Festival Ballet Providence

OUR MISSION IS TO THRILL AND MOVE OUR AUDIENCES, DANCERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, SUPPORTERS AND STAFF WITH ART AND DISCIPLINE. OUR VISION IS TO CONTINUOUSLY INCREASE IN PASSION AND ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AND STRENGTH, ACHEIVING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION AS A CREATIVE FORCE IN DANCE.

DURING THE 2022-2023 SEASON, FESTIVAL BALLET PROVIDENCE PRODUCED A FULL SEASON OF PERFORMANCES AT FOUR VENUES: THE VETS, WOODMAN CENTER, THE UNITED THEATRE IN WESTERLY, AND ITS OWN BLACK BOX THEATER. THE PERFORMANCES MARKED THE COMPANY'S EXPANSION TO A FULL SEASON OF PROGRAMMING SIMILAR IN SCOPE TO PRE-COVID 19 SEASONS. PROGRAMMING RANGED FROM MIXED REPERTORY SHOWS LIKE "OFF THE WALLS", "UP CLOSE ON HOPE", AND "PURE DANCE", WHICH FEATURED A RANGE OF CLASSICAL, NEOCLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS, TO TRADITIONAL OFFERINGS LIKE THE NUTCRACKER AND SLEEPING BEAUTY AWAKENED. THE FORMER RETURNING TO CRITICAL ACCLAIM AND INCREASED NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES FEATURING OVER 100 PERFORMERS AFTER ITS PREMIERE IN 2021, AND THE LATTER PRESENTING A COMPLETELY REIMAGINED AND CONDENSED VERSION OF THE BELOVED CLASSIC PREMIERING IN MARCH 2023. THE COMPANY WAS COMPRISED OF 15 COMPANY DANCERS, 10 APPRENTICES, 10 TRAINEES, AND FOUR ARTISTIC STAFF WHO COLLABORATIVELY REHEARSE AND PERFORM SEPTEMBER THROUGH MAY. IN MAY 2023 FESTIVAL BALLET PROVIDENCE ANNOUNCED AN ORGANIZATION WIDE REBRAND AND NAME CHANGE, USHERING A IN NEW SEASON OF IMPACTFUL ART TO CAP OFF ITS 45TH YEAR . FESTIVAL BALLET PROVIDENCE, NOW DBA BALLET RI, CONTINUED TO EXPAND IN SCOPE AND REACH, CONNECTING WITH GREATER AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND BEYOND.

DURING THE 2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR, THE FESTIVAL BALLET PROVIDENCE SCHOOL CONTINUED TO GROW AND EXPAND ITS OPERATIONS, OFFERING A WIDER VARIETY OF CLASSES AND EXPERIENCES. THE SCHOOL CONTINUED ITS WORK THROUGH THE ALL COURSE NETWORK AS AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL OF THE RI DEPT OF EDUCATION, ALLOWING FOR DANCE STUDENTS TO RECEIVE SUBSIDIZED TUITION SUPPORT. THE SCHOOL EXPANDED ITS ADVANCED TRAINING PROGRAM AND ADDED RESUME BUILDING AND MENTORSHIP CONNECTIONS FOR STUDENTS WISHING TO EXPLORE A CAREER IN DANCE. STUDENTS OF THE SCHOOL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN COMPETITION ENSEMBLE, NEXTGEN CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKSHOP, AND THE CULMINATION YEAR-END PERFORMANCE. THE SCHOOL'S NEW TRANSFORMATIONAL PROVIDANCE PROGRAM, WHICH COMMENCED IN OCTOBER 2021, BEGAN IT'S SECOND YEAR OF PROGRAMMING AND EXPANDED TO MULTIPLE SCHOOLS IN RI. THE PROGRAM WAS A GREAT SUCCESS, OFFERING OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME LEARNING ACROSS FOUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN PROVIDENCE AND PAWTUCKET, WITH ADDITIONAL WEEKLY CLASSES HELD AT FESTIVAL BALLET PROVIDENCE STUDIOS. THESE ADVANCING STUDENTS WERE PROVIDED WITH TRANSPORTATION, TUITION SUPPORT, AND SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS NECESSARY TO CONTINUE THEIR DANCE EDUCATION.