearsal was held on March 13 where snippets of a dress rehearsal of Act 3 were filmed.

The company staff and dancers are incredibly supportive, gracious, and optimistic for something wonderful to emerge from the current circumstances. Having been president of a pre-professional ballet company, I am aware of the magnificent cost involved in the production of every ballet.

Tonight’s public virtual Gala was a wonderful way to bring the Washington Ballet to the City and to the world. The Gala were beautifully produced. There was a mix of executive, sponsor, and philanthropic recognitions along with a generous portion of stunning ballet performances. The 75^th anniversary of the Washington School of Ballet begun by Mary Day and her mentor, Lisa Gardiner, was celebrated with joy and dignity.

The growth of The Washington Ballet under Julie Kent in just under four full years, has been remarkable. Like many Company patrons, I was eagarly anticipating the brilliance and excitement of the upcoming season. The Gala was elegant, classic, and was generously shared with the City and the world free of charge. The hope, being that donations would offset expenses and generate funds. During the event, donations came in ranging from just a few dollars to some with a several zeros at the end.

In recognition of the 75^th anniversary of the Washington School of Ballet, The Washington Ballet expressed their focus and goal of reaching city dancers and providing teaching and training opportunities regardless of dancers’ economic circumstances. Monica Stephenson, Head of School, Southeast Campus, The Washington Ballet, shared, “For our community of 1200 students, we kindle love, passion, interest and commitment. We encourage talent, creativity and integrity on all levels of the art stressing excellence in the classroom and on the stage. “  The interactive on-line ballet classes are helping students stay involved,  active, and healthy. Ms. Stephenson emphasized the goal of,  “Engaging in relevant dialogues in an unwavering commitment to our aspiration for the extraordinary. We work toward equitable excellence in artistic education and expanded diversity in classical ballet. It feels wonderful to be a part of dancers’ growth.”

Ms. Kent closed the evening by saying, “At this time of tremendous loss and vulnerability, dance art is a celebration of humanity. We, at The Washington Ballet are ensuring artistic hopes and careers will live on and thrive. Thank you for your love and support.”

What can we do to support The Washington Ballet? Consider donating The art of dance transforms lives every contribution will help.