Ballet Theatre Company Celebrates 20th Anniversary

In a city like Hartford, we’re lucky to have a wide variety of arts and cultural organizations that are diverse in many ways including age. It is because of this that it is such a privilege to share in celebration when one of these organizations reaches a milestone. Please join us in congratulating Ballet Theatre Company on their 20^th Anniversary! Artistic Director Stephanie Dattellas came to Ballet Theatre Company last summer straight from Syracuse, where she had helped expand Syracuse City Ballet’s repertoire and mission as their Ballet Mistress and Company Manager.

"I am a strong believer that dance has the incredible power to unify one another, ignite hope, spark passion and encourage one to achieve a lofty goal."

Since its founding in 1999, Ballet Theatre Company has staged over 75 ballet productions, trained nearly 1000 dancers and has served over 10,000 students in the Greater Hartford region who otherwise would not have had the opportunity. In addition to the tried-and-true Nutcracker and performances around the region including the Noah Webster House, New Britain Museum of American Art, and Aetna, Ballet Theatre Company will be holding “20 Masterclasses for 20 Years” in honor of their anniversary. These masters of dance join Ballet Theatre Company from American Ballet Theatre, Broadway, and other companies from around the country. In addition, Dattellas initiated a pilot program with the Miracle League of Greater Connecticut centered around adaptive dance with students ages 4-21, culminating in a performance after 8 weeks of sessions. “I am a strong believer that dance has the incredible power to unify one another, ignite hope, spark passion and encourage one to achieve a lofty goal,” Dattellas said of the program, which currently enrolls 44 students. “Through this program, children of all abilities will have the chance to discover their unique voice, and expand their creative boundaries. I cannot wait to watch each of their journeys through this incredible program!”As part of her first season, Dattellas worked with several other local dance companies on a benefit performance to raise money for the families affected by last October’s mass shooting in Las Vegas. This year, the companies plan to raise money for childhood cancer research. “’Dancing for a Cause’ is a performance I am especially passionate about and excited to bring to BTC’s season annually. It gathers several diverse, professional and local dance companies in one space, for one night, utilizing their talents to benefit a charitable cause. I am so grateful that these other dance companies are so willing to donate their talents supporting a cause of our community.” Dancing for a Cause is a performance Ballet Theatre Company will present annually, benefiting a new charitable cause year to year.There is clearly a lot to look forward with Ballet Theatre Company, and you can find more information about their 20^th season on their website at www.dancebtc.org.- Dan Deutsch, Marketing & Communications ManagerGHAC