GRAND RAPIDS BALLET | 50th ANNIVERSARY

2022 marks an important milestone as Grand Rapids Ballet celebrates 50 years of lifting the human spirit through the art of dance. Our 50th Anniversary officially began in February 2022 with Cinderella at DeVos Performance Hall and later featured Jumpstart 2022 in March and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in April, both at our Peter Martin Wege Theatre. As the curtain closes on our 50th Anniversary, Grand Rapids Ballet will perform Elemental Movement in October 2022 and will close the anniversary, which spans two seasons, with The Nutcracker in December. It is an honor to share Grand Rapids Ballet’s rich history with you, and we look forward to welcoming new audience members to share in our love of dance as we launch into the next 50 years!

50 YEARS IMPACTING WEST MICHIGAN

Tune in and enjoy a video from our 50th Anniversary Gala that encapsulates how Grand Rapids Ballet is bringing its mission of lifting the human spirit through the art of dance to life right here in West Michigan.

Grand Rapids Ballet is proud of the work that it does reaching far beyond our stages and the Meyer Royce Center for Dance. GRB has been part of the West Michigan community for the past 50 years, proving that art and dance are essential to a strong and vibrant community. Tune into a special video from our 50th Anniversary Gala highlighting our impact on the community.

50th ANNIVERSARY | HONORARY COMMITTEE

Grand Rapids Ballet extends our sincerest appreciation for our 50^th Anniversary Honorary Committee:

– Luis and Amanda Avila
– Susan Ford Bales
– Pamella DeVos
– Maria Kowroski
– Liesel Litzenburger Meijer
– James and Mary Nelson

SUPPORT OUR 50th ANNIVERSARY

Grand Rapids Ballet relies on the support of the local community to move forward to sustain our mission of lifting the human spirit through the art of dance. Please consider contributing to the Ballet to expand our reach, programming, and audience. We look forward to celebrating our 50th Anniversary with you – join us!

DONATE TODAY

FOLLOW OUR 50TH

Ensure you don’t miss any of Grand Rapids Ballet’s 50th Anniversary by joining the conversation on social media! Use hashtag #GRB50 to stay up-to-date on the latest news and information. We also invite all of Grand Rapids Ballet’s dancers, staff, and alumni to join our 50th Anniversary Insider Facebook group.

EXPLORE OUR HISTORY

Enjoy a brief timeline below, highlighting the 50-year history of Grand Rapids Ballet.

1960s

The Spirit of Ballet is Born

In the 1960s, Miss Sally Seven began the groundwork to form a ballet company in West Michigan. The first performances were performed in conjunction with the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony by what was then called the Youth Symphonic Ballet Company.
1969
Second Act Swan Lake Performance
The Youth Symphonic Ballet Company performed its first production, the second act of Swan Lake, on April 12, 1969.

1969
1970
Coppelia Excerpts Performance
In April 1970, the organization performed excerpts from Coppelia.
December 1970
First Performance with the Grand Rapids Symphony
In December 1970, the company performed, under the direction of Gregory Millar, for the first time with the Grand Rapids Symphony during The Nutcracker at Calvin College’s Knollcrest Auditorium.

December 1970
1972

Nonprofit Corporation Formed

After the 1972 Nutcracker, which was marked as the largest audience for a ballet produced by a local company, the Grand Rapids Civic Ballet Company, a nonprofit corporation was formed.
1972
Peter and the Wolf Performance
In the spring of 1972, Peter and the Wolf was performed with the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony.

1972
1972

Established partnership with Grand Rapids Public Schools

We have partnered with Grand Rapids Public Schools since 1972 in creating opportunities for students to see lecture demonstrations, take classes, and attend performances
1973
Operational & Executive Management Established
Operational and executive management was initiated in 1973 and continues today.

1973
1974
Sleeping Beauty Performance
With the assistance of Dan Kovats conducting the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony, the company was presented in an abbreviated version of Sleeping Beauty for two performances at Calvin Knollcrest.
1979
The Grand Rapids Ballet Guild Formed
In 1979, the guild was formed to provide support in various areas, including aiding financial needs, hosting social events, sponsoring school programs, manning the boutique during performances, and many more.

