On behalf of New Haven Ballet, we’d like to say congratulations to the dancers who performed brilliantly this weekend in the 2025 Spring Performances. We applaud your talent and artistry. Click here for some backstage photos. We look forward to seeing dancers over the summer.
Don’t miss New Haven Ballet’s spring performances at the Shubert Theatre, 247 College Street, New Haven, on Saturday, May 24, at 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. Tickets start at $26 (plus a $4 Shubert restoration fee). The show’s running time is approximately 2 hours, including intermission. To purchase tickets, Click Here.
The performances will include:
Adventures in Wonderland featuring music by various composers and choreography by Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn. We invite you to immerse yourself in this fully restaged, beloved children’s tale, showcasing all your favorite characters, including Alice, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and the Queen of Hearts. Students from New Haven Ballet School perform this fantastic children’s ballet, which boasts professional, larger-than-life sets and stunning costumes. It reminds us that returning home is often the best part of experiencing exciting adventures. The performance premiered at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven on May 17, 2017.
La Bayadère, Kingdom of Shades, is a classical ballet that premiered in 1877 and remains a staple of the global classical ballet repertoire. Ludwig Minkus composed the music for the ballet, and the New Haven Ballet Company, a student company, will perform choreography inspired by Marius Petipa’s original work. This ballet features guest artist William Gutierrez as “Solor.”
Caprice Nos. 4 and 5 feature music composed by Polina Nazaykinskaya and are brilliantly performed by Nathaniel Strothkamp. This neo-classical ballet, choreographed by Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn and presented by the New Haven Ballet Company, premiered at the Whitney Arts Center in New Haven in the spring of 2021.
Shared Ability, led by Kerry Kincy, will present a dance created by young artists with disabilities.
New Haven Ballet will hold auditions for classically trained ballet dancers ages 11 to 19 the 2025 Haven Ballet Company and perform in this season’s Spring Performances, including three ballets: Adventures in Wonderland, Caprice Nos. 4 and 5, and La Bayadère (The Kingdom of Shades). Auditions are open to New Haven Ballet students enrolled in Levels 5-8 for the Spring 2025 Semester. New dancers should call 203-782-9038 or email administrator@newhavenballet.org to schedule a placement class.
About New Haven Ballet Company: New Haven Ballet Company is a student company comprised of advanced-level dancers. Auditions for the Company will be held on Saturday, January 25. Dancers should have at least four years of serious classical training and matriculated to Levels 5 and above at New Haven Ballet School. The company gives young, capable dancers a pre-professional experience, which includes a rigorous dance training schedule, rehearsals several times per week, professional quality performances on stage, and master classes with topmost master teachers from all over the country.
Dancers should be between the ages of 11-21 years old. Pointe dancers wear solid black classical ballet cut leotards, pink or flesh-toned tights, and pointe shoes that match their tights. Non-pointe dancers wear a white T-shirt and black tights with matching black ballet shoes. Please arrive 15 minutes early to fill out registration paperwork and be measured for costumes.
There is no fee to audition for the Company. However, a performance fee covers rehearsal coaching, professional-quality costume rental, and performance privileges. Casting is competitive, but all students who audition will be cast in La Bayadère, Adventures in Wonderland, and/or Caprice Nos. 4 and 5.
About the Performances:
2025 New Haven Ballet Company dancers will perform at the Shubert Theatre New Haven on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Adventures in Wonderland, with music by various composers, choreography by Lisa Kim Sanborn, and performed by New Haven Ballet School students. We invite you to experience this fully restaged popular children’s story featuring all your favorite characters, including Alice, the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and Queen of Hearts. This fantastic ballet features professional, larger-than-life sets and beautiful costumes. Wonderland reminds us that strength and happiness are defined by what we carry inside our hearts, and there is no more desirable place than home, sweet home. It premiered at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven on May 17, 2017.
La Bayadère, Kingdom of Shades, is a classical ballet initially performed in 1877. It is part of the classical repertoire of ballet companies worldwide, with music composed by Ludwig Minkus, choreography after Marius Petipa, and performed by the New Haven Ballet Company, consisting of advanced-level students.
Caprice Nos. 4 and 5, with music composed by Polina Nazaykinskaya, were gifted to the Artistic Director and New Haven Ballet during the pandemic. This neoclassical ballet with choreography by Lisa Kim Sanborn premiered at the Whitney Arts Center in New Haven in the Spring of 2021.
Photo: (c) Thomas Giroir Photography
Dear Friends,
We enjoyed a spectacular 2024, welcoming many new and visiting students. During a premiere two-week sleep-away ballet intensive, we trained advanced-level dancers from Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania. These dancers performed excerpts from Le Corsaire at the Paul Mellon Arts Center in Wallingford. This was followed by the opening of our newest satellite location in Hamden this fall.
We expanded our Open Division and introduced many recreational dancers to the joys of ballet.
This year’s Nutcracker was bigger and better than ever, thanks to new sets, choreography, guest artists, and costumes. We also introduced a new audience of young students throughout Greater New Haven to the magic of live theater with a Children’s Matinee.
