Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Experience World-Class Ballet in Wichita, KS
Since 1973, Ballet Wichita has been Kansas' premier professional ballet company, dedicated to making dance accessible through world-class performances and educational programs. Our mission combines breathtaking artistry with community engagement, offering transformative experiences through annual productions like The Nutcracker and Ballet in the Park. With over 50 years of cultural impact, we cultivate dance excellence through professional performances, innovative choreography, and comprehensive training programs for students of all ages.Our organization maintains a strong commitment to whole-person development through dance education, serving the Wichita community with accessible classes and outreach initiatives. Led by experienced instructors and supported by local sponsors, we create a nurturing environment where artistic growth thrives alongside technical mastery.
Services
Ballet performances
Dance classes
Educational programs
Community outreach
The Nutcracker production
Summer workshops
Adult classes
Private instruction
Sewing classes
Teacher training
Details
- Year established: 1973
Highlights and features
- We are Kansas' only professional ballet company with 50+ years of cultural impact
- Our faculty includes experienced instructors with professional performance backgrounds
- We offer comprehensive dance education from age 3 through adult programs
- We maintain a positive, family-oriented environment centered on whole-person development
- Our organization produces community-accessible performances like Ballet in the Park
What people say
Skilled and patient teachers
Transform into an artist
Another family environment
Valued performers and people
Positive emotional health focus
Services
Ballet performances
Ballet Wichita presents professional dance productions throughout the year. Our performances feature classical ballets and contemporary works, including annual favorites like The Nutcracker. Each production showcases our company dancers' technical excellence and artistic expression through carefully crafted choreography and elaborate staging.
Dance education
Our Academy offers age-appropriate dance instruction from age 3 through adult programs. Classes include classical ballet technique supplemented by pointe, contemporary/jazz, conditioning, and musical theater styles. With open registration and flexible punchcard options, students can choose from multiple class levels and training intensities.
Community outreach
We bring dance to the community through free events like Ballet in the Park and educational initiatives. These programs provide accessible dance experiences while fostering cultural appreciation. Our outreach includes school matinees and volunteer opportunities that engage diverse audiences through movement and performance.
Teacher training
Our professional development programs equip dance educators with modern teaching methodologies. Instructors receive training grounded in classical technique while incorporating current dance science and best practices. The program emphasizes both technical mastery and student-centered teaching approaches that prioritize physical and emotional well-being.
Sewing classes
We offer specialized sewing instruction focused on dance costume construction. Participants learn garment assembly techniques specifically for performance wear, including proper fitting and fabric selection. These classes support both volunteer costumers and dancers seeking to understand costume maintenance for stage productions.
Questions
When was Ballet Wichita founded?
Ballet Wichita was founded in 1973 and has served as Kansas' professional ballet company since its establishment.
Do you offer dance classes for adults?
Yes, we provide adult dance classes through our Teen/Adult Division and Community Dancer Division, accommodating various experience levels.
Where are performances held?
Performances primarily occur at Century II in Wichita, with community events like Ballet in the Park held at various outdoor locations.
Are there volunteer opportunities?
Yes, we welcome volunteers for performances, costume creation, and educational programs through our Time Matinee and sewing class programs.
What dance styles do you teach?
Our Academy focuses on classical ballet technique with supplemental styles including pointe, contemporary/jazz, conditioning, and musical theater.
How can I support Ballet Wichita?
You can support us through donations, sponsorships, or by attending performances and community events throughout the year.
Videos
Reviews (5)
Anonymous Smith
Nov 26, 2019
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There are a lot of conflicting reviews of Ballet Wichita from the past few years, so I thought I would clear up a few things:
Ballet Wichita has been providing the highest quality arts education and performance opportunities in the area for local dancers for the past 40+ years. As someone who has participated in their performances and outreach programs, I can personally say that choosing to be in Ballet Wichita's Nutcracker and other performances was one of the best life decisions I ever made. I made friendships that will last a lifetime, learned the value of discipline and diligence, learned
Ballet Wichita has been providing the highest quality arts education and performance opportunities in the area for local dancers for the past 40+ years. As someone who has participated in their performances and outreach programs, I can personally say that choosing to be in Ballet Wichita's Nutcracker and other performances was one of the best life decisions I ever made. I made friendships that will last a lifetime, learned the value of discipline and diligence, learned
Nadia Khalidi
Nov 10, 2019
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I was a dancer with Ballet Wichita for 8 years. I danced as a soloist and principal, and all of the roles were engaging and innovative. I am now back as an administrative assistant and couldn't be more proud to work for such a professional company. Ballet Wichita provides professional opportunities for their dancers including touring, dancing to a live symphony, and working alongside guest artists from around the world and U.S. Come check us out with seasonal performances--not JUST the Nutcracker!
Dood J.
Sep 22, 2018
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What an awful disgrace My family and I have been attending Ballet Wichitas Nutcracker for 18 years. Obviously we enjoy the shows very much to have been such ardent fans for so long, not once missing a performance. Occasionally, in the near two-decade-long devotion, weve attended multiple shows to meet with others weve met through the shows or introduce friends to the Holiday tradition who may not have been too familiar with ballet previously. In our Holiday travels we have also taken in many other versions in the surrounding states and beyond. I much enjoyed the many different variations
Rusty Ford
Aug 18, 2018
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Absolutely despicable behavior from a once respected fine arts studio. This studio that has received so much from their patrons in both cash and donations of goods to provide the young dancers with the opportunity to participate in dance, instead purposely vandalized the props that had been built with these goods entrusted to them and set them out to be hauled off as the scrap to which they had been reduced. Having grown up in the arts, from stage and church productions as a small child to vocal, dance and musical performances and now a parent that has the honor of handing down the venerable tradition
Gregory Mistretta
Jan 19, 2018
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My mother was a student of the (famed) School of the Performing Arts in New York. My father a professional musician of 18 years in the city as well. I come from an artistic family. Being a musician and artist myself, I can appreciate self expression and adaptation based on an individual's vision, as long as that vision doesn't jeopardize the classic nature or integrity of the original artist's masterpiece. It is my opinion that the new direction the Ballet Wichita has chosen to take with this year's Nutcracker, has done just that! They have compromised a Tchaikovsky classic, not with subtle artistic
