Ballet West

About me:

Whether it’s representing America on the world’s stage at the Chinese National Arts Festival, headlining Scotland’s famed Edinburgh International Festival, touring the country, or performing on their home stage in Salt Lake City’s historic Capitol Theatre, Ballet West seeks to deliver heart-stopping performances of the highest caliber.

Ballet West originated in Salt Lake City in 1963 as the Utah Civic Ballet. Utah’s "First Lady of the Arts," Glenn Walker Wallace, was the company’s founder and first president. Willam F. Christensen, creator of the company and its first artistic director, is also noted for establishing, with his brothers Lew and Harold, the oldest ballet company in the western United States, the San Francisco Ballet, in 1937. Christensen also is heralded for establishing the first ballet department in an American university, the University of Utah, in 1951 and for being the first American to choreograph full-length versions of The Nutcracker, Coppélia and Cinderella.

In 1968, the Federation of Rocky Mountain States chose the Utah Civic Ballet to represent the west and the company was renamed Ballet West. In 1978, Ballet West moved into its new home in the renovated Capitol Theatre. Bruce Marks joined Ballet West in 1975 as co-artistic director, becoming artistic director after Christensen’s retirement in 1978. Under Marks’ direction, the company earned a reputation for its innovative new works, including the recreation of the August Bournonville classic Abdallah, which the company performed to critical acclaim at the Kennedy Center in 1985.

John Hart, former principal dancer, ballet master, assistant director and administrator of the Royal Ballet of England, was named artistic director in 1985. Under his leadership, the company’s repertoire was expanded in scope and stature to include 19th century classics such as The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, and Swan Lake.

Jonas Kåge served as artistic director from 1997 to 2006. Throughout his extensive association with ballet as dancer, choreographer and director, Kåge established significant relationships with many international masters of the art form, including Hans van Manen, Jiri Kylian, William Forsythe, and Glen Tetley.

Newly appointed Artistic Director Adam Sklute comes to Ballet West by way of the Joffrey Ballet, where he served as its Associate Artistic Director. One of the last dancers personally selected by Robert Joffrey, Adam danced professionally for the Joffrey for 11 years and spent the next 10 years in Joffrey leadership positions. He brings tremendous experience and a contagious enthusiasm to Ballet West. Under Sklute’s leadership, the company is comprised of 35 dancers who perform in over 70 performances annually in the Salt Lake Valley and throughout the United States.

Ballet West has traveled to China to perform as part of the Sixth Annual China Arts Festival and, in February 2002, Ballet West performed A Gala Celebration of Twentieth-Century Masterworks as part of the Cultural Olympiad during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Ballet West most recently performed to international acclaim at Scotland’s Edinburgh International Festival, one of the most important celebrations of the arts in the world.