The start of the New Year marks the beginning of the summer intensive audition season in the world of ballet. Aspiring professional dancers prepare rigorously for their auditions. For many, it is a chance to kick their ballet up a notch; it is also an opportunity to experience a summer away from home in their [...]
The Youth America Grand Prix is the world’s largest global network of dance. Over the years, many Southland Ballet Academy students have participated and won at YAGP competitions, which are held all over the world. This year SBA students competed in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego, as well as upcoming San Francisco and Phoenix Regionals. These [...]
What happens when you put together Orange County's premier professional ballet company with the OC's premier shopping destination? A beautiful collaboration, wonderful images, and performances. In 2017, Festival Ballet Theatre partnered with SOCO and the OC Mix on a series of photo shoots and activations including pop-up performances, ticket giveaways, and even a billboard on [...]
You don’t have to travel to San Francisco to see stars from the San Francisco Ballet perform in The Nutcracker because Festival Ballet Theatre is proud to present not one, not two but three guest artists from the company. Vitor Luiz returns to the Irvine Barclay Theatre to dance with Festival Ballet dancer Tara Ghassemieh [...]
Dancing the role of Clara in the Nutcracker Ballet is a goal for many young ballerinas. In the classic holiday story, Clara is the young girl who receives a Nutcracker as a gift and later falls asleep and dreams about a prince. Every December, Festival Ballet Theatre produces a full-length production of the classical ballet. [...]
Beckanne Sisk and Fabrice Calmels return to the Festival Ballet Theatre stage to perform the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier pas de deux. They were our guest artists in 2013. Born in Texas, Beckanne studied at Longview Ballet Theater until she was fourteen. She competed at Youth America Grand Prix from 2007-2010. She joined Ballet [...]
Teri Schmidt is a tireless volunteer and an amazing dance mom to Festival Ballet Theatre company dancer Skye Schmidt. In this post, she writes about the difference between Festival Ballet Theatre and Southland Ballet Academy and the importance of volunteering. Skye Schmidt as the March Hare in Alice in Wonderland poses with her [...]
Have you heard the exciting news? Alice and the entire colorful and quirky cast of characters will be coming to Irvine Barclay Theatre this weekend in Festival Ballet Theatre’s production of Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice In Wonderland. In celebration of this enchanting production, our main character Alice, along with the mischievous March Hare and the mixed-up [...]
In the summertime, ballet aficionados from Orange County and beyond are treated to a show like no other with Festival Ballet Theatre's Annual Gala of the Stars. Now on its 10th year, the Gala brings together world-renowned dancers to the local stage, performing alongside local talent. "I had the idea to gather second companies, trainees [...]
Southland Ballet Academy instructor Lana Brooks writes about the importance of taking ballet classes in the summer. She also reflects on her days as a ballet student. With summer just around the corner, many families are looking forward to the freedom from school, lessons, practices and other school year commitments. Our beautiful Southern California [...]
