NWA Ballet Theatre will provide audience-accessible performances and generate national recognition.
BENTONVILLE, ARK— February 25, 2019 — NWA Ballet Theatre announced today Dance Anywhere/Everywhere, a dance initiative set to launch in Spring 2019. The program will include outdoor and theater performances, a series of creative events for young children, as well as social and awareness events connecting artists with community. This project is funded in part by a $105,825 Walton Family Foundation grant. Events include:
Dance Beat - a public art project taking dance outside the theater and into Northwest Arkansas’ scenic outdoor and urban spaces with pop-up, public art performances.
Once Upon a Dance - an accessible library-based reading and dancing program introducing dance as art form, involving little ones in storytelling and see-and-do activities.
Faces - an up-close and behind the scenes look at how dance is made including how dancers train, rehearse, and work. A social way to meet creative artists and people who support dance arts for Northwest Arkansas.
NEXT - a mixed repertory performance showcasing innovative works by up and coming choreographers from around the country, NWABT’s Artistic Director Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye, NEXT reflects the diversity and evolution of classical ballet through the contemporary lens of today’s dance-makers. Tickets on Sale in April.
NWA Ballet Theatre, the region’s premiere professional ballet company, announced the project designed to build a culture of “classically contemporary” dance in Northwest Arkansas, which will begin to link communities, boost visibility, and build capacity for dance to flourish in Northwest Arkansas.
“We are excited to launch this project,” said Jolicoeur-Nye. “It has been our vision to develop a professional dance company that presents creative and inspiring dance, contributes artists to the cultural fabric of the region, and explores innovation in both organizational and program development. With this opportunity comes great responsibility to reach a diverse audience, to make dance inclusive and accessible to all, and to enrich the lives of the people we serve. We cannot wait to see dance flourish alongside the already thriving arts scene in Northwest Arkansas."
The Dance Anywhere/Everywhere project will begin to position NWA Ballet Theatre as the region’s preeminent dance company and destination for professional dancers, attracting a diverse company to reflect the changing population of the region.
A full schedule of events will be released soon, and can be found online at http://www.nwaballettheatre.org/
About NWA Ballet Theatre
Founded in 2011, by Margie Bordovsky, Mariah Bordovsky, and the late Peggie Wallis, NWA Ballet Theatre seeks to provide valuable artistic opportunities and experiences to enrich the creative vitality of the region. The mission of NWABT is to inspire a lasting love and appreciation for the art of ballet by combining artistic excellence in dance with innovative choreography, which result in exhilarating performances that accent the dignity and grace of the dancers. For more information, visit http://www.nwaballettheatre.org/
About Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye, Artistic Director
Jolicoeur-Nye joined NWA Ballet Theater in 2016 with a vision to lead a forward-thinking ballet company that would be a vehicle for developing artists to thrive and mature collectively, showcase a diverse range of talent, bring contemporary choreography to the stage, and collaborate with the rising arts community. As director of NWA Ballet Theatre, Jolicoeur-Nye draws on his considerable expertise in ballet training and dance administration with the intent to create an exciting and vibrant artistic platform for dance. In his short time in NWA, he has already shown an ability to recruit experienced dancers, build momentum for a professional company and champion the artistic integrity of the company. A professional dancer since 2005, he first worked in Canada with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. He has worked as a principal and soloist undertaking roles with the Banff Summer Arts Festival, Festival Ballet of Providence, Eugene Ballet and Ballet Idaho where he was promoted to principal dancer in 2011. He joined Kansas City Ballet in 2012 and continued as a guest artist with companies around North America including Oklahoma City Ballet and Boise Dance Co-op. In 2017, he became Second Company Manager for Kansas City Ballet, training and developing emergent professional dancers. He has worked with world-renowned choreographers and created dances that have been performed by many companies including Kansas City Ballet, Chicago Repertory Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. He has also choreographed on dancers from Tulsa Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Richmond Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Miami City Ballet and the Finnish National Ballet. His work has been presented all across the U.S. and Canada and most recently Niigata, Japan.