Salwa Rizkalla, Artistic Director

Salwa Rizkalla’s artistic vision and community involvement led to the creation of Festival Ballet Theatre (FBT) and Southland Ballet Academy (SBA). Her credentials as a classical ballet dancer include an impressive list of leading roles in well-known classical ballets, as well as appearances in original contemporary pieces. During her distinguished career as a professional dancer, Rizkalla had the privilege of working under the direction of world-renowned choreographers Leonid Lavrovsky and Serge Lifar. Trained in the Russian Vaganova method and having studied with ballet masters of the Bolshoi and the Kirov, Rizkalla holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ballet Pedagogy.

In addition to her responsibilities as the artistic director of FBT and her busy teaching schedule at the Academy, Rizkalla is devoted to the private coaching of SBA’s most promising students. Many of these dancers have won top honors and grand prizes in prominent local, national and international ballet competitions; and received scholarships to elite training programs from American Ballet Theatre, Royal Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet Trainee Program, and numerous others. Dancers trained at SBA have gone on to professional careers with companies around the world, including Ballet Austin, San Francisco Ballet, Scottish Ballet and Washington Ballet, to name a few.

A fully credentialed California teacher, she has been a dedicated educator, a tireless promoter of the arts, and an active participant in the cultural life of her community for more than 25 years. Her contributions have been recognized by The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators and Orange County Performing Arts Center with an Orange County Arts Educator of the Year Award for Secondary Dance (2003). Youth America Grand Prix has awarded Rizkalla Outstanding Teacher accolades several years running.