This September, Ballet Arizona, the state’s premier professional ballet company, held its annual nonprofit dance event, Ballet Under the Stars. The enchanting performances occur in parks across the valley, under the desert night sky. The company aims to provide all communities access to the beauty of ballet free of charge, furthering its mission to use the arts to unite Arizona. The shows have reached record attendance numbers, well exceeding ten thousand audience members in recent years.
Each night, during the performance’s intermission, Ballet Arizona even welcomes children participating in the ‘Class Act’ program on stage. ‘Class Act’ is a Ballet AZ outreach program for schools all over greater Phoenix to learn the art of dance, giving them a chance to perform their choreography, taught by Ballet Arizona company dancers, on the very same stage used by the professional dancers.
“For many Valley residents, their very first exposure to live professional ballet is Ballet Under the Stars. You may even know a child who has participated in the Class Act program and danced on stage during the intermission of a Ballet Under the Stars performance,” says Ballet Arizona Director of Community Engagement Claire Schmaltz.
However, the impact of the shows can be felt by more than just their audiences. Ballet Arizona company dancers, new and returning, describe their gratitude for being able to share their art with all communities; as Jillian Barrell, a prima ballerina of Ballet AZ stated, “[Ballet Under the Stars] is always a good reminder of why I dance.” Jillian performed lead roles in almost fifteen years of Ballet Under the Stars, taking her final bow in the 2023 production.
PCDS senior Michaela Paltzik participated for the first time in the annual performances as one of the few dancers from the School of Ballet Arizona pre-professional training program. She has danced with the school for almost fifteen years, reaching the highest level and being accepted into a special group for aspiring dancers. This group, consisting of only four girls, is invited to train with the company dancers, perform alongside them, and learn the ins and outs of the professional ballet world. After about a month of rehearsing, these girls made their debut in Ballet Under the Stars, their first public performance. Paltzik shares, “It was an honor to perform in Ballet Under the Stars this year. I’m so grateful to have been able to share my passion with new audiences every night.”
The magic of ballet truly shines through in shows like these. Ballet Arizona is grateful for generous donors and sponsors that help make events like Ballet Under the Stars possible every year, granting countless Arizonans unique access to the wonderful arts of the desert, all under the dazzling night sky.
