Ballet Idaho news & updates October 2022 | Fall Issue

Artists featured in header photo are Graham Gobeille and Jessica Sulikowski, photo by Quinn Wharton.

Introducing the 2022/2023 Season Apprentices When you hear the word "apprentice," you might have visions of Da Vinci painting in Florence or Stella McCartney as a young tailor. But what does it mean to be an apprentice at Ballet Idaho? Apprentices join us each season and are mentored by company members throughout the year as they dedicate their time and talent toward mastering their art in a professional setting. During the time of apprenticeship, apprentices hone skill levels, expand their repertoire, and network with company dancers. Ballet Idaho is delighted to welcome three new apprentices this season. Scroll below for an introduction! Lydia Acker Lydia Acker was born in Greenville, South Carolina, which is where she began her formal dance training. For fourteen years, she trained at International Ballet in Greer, South Carolina under the direction of Vlada Kysselova. After graduating high school, Lydia attended the University of South Carolina where she spent four years as a member of the UofSC Dance Company. She recently graduated from the South Carolina Honors College at UofSC with a B.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in English. Across her many years as a dancer, Lydia has trained at various summer intensive programs, such as the School of American Ballet, Chautauqua Institution, Cincinnati Ballet, and Ballet Met. Lydia is beyond excited and honored to begin her professional dance career as an apprentice for Ballet Idaho’s 22/23 season! Michael Driskill My name is Michael Driskill, and I’m very excited to join Ballet Idaho! I have been dancing for 7 years. I started my training in Modesto, California, then trained under David Arce at Juline Regional Youth Ballet, and also trained at the University Of Utah. I have performed in ballets such as The Nutcracker, Serenade, and Swan Lake. Last year, I joined the Ballet Idaho family as a member of the trainee program. As an apprentice, I’m very excited to see what this season brings! Flynn Ericson Flynn is from Santa Fe, New Mexico and grew up training at Aspen Santa Fe Ballet School and New Mexico School for the Arts. After high school, she moved to Boise to dance in Ballet Idaho’s trainee program. During this time, Flynn performed works by FLOCK, Lauren Edson, and George Balanchine, among others, both with the trainee program and alongside the company. She enjoys cooking, reading, and finding spots to watch the sunset during her time outside of the studio. Flynn is very excited to start her career as a professional dancer with Ballet Idaho! Ballet Idaho Trainees to perform at October's Supersized First Thursday  As you read above, many of our apprentices climb the ranks of Ballet Idaho through our Trainee Program. We will be featuring our trainees in another month's addition so be sure to check back for more info on this incredible program. In the meantime, come see these talented dancers perform in the lobby of the Columbia Bank building in downtown Boise on Thursday, October 6 at 6:00 PM. Anniversary Ball October is here which means people are getting ready for the biggest night of the month. No, not Halloween... Ballet Idaho's 50th Anniversary Ball! Act now if you want tickets to this gorgeous event on October 22 and come celebrate Ballet Idaho's past and future. Keep reading for another sneak peek of live auction items... The Golden Ticket The campus of Esther Simplot Performing Arts Academy (ESPAA) is chock full of the heavy hitters in the Boise arts community. Located in the Cultural District downtown, the Boise Philharmonic, Opera Idaho, and Ballet Idaho all share a permanent home on the ESPAA campus. Originally, these buildings were part of Boise's early 20th-century warehouse district. The building that currently houses Ballet Idaho was built in 1907 and the Boise Philharmonic building was built in 1910 (and had a railroad running between them!)  One of the most popular live auction items at Ballet Idaho's Anniversary Ball is "The Golden Ticket" which is a golden opportunity to have season tickets to Boise Philharmonic, Ballet Idaho, Opera Idaho, Boise Contemporary Theater, as well as Idaho Shakespeare Festival show tickets, topped off with Broadway tickets at the Morrison Center. This is the ultimate culture package that will give you your fill of the Boise arts. Pointe Shoe Surprise Dancers rely on pointe shoes not only for grace and beauty, but for safety. Each pair is approximately $100 and each dancer can use upwards of 25 pairs per season. While we can't all float gracefully on pointe, we can all bid on the fantastic live auction item that directly funds this crucial dance need. Last year, we surprised audiences with "Louboutins: A Pointe Shoe Surprise" where we auctioned off a gorgeous, classic pair of Christian Louboutin red-soled black pumps for the women and Italian-made calf leather dress shoes for the men (also with the famous red sole.) All proceeds from these designer shoes went to Ballet Idaho's Pointe Shoe Fund. And this fun, luxury auction item is back again this year! The designer is a well-kept secret until the night of, so if you have a love for shoes, get your tickets soon! Hint: Carrie Bradshaw would be very jealous. Ballet, BOSCO, and Beverages at The Mode Lounge Join us for a collaborative art experience on October 11th at 6:00 PM at The Mode Lounge. The event is open to the public and a portion of the proceeds benefit Ballet Idaho and BOSCO (Boise Open Studios Collective Organization.) Enjoy a ballet-themed cocktail while perusing artwork inspired by Ballet Idaho dancers. Your next art piece awaits! Academy News and Updates  Most kids are planning their Halloween costumes but Ballet Idaho Academy students are prepping for the holidays! Rehearsals for The Nutcracker began over the weekend and for the first time since 2019, there will be a full children's cast. Check out this cute photo below featuring academy students rehearsing for the lambs in the Marzipan Shepherdesses dance...

