Member Spotlight

BalletMet Columbus

 

BalletMet Building Front.JPG

 

About BalletMet Columbus 

 

BalletMet Columbus, serving up to 100,000 people annually, has gained national acclaim for its Company of soloist caliber dancers that perform a diverse and challenging repertoire, with 60 to 70 performances each year at home and on tour. Renowned for its versatility and innovative repertory, BalletMet ranks among the nation's largest dance companies, and its Dance Academy ranks among the largest dance-training centers affiliated with a professional company.  

 

Since its inception in 1978, BalletMet has added 152 Company premieres to its repertoire and produced 124 world premieres. The Academy offers a range of 300 classes for more than 1,500 students ages 3 to senior adults.  The students hail from 80 Central Ohio zip codes as well as from other states. 

 

BalletMet has also developed DanceReach, a series of educational and outreach programs that serve nearly 30,000 people annually. Through DanceReach, up to 70 scholarships each year give programming access to talented youth, many from minority and underserved groups, who could not otherwise participate. 

 

BalletMet purchased its previously leased Dance Centre facility and adjacent property in 2005.  Along with seven studios for Company dancers and Academy students, and offices for administration, artistic and academy staff, the downtown campus houses a 225-seat Performance Space and full-service costume and scene shops.

 

What's Noteworthy

  • BalletMet has performed in 28 states and Canada and abroad in Cairo, Seville, Bytom, Poland and in Moscow and St. Petersburg in 2010.

 

  • In 2004 and 2008, BalletMet was invited to perform at New York City's prestigious Joyce Theater. The New York Times wrote, "Not every regional ballet company among the hundreds in the United States can commission pieces from such internationally known choreographers. But since it was transformed ...into a professional troupe in 1978, BalletMet has placed an accent on new choreography."

 

  • In 2010, BalletMet dancer Adrienne Benz was recognized by Dance Magazine in their annual "25 to Watch" issue. Adrienne also received a 2006 Princess Grace Foundation Dance Fellowship, and BalletMet dancer and choreographer Jimmy Orrante, received a 2005 Princess Grace Foundation Choreography Fellowship.

   

Interesting Facts

  • BalletMet works with OSU Sports Medicine for training, physical therapy and wellness for the company and student dancers.

 

  • LUCKY 13! The first performance by Ballet as a professional company took place Friday, Oct. 13, 1978. In addition to the 13 professional dancers there were 13 apprentices.

 

  • Annually, BalletMet provides social service agencies 2,700 complimentary KidTix tickets for those who could not otherwise attend performances.

 

  • The BalletMet Dance Centre, built in 1906, was originally a sheet metal manufacturing factory designed by Frank Packard, one of America's foremost institutional architects. Packard designed more than 3,400 buildings throughout the U.S. with many in Columbus including the Seneca Hotel.