1979
1980
First DeVos Hall Performance
The company was asked to be part of the opening ceremonies for DeVos Performance Hall on October 14, 1980.
1981
Original Junior & Senior Company Created
In 1981, our original Junior and Senior Companies were formed under the artistic direction of long-time company dancer, Judy Genson. The Junior Company was formed as a training ground for young dancers aged 9-14 to prepare them to move into the Senior Company, which at the time, performed alongside the company.

1981
1983

Summerfest School Opens in the Houseman Building
In September 1983, the Summerfest School opened in the Houseman Building, in Cheryl Woolf’s studios.
1983
Summerfest Program Expanded
In 1983, former principal dancers with the Joffrey Ballet, Charthel Arthur and Robert Estner visited Grand Rapids to expand the city’s established Summerfest program, and these professional dancers opened our eyes to accredited dance programs and experiences.

1983
1986

Summerfest Moves to Masonic Temple
In September 1986, Summerfest moved from the second floor of Houseman’s Department store on Monroe to the Masonic Temple on Fulton.
1987
Cinderella at Civic Theatre

Grand Rapids Ballet formed Cinderella, the first full-length ballet in 1987.

1987
1988

Charthel Arthur | Artistic Director

Following Sally Seven’s retirement in 1987, a nationwide search was conducted by the board of directors, leading to the appointment of Charthel Arthur along with her husband Robert Estner as Artistic Director in September 1988. Arthur was voted in by the Board in February 1988. At this time, Judy Gensen continued as Junior Company Director and assumed the newly created position of Business Manager.
1989
"Civic" Removed From Title
In 1989, the designation “civic” was removed from the title of the Grand Rapids Ballet. With the new name came a new focus. The company moved to regional status and joined the Midwest Regional Association, and with this growth, new training and performance opportunities were added to the company schedule.

1989
1991-92 Season

Professional Dancers Contracted
During the 1991-92 season, both male and female professional dancers were placed under contract for the first time, leading to today’s fully professional company.
1992
Grand Rapids Ballet School Formed
After a merger with Summerfest in 1992, the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet was formed, which has grown today to over 250 students.

1992
1993-95
Honored Outstanding Works
Three ballets choreographed for the Grand Rapids Ballet were honored as outstanding works by being selected for the National Choreography Plan. These included Potentia by Robert Estner (1993), Capriccios by Trinette Singleton (1994); and Realm of Light by Phillip Jerry (1995).
1997
25th Anniversary Silver Season

The 25th Anniversary Silver Season production of “Alice in Wonderland” marked the first time Grand Rapids Ballet presented an entirely new ballet with all new music, costumes and masks, sets and props, and choreography.

1997
2000
Milestone Budget
GRB reached a milestone operational budget of 1 million in 2000, which has grown to today’s budget of 2.7 million.
2000
GRB Finds Permanent Home

Through the generosity of an arts-conscious community, The Next Step Campaign allowed the company to transform an old abandoned bus garage into a well-designed dance rehearsal space and school facility. Since its opening in 2000, this permanent home has allowed the Ballet to add new opportunities for the community.

2000
2000-2010

Artistic Director Gordon Peirce Schmidt & Associate Artistic Director Laura Berman

Throughout the tenure of Artistic Director Gordon Peirce Schmidt and Associate Artistic Director Laura Berman, the Company saw tremendous growth and presented more than fifty new works, including the In the Chamber works.
2004
ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Cultural Organization
Grand Rapids Ballet is named a proud recipient of the ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Cultural Organization.

2004
2007

Meijer-Royce Center for Dance

Following a $7.5 million expansion in September 2006, a Campaign for Ballet included the addition of the 300-seat Peter Martin Wege Theatre adjacent to the existing facility on Ellsworth, creating the Meijer-Royce center for Dance. The LEED-Certified theatre opened in September 2007 and continues to be the home theatre to this day.
2009-Present
Glenn Del Vecchio | Executive Director
In 2009, Glenn Del Vecchio was appointed as the organization’s first Executive Director, and with that came a shift in philosophies towards a more business-oriented approach.

