By James Sofranko, Artistic Director
Reflecting on the conclusion of our 25/26 season, I am so proud of our company, and the ability of our art form to remain powerful and relevant. I am truly excited about the momentum we have built this year, and we’re harnessing that energy moving into 26/27.
This season our subscriptions hit an all-time high, we sold out all performances of our world premiere of Sherlock (for which we received mention in the Washington Post), we broke ticket sales records for our world premiere of Swan Lake, and we brought New York City Ballet resident choreographer Justin Peck’s work to Grand Rapids for the first time ever, paired with music from Michigander Sufjan Stevens. We performed at Frederik Meijer Gardens, the new Acrisure Amphitheater, the Great Lakes Center for the Arts in Petoskey and the Econ Club’s 50th anniversary gala with keynote speakers Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. (Strikingly, both Presidents spoke about their renewed love for the arts in their retirement). The New York Times reported on Grand Rapids’ status as a “City on the Rise” and they felt it pertinent to mention that Grand Rapids is the home of “Michigan’s only professional ballet company.”
None of these accomplishments happen on their own. Each performance, each ballet, each event requires countless hours of organizing by our staff – including rehearsals, meetings, emails, and not least, fundraising. Thank you to Chris Jabin, our Senior Director of Advancement and Engagement, and our interim CEO Leah Voigt, for leading the way to increase our fundraising efforts in order to sustain our operations into the future.
In our current world dominated by technology, and increasingly AI, this season increased my optimism about the ability for art, and specifically ballet, to break through the digital hold that our devices have on us. We are uniquely poised to provide an experience that offers something more than anyone can get on a screen. Our dancers are full of life, and a performance at GRB, while meticulously rehearsed, is not edited or photoshopped. You cannot go back and watch it again, you must sit up and pay attention. We offer an antidote to a digital life that I think people, and especially young people, are craving.
Grand Rapids Ballet is 100% human and always will be! There are no AI dancers (and I don’t think we’re in danger of that any time soon)! Not that we don’t embrace technology, and use it to stimulate artistic innovation (think: our performances at Meijer Gardens Winter Nights), but we will always celebrate the best of human creativity and ability.
Our 26/27 season upholds that promise of creativity and ability, and I invite everyone to join us for what will certainly be a “Season of Wonder.” From the powerful imagery of Frida Kahlo in Broken Wings to the happy-go-lucky sailors in Fancy Free to the charming storybook characters in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, next season demonstrates our company’s range, and shows off our world-class dancers in challenging and engaging works of art. I hope you will consider renewing your subscription (if you haven’t already) to enjoy the best pricing, guaranteed seats, and flexible ticket options.
Until then, our building is full this summer with aspiring students who visit from all over for our School’s annual 5-week Summer Intensive with renowned guest faculty. We also offer two Adult Summer Intensives, and new summer dancer camps (ages 3-10) in Ada, MI as well as at our downtown location. Research shows that art and movement is beneficial for our happiness and well-being, whether you are experiencing it, or participating!
For all these reasons, the case for ballet is strong. Our organization strives to promote the best of humanity: beauty, joy, and creativity. I hope you agree that these are concepts worth fighting for. As artists, we have the power to change the world for the better!
Thank you for reading, and I wish you a wonderful West Michigan summer!
Sincerely,
James Sofranko
Artistic Director
In the words of the late Steven Hawking, “We are all time-travelers, journeying together into the future, but let us work together to make that future a place we want to visit.”