Thanks to donor and partner support, over 1,000 children from throughout Greater New Haven attended The Nutcracker Children’s Matinee at the Shubert Theatre. For many, it was their first time seeing a live performance in a theater.
Looking forward to 2025, the Ballet announced auditions for Adventures in Wonderland and the New Haven Ballet Company. We cannot wait to return to the studios on January 6, 2025, to plan our upcoming Shared Ability and DanceAIR workshops.
We thank our families, students, staff, Board, faculty, friends, and partners for supporting New Haven Ballet. We invite you to join us as we continue to bring superior programming and performances to the community.
We hope you will celebrate our incredible arts education and performances. When considering end-of-year gifts, please remember New Haven Ballet. Click Here to Donate.
On behalf of the New Haven Ballet, we wish you all the Happiest of New Year’s and look forward to seeing you soon.
Yours sincerely,
All of Us at New Haven Ballet
Your support is critical for 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organizations like New Haven Ballet to offer superior training, scholarships, performing opportunities, and community programs and performances. Thank you for an incredible 2024!
Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn has announced auditions for New Haven Ballet’s upcoming performances of Adventures in Wonderland and the New Haven Ballet Company.
Children ages 4 to 19 who are enrolled for the entire 2025 Spring Term in either the Children’s or Student Divisions may audition for roles in the performances, which will be presented at the Shubert Theatre New Haven on Saturday, May 25,
at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Tickets are going fast for New Haven Ballet’s The Nutcracker at The Shubert Theatre New Haven. The mezzanine is now open for the Saturday and Sunday shows.
Friday, December 13 @ 7 pm
Saturday, December 14 @ 1 pm and 5 pm
Sunday, December 15 @ 1 pm
Please note: to avoid the high fees charged by third-party ticket vendors, please buy directly from The Shubert.
Tickets start at $30 (plus a $5 Shubert Restoration Fee).
We are working hard in the studio, perfecting choreography and preparing costumes for our upcoming Nutcracker performances.
We are sharing a few photos of our time in the studio with some Level 6-8 students rehearsing the Waltz of the Snowflakes and one of our Levels 1 and 2 classes. We applaud their hard work and hope you will consider joining us at the Shubert Theatre from December 13 to 15, 2024!
Thank you to everyone who made calls and donated to the Annual Appeal. If you still want to donate, there is still time to do so.
Dear Friends and Families,
With great enthusiasm, I thank you for being part of the New Haven Ballet community. The Ballet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides excellent dance training by a fantastic faculty, professional-quality performances, and incredible outreach opportunities, all aimed at nurturing the love of dance throughout Greater New Haven.
This year, we are enlisting the help of some wonderful volunteers to strengthen the ties within our community and assist with our Annual Appeal fundraising efforts. We hope you will speak with some of our volunteers to learn how New Haven Ballet impacts the various members of the community. We will be letting you know more soon.
Your inclusion in our family is invaluable. Your support through our fundraising efforts is vital; it’s the lifeblood of our organization. We can only provide exceptional programs with the funding we receive through donations because tuition and ticket sales do not cover our expenses.
Please help us spread the joy of dance throughout the community with our Annual Appeal through November 15th. For your convenience, New Haven Ballet now accepts payment through Venmo.
I am deeply grateful for your time, consideration, and, most importantly, your support. Because of your donations, we can continue to bring the joy of dance to Greater New Haven.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa Kim Sanborn, Artistic Director
New Haven Ballet extends a warm welcome and welcome back to new and veteran students. Classes have begun, and students are working hard. Training in the graded curriculum starts in Levels 1 and 2. Teachers provide excellent technical and artistic foundational work, stressing proper alignment and execution. Students in Levels 3 and 4 continue their technical development and acquire knowledge of ballet vocabulary. In Levels 5 and 6, we foster artistic and technical excellence. In Levels 7 and 8, our dancers build on their strong classical technique, clean lines, and artistry. We offer boys and girls the highest caliber of classical ballet training in the region, including pointe, partnering, and repertory.
Training is enhanced by diverse workshops and classes, incorporating classical, Neo-classical, contemporary, lyrical, Broadway, and carefully curated conditioning and stretch classes. Students who wish to pursue professional careers in dance may take advantage of fantastic performance opportunities, including a student company, to facilitate reaching their potential and making maximum progress while engaging in an immersive dance experience shared with others who are as passionate about dance as they are. Intermediate and advanced-level students have the added opportunity to work with incredible guest faculty throughout the year. This fall, we welcome New York City Ballet’s Ruby Lister and Savannah Durham and returning guest faculty member Alejandro Ulloa.
Nutcracker Auditions are open to all students enrolled for the fall semester in Creative Ballet I-Level 8 on September 21-22, 2024.
At New Haven Ballet, our commitment to continuous improvement is unwavering. We understand the importance of a holistic approach to education in our training program, and we strive to provide a nurturing environment for our students. We welcome new students. Please get in touch with us to schedule a placement class.
Photo: (c) 2024 Kelsey Paff Photography
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