Where We Come From...

The Charlottesville Ballet was born out of the idea that powerful art is created when a universal vision is communicated to an audience. When technical strength and emotional expression are wed, a magnetism is created and becomes transcendent, moving all who witness it to unique heights for one ephemeral moment. In this vein, we desire to foster a re-birth of the emotional heritage of the art-- without losing the technical prowess of today's dancer. It is this heritage that we endeavor to share between dancer and choreographer, dancer and dancer, and in its ultimate form, between dancer and audience.

The Charlottesville Ballet had its genesis under the name "Ma'at Ensemble"-- a name that set the tone and vision for the organization. Ma'at, the Egyptian word for truth and balance, is the ideal that we as a company continue to embrace by creating a holistic space for our dancers and choreographers to grow, both as individuals and as a group. Although our name no longer holds the word "ensemble," its significance remains woven into our structure through the philosophy that each member adds a unique and essential element to the organization.

We are thrilled to open the door on our third performing season as Charlottesville's own ballet company. We hope that you will participate in the creative process by being an audience member, as the only true fulfillment of ballet's potential is when it is shared with others. Many thanks for your support and we look forward to serving you for many seasons to come!