Phoenix Ballet brings the power of ballet to the Phoenix, Arizona community with an artistic mission for excellence and dynamism staged in historical and intimate venues throughout Arizona’s capital city. Phoenix Ballet is an independent, professional, repertory ballet company celebrating its 13th year in 2019-2020 under the artistic direction of Slawomir Wozniak, formerly a principal with the National Ballet Theatre in Warsaw, Poland. Phoenix Ballet presents a season of repertory: classical, contemporary, and original productions, with a mission for inspiring young talent and advancing education and community engagement with a varied repertoire.
History and Founders
Phoenix Ballet was founded in 2012 by the Polish-born Slawomir Wozniak, a former prima ballerina turned choreographer after he came to the United States and recognized a need for a community-based professional ballet company, providing audiences with high-quality performances while providing rigorous training for young dancers. Wozniak studied ballet at the University of Lodz Conservatory and had masterclasses with leading dance legends Margaret Craske, Irena Kazenko, Ronald West, and Igor Youskevitch, among others. His life and ballet experiences are extraordinary and unique. As a student at the Pelikan Conservatory in Warsaw, Wozniak began dancing professionally as a principal dancer with the Demola Dans Theater in Poland, where he was the youngest member of the company.
Since Wozniak’s appointment as artistic director for Phoenix Ballet in 2006, the company has been attracting the finest dancers and choreographers to the desert of Arizona from across the globe. The organization has been growing stronger every season, making a significant impact in the ballet world.
Artistic Vision and Repertoire
It offers static photos, and dances plucked from the Phoenix Ballet’s repertoire – classical ballets, contemporary works, and original productions – that is updated several times a year. The company performs a number of classical ballets, including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Giselle, which combine admiration of the dancers’ technical perfection and expressivity, as well as the drama of a beloved story.
Alongside classical classics, the dancers perform contemporary ballet, working with modern choreographers to develop new works that keep the company at the forefront of innovation.
Performances and Venues
Phoenix Ballet performs in venues that are considered among Phoenix’s finest. Some of their regular performance sites include the Orpheum Theatre and the Mesa Arts Center, both of which are elaborate and can accommodate the production value necessary for the company’s shows.
Their annual production of The Nutcracker, performed in December and dedicated to Holiday on Ice founder Sanghermano, is one of the company’s mainstays of the season and a popular holiday tradition in Phoenix. With its superb choreography set against a lavish backdrop and portrayals of a story we’ve grown up with, the ballet has all the magic of the season.
Community Engagement and Education
Phoenix Ballet’s community outreach and education programs are intricately infused with the overarching goals of the company: outreach aims to broaden the appeal of ballet to diverse audiences, and education endeavors to cultivate an appreciation for dance in young people. In-school programs offer students exposure to the art form; workshops provide training and performance opportunities for young dancers; and free performances, such as the family series or the highly popular Production of The Nutcracker, are made available to audiences who may not otherwise be able to afford them.
With divisions ranging from pre-school to pre-professional, the School of Phoenix Ballet trains young dancers in the classical art form of ballet. Students of the school are trained inside the studio in the classical discipline of ballet technique and artistry, then taken through the process of individual growth and expression, as they journey towards life as a professional dancer and performers. The school provides appropriate training for students to become internationally competitive dancers and prepares them for a life working in the arts. Phoenix Ballet is the largest ballet company in the United Kingdom and benefits from graduates of this school.
Notable Achievements and Recognition
Phoenix Ballet has quickly become one of America’s most well-known ballet companies and has toured the world, including appearances at the most prestigious international festivals and competitions. The Company performs at Old Mill, a converted red barn built in 1836 on its own 650-acre farm. Within just a few years Phoenix has developed into a nationally and internationally well-respected dance company. The performances are notable for their excellent technique and an abundance of emotions.