I Vant to Suck Your Blood: Dracula in Ballet Idaho's history (and future...?)

The lore of vampirism in popular culture will most likely never cease. While the notion of a blood-sucking creature is documented in even some of the earliest civilizations, it wasn't until the 19th century when Bram Stoker's "fictional" novel of an Eastern European blood-draining count captivated the public; spurring an endless literature, film, and theater phenomenon. The infamous count didn't spare the ballet world either. Choreographer Charles Bennett started visiting the idea of a dance interpretation of Dracula in the 1980s and premiered it in California in 1987. Pulling romantic music from the actual time period of the novel's debut (Wagner, Massenet) and intertwining it with authentic Romani music, Bennett created a dance drama that explored the human desire to meet the dark side and probe the supernatural. In October of 1994, Charles Bennett's seductive rendition came to Ballet Idaho, under the artistic direction of Toni Pimble. Calling it "a dance with bite" and a "visual feast," The Idaho Statesman raved over the moody, macabre drama and Ballet Idaho's bold risk of opening its season with it. It was so popular that it was brought back by popular demand in 1998. So, if you're like me and are chomping at the fangs to know when Ballet Idaho might produce this timeless horror again- fear not. Artistic Director Garrett Anderson says he is very interested in doing a version of it and would like to pursue it in the future. Stay tuned... Dracula photo features former Ballet Idaho soloist Eloy Barragan from Ballet Idaho's 1998 production, photos by Kent Peterson. Do you have any memories or memorabilia from the early days of our company? We would love to hear the stories! Please share with us by emailing Cassie Mrozinski at [email protected].

Single Tickets for The Nutcracker go on sale in three days! Single tickets for The Nutcracker go on sale on Friday, October 7. Don't miss your chance to experience this magical holiday tradition with your loved ones!

Season Subscriptions Still Available Has the fall gotten away from you and you're still in a summer mindset? Don't worry, you can still get season tickets for all of our incredible shows this season! Click here to purchase.

Join Opera Idaho again in the Sapphire Room at The Riverside Hotel for an evening of music, food, and drinks! Operatini is back- this time with the cast from the upcoming The Barber of Seville. For tickets and more information on this delectable time, click here.

Boise Phil is opening their 22.23 season with a pair of the ultimate greats- Mozart and Tchaikovsky! Titling it Musical Gems, this lush performance on October 8th is not to be missed. Get your tickets and more information here.

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