Festival Ballet Theatre & Southland Ballet Academy

Gala of the Stars – Orange County’s International Ballet Festival

August 7, 2025

Experience an unforgettable night of dance at the Gala of the Stars. This unique event boasts an incredible roster of world ballet stars from internationally-acclaimed ballet companies, whose talent will be complemented by select, inspired young protégés.

The Nutcracker Performances

A cherished holiday classic, perfect for all ages. Festival Ballet Theatre invites you to a fun way to celebrate the cherished holiday season and tradition of The Nutcracker.

Academy Classes

Princess & Superhero Fun Day

SUMMER INTENSIVES

About Us

Festival Ballet Theatre is Orange County’s premier, accomplished professional ballet company. With reverence for classic masterpieces and a focus on developing future tours de force, Festival Ballet Theater is committed to presenting the best of dance, enriching lives, and developing a new generation of audiences and artists. We offer professional-quality classical productions and highlight the works of world-renowned choreographers, giving audiences a rich, fulfilling experience with each of our nearly two dozen annual performances.

Salwa Rizkalla

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Artistic Director SALWA RIZKALLA has contributed to the Orange County community for more than 30 years by presenting excellence in dance performance through Festival Ballet Theatre and providing top-tier classical ballet training at Southland Ballet Academy.

During her professional dancing career, Ms. Rizkalla graced the stage in leading roles in well-known classical ballets as well as contemporary pieces. She had the privilege of working under the direction of world-renowned choreographers Leonid Lavrovsky and Serge Lifar. As a young dancer, Ms. Rizkalla trained in the Russian Vaganova method and studied with Russian ballet masters. As the culmination of her training, Ms. Rizkalla completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ballet Pedagogy. She established Southland Ballet Academy in 1983 and debuted Festival Ballet Theatre in 1988. In addition to teaching and directing, Ms. Rizkalla was a faculty member of several area institutions.

Many arts organizations have recognized her service. The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators and Orange County Performing Arts Center jointly named her the Orange County Arts Educator of the Year Award for Secondary Dance (2003); Youth America Grand Prix awarded Ms. Rizkalla Outstanding Teacher accolades since its inception; and Arts Orange County recognized Ms. Rizkalla with the Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award (2014). Ms. Rizkalla was named one of OC’s 100 Most Influential in 2017 by the OC Register.

Ms. Rizkalla has been honored to impact the lives of hundreds of students and their families through her teaching. She is proud to be a dedicated educator, an energetic promoter of the arts, and an active participant in the cultural life of her community.