Colorado Ballet Announces Dancer Promotions Ahead of Season Opening
Denver, CO (August 24, 2021) – Colorado Ballet announces that it has promoted dancers within the Company and hired two new dancers ahead of its 2021/2022 season. For each Artist recently promoted or hired, this promotion represents a huge moment in their careers and acknowledges the incredibly hard work, dedication, perseverance and tenacity that goes into being a professional ballet dancer.
Colorado Ballet is excited to announce the following changes to our Company roster:
SOLOISTS
Corps de Ballet dancers Leah McFadden and Sarah Tryon have been promoted to Soloists, and Mackenzie Dessens has been promoted from the Corps de Ballet to Demi-Soloist.
Mario Labrador joins the company this season as a new Soloist. He recently performed with Central West Ballet in Modesto, CA.
CORPS DE BALLET Apprentice Ever Larson was promoted to the Corps de Ballet, and Christopher Mitchell was hired into the Corps de Ballet. He recently performed in the Junior Company of Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam.
APPRENTICES Patrick Mihm and Alexandra Gilliom were hired from the Studio Company into the main Company as Apprentices.
“We are incredibly proud of all our dancers and extend our congratulations to those who have just been promoted. We are very happy to welcome our newly hired dancers to the Colorado Ballet family,” stated Colorado Ballet Artistic Director Gil Boggs. “All of these dancers have worked incredibly hard in their careers to get them to this point, and this past season presented challenges and additional obstacles which they all have risen above and overcome. We look forward to seeing them perform along with the full Company in our upcoming season that opens in October at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House with my all-time favorite ballet, Giselle.”
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
All Colorado Ballet’s Company dancers are now in the studios full-time working on rehearsals for upcoming performances. Before the season officially starts at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in October with performances of Giselle, you can see Colorado Ballet perform this weekend.
An Evening Under the Stars at the Arvada Center Saturday, August 28 at 7:30pm
This program features a mix of classical and contemporary favorites, excerpts from our upcoming season and a full-length performance of Lila York's Celts. Reserve your seat for An Evening Under the Stars and experience the magic of in-person performance before our season begins this October!
2021/2022 TICKETS AND SEASON PERFORMANCES
Single tickets for all performances are now on sale. Visit coloradoballet.org for tickets and more information.
Giselle October 8 - 17, 2021
Experience this romantic tragedy that continues to inspire audiences worldwide. Will the Wilis succeed in dancing Count Albrecht to death? Will Giselle be able to save her true love? The stunningly skilled athletes of Colorado Ballet bring the beauty and heartbreak of Giselle to the stage.
The Nutcracker Nov. 27 - Dec. 24, 2021
The beloved holiday favorite returns in a dazzling production like no one's ever seen, featuring all new sets and costumes created especially for Colorado Ballet. A sellout every year, this magical tale of Clara, the Nutcracker and the Mouse King is going to be dreamier than ever. Presented by PNC Bank
Romeo and Juliet February 4 - 13, 2022
It is one of the most beautiful yet tragic love stories of all time. Choreography by Derek Deane that demands exceptional levels of ballet technique, artistry and acting, paired with Sergei Prokofiev's phenomenal music, makes for an evening of stunning artistic grandeur that will take your breath away.
The Wizard of Oz March 11 - 20, 2022
Septime Webre’s dazzling production returns, bringing Dorothy and a whirlwind of your favorite characters back down the Yellow Brick Road. Webre's whimsical and timeless choreography showcases the athleticism of each dancer on their journey to Emerald City. Presented by MidFirst Bank
Ballet MasterWorks April 15 - 24, 2022
Our season crescendos to a mesmerizing close with a compilation of unique works of art, combining unforgettable music and incredible physical expression. This dynamic program includes George Balanchine's Theme and Variations and Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort, two world-renowned masterpieces that profoundly impacted the art form and remain central to 20th century innovative repertoire. Presented by Denver Ballet Guild
SEASON SPONSORS
The 2021/2022 season presenting sponsors are PNC Bank, MidFirst Bank, and Denver Ballet Guild. Colorado Ballet receives support from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Supporting sponsors include Colorado Ballet Auxiliary, Genesee Mountain Foundation, Avenir Foundation, The Anschutz Foundation, Colorado Athletic Club, The Shubert Foundation, The Nichols Family Foundation, The Denver Foundation, Bonfils Stanton Foundation, Sherwin Williams, National Endowment for the Arts and Colorado Creative Industries.
ABOUT COLORADO BALLET
Presenting exceptional classical ballet and innovative contemporary dance through performances, training, education and community engagement, Colorado Ballet continues to inspire and grow an increasingly diverse audience base in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1961 by Lillian Covillo and Freidann Parker, Colorado Ballet is a non-profit organization celebrating 61 years of excellence. As a world-class professional company serving over 100,000 national and international patrons, Colorado Ballet presents 55 performances annually to sold-out audiences in the 2,000 seat Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The Company’s 33 professional dancers and 20 studio company dancers come from all over the world. Colorado Ballet’s The Armstrong Center for Dance, a 35,000 square foot building, boasts eight state-of-the-art professional dance studios and amenities for the professional Company. Under the direction of Artistic Director Gil Boggs, Colorado Ballet performs classical ballet masterpieces, full-length story ballets and its critically acclaimed repertory production Ballet MasterWorks, featuring varied works from neoclassical ballets to world premieres. The Raydean Acevedo Colorado Ballet Academy serves over 1,200 students from toddlers to seniors each year. Colorado Ballet’s Education & Community Engagement offers programs to students and community members, making over 25,000 contacts and reaching over 200 schools and organizations annually. Participants come from a variety of backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses including youth, families, teachers, and people with and without disabilities. For more information, please visit coloradoballet.org.