2009-Present
2009-10

Adaptive Dance Program Established

In the 2009-10 season, the organization established its Adaptive Dance Program, including Moving with Parkinson’s, a ballet-based therapy class for individuals with the disease, and Explorer Dance, a beginner-level ballet class that emphasizes balance, coordination, and creative expression for children with disabilities.
2010
Dance Immersion Program

In Fall 2010, GRBS created the Dance Immersion program in response to the expressed need for arts education in public schools. Students are able to experience the joy of dancing in a positive, supportive, and educational environment. Since then the program has expanded to serve over 2,000 students annually from Grand Rapids and Forest Hills public schools. Each classroom receives four 30-minute classes at their school as part of their regular school day.

2010
2010-2017

Patricia Barker | Artistic Director

During the tenure of Artistic Director Patricia Barker, the organization expanded its portfolio to incorporate works from beyond West Michigan, by working with choreographers nationally and internationally. The 2011-12 season introduced an innovative, contemporary dance series, MOVEMEDIA, which is the root of today’s Jumpstart.
2012
Attila Mosolygo | Junior Company Artistic Director

In September 2012, Attila Mosolygo was appointed the Artistic Director of the Grand Rapids Ballet School Junior Company. Since then, he has created numerous full-length productions that provide more performance opportunities for the students, as well as setting up touring opportunities in Fremont and Muskegon.

2012
2012

Present-Day Junior Company Established
Following the appointment of Attila Mosolygo as GRBS Junior Company Artistic Director, the present-day Junior Company was established, which has grown to today include 55 dance students.
2014
Nutcracker Reimagined

Grand Rapids Ballet premiered a newly imagined production of The Nutcracker in 2014, with design by renowned Grand Rapidian Chris Van Allsburg and Eugene Lee, featuring captivating choreography by Val Caniparoli, which led to national recognition.

2014
2016-Present

Penny Saunders | Resident Choreographer
Penny Saunders was named Resident Choreographer and has created various works including Slight, The Happy Prince and Other Wilde Tales, In a Minute, Again, In-Frame, and Testimony, to name a few.
2017-Present
School Continues to Grow

In September 2017, Attila Mosolygo was appointed to School Director while continuing his role as Junior Company Artistic Director, and since then he has continued to develop and grow the school by adding additional curriculum and outreach opportunities, including a satellite program in Holland, expanding the Moving with Parkinson’s program, and instating the FAME program with the KROC Center.

2017-Present
2018

GRBS Established Partnership with the Kroc Center
Grand Rapids Ballet School began a partnership with the Kroc Center, known as FAME (Fine Arts Music and Expression), which offers students at Brookside Elementary a 16-week program that focuses on art, music, and dance. This partnership continues to expand annually.
2018-Present
James Sofranko | Artistic Director

James Sofranko was appointed Artistic Director in 2018 to continue elevating Grand Rapids Ballet to national and international levels. Shortly after, the Company began performing annually at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in the outdoor amphitheater as well as at StudioPark in downtown Grand Rapids. During this time, the Jumpstart program was established, offering the dancers opportunities to create world-premiere choreographic works.

2018-Present
June 2019

Record-Breaking Festival Performance
James Sofranko and Glenn Del Vecchio served as co-chairs for Festival of the Arts’ 50th Anniversary where the Company performed before record-breaking crowds during the free outdoor festival.
2020-Present
COVID-19 Pandemic

To help stop the spread of COVID-19, Grand Rapids Ballet’s Company and Junior Company canceled performances, beginning in March 2020. Months later, the school hosted its first-ever completely virtual summer program, and in the 2020-21 season the Company presented four virtual performance programs, including “The Nutcracker Experience,” which was broadcast on television and garnered a Michigan Emmy nomination.

2020-Present
2021

Named Creative Business of the Year
In October 2021, Grand Rapids Ballet is named Creative Business of the Year in the Grand Rapids Chamber’s EPIC Awards.
2022
50th Golden Anniversary
In 2022, Grand Rapids Ballet celebrates 50 years of lifting the human spirit through the art of dance. We recognize the major contributions we’ve received over the past 50 years, including Steelcase, the Wege Foundation, Chuck and Stella Royce, the Meijer Foundation, and over 1000 companies and individuals who make our work possible. We look forward to introducing new audiences to the joy of dance over the next 50 years.

2022