By Mary Jennings, Executive Director
November is the month when gratitude seems to naturally rise to the surface; Cozy sweaters, warm drinks and the first dustings of frost accompany the quiet turning of the season. It’s a time to pause, reflect, and take stock of the abundance around us. For me, and for all of us at Grand Rapids Ballet, that abundance is found in our people… our dancers, our community, and the art form that connects us.
First and foremost, I am filled with gratitude for our extraordinary company dancers. Every day, they bring both precision and poetry into our studios. Their strength and artistry transforming discipline into inspiration.
This season, we are especially grateful to welcome three new dancers into our Grand Rapids Ballet family. Watching them find their place within the company reminds me that ballet, while built on centuries of tradition, is always renewed by fresh energy and fresh voices. Their presence reminds us that innovation and expansion are not opposites of tradition, they are its lifeblood. Our community of patrons, donors, and sponsors make this possible. Your belief in our mission and your willingness to invest in this centuries-old art form, propel us forward. It allows us to continue to create, to take artistic risks, and to offer beauty and meaning to a world that deeply needs both.
Your enthusiasm isn’t just appreciated; it is essential. Each ticket purchased, each gift given, each word of encouragement form the foundation that allows our company to thrive. For that, we are profoundly grateful. On a personal note, ballet has been one of the great constants in my life. It has offered me not only a lifelong connection to movement, athleticism, and health, but also a way of seeing… of finding beauty in precision, in effort, and in stillness.
Ballet has shaped how I experience the world. It has taught me empathy, to recognize humanity in both vulnerability and strength. It has attuned me to the subtleties of emotion, rhythm, and breath, helping me to process life through all of my senses. As we move deeper into the season toward performances that celebrate tradition, family, and wonder, I am reminded daily that gratitude itself is an art form. Like dance, it requires attention, practice, and a willingness to be fully present. Thank you to our dancers, our supporters, and our audiences for being part of this living, breathing expression of beauty and humanity. You are the reason we dance.
With deep appreciation,
Mary
