City of Des Moines
Ballet companies
Dance companies in the United States
| Ballet Des Moines | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Name | Ballet Des Moines |
| Previous names | Ballet Theatre of Des Moines |
| Year founded | 2002 |
| Founding artistic director | Julie Grooters |
| Location | Des Moines, Iowa |
| Principal venue | Hoyt Sherman Place |
| Website | www.balletdesmoines.org |
| Artistic staff | |
| Artistic Director | Tom Mattingly |
Ballet Des Moines is a ballet company based in Des Moines, Iowa.
The company was founded in 2002 as the Ballet Theatre of Iowa. Previously, the city had been served for by Ballet Iowa for three decades; however, that company had gone defunct in 1997 following financial mismanagement[1] Ballet Des Moines staged its first show, The Nutcracker, that winter and its first spring show, Swan Lake and Divertimento, the following spring.[2]
In 2005, Serkan Usta, a longtime star of Tulsa Ballet, was named artistic director. In 2006, the company renamed itself Ballet Des Moines. In 2012, the company hired its own professional resident dancers for the first time.[3]
In November, 2021, Tom Mattingly was named Artistic Director of Ballet Des Moines.
Ballet Des Moines perform at various locations in Des Moines, most often at Hoyt Sherman Place and the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines.
Ballet Des Moines II, formed in 2009, is a corps of pre-professional dancers who represent the organization through community outreach events and public performances.[4] In addition, Ballet Des Moines offers classes for students ages 13–18. The annual production of The Nutcracker uses more than 350 local young dancers.[5]
Ballet Des Moines also offers a trainee program for dancers ages 18-24 who are working towards becoming professional dancers. This program gives trainees the opportunity to dance with company as well as hone their skills in order to prepare them for a professional career.[6]
As of 2023, Ballet Des Moines consists of ten company dancers, two apprentices, and seven trainees: