DT Spotlight: Ballet Arizona Targets Old Warehouse for New Home

Exterior of future home for Ballet Arizona

Arizona’s premier dance company, Ballet Arizona, continues to gain national recognition, even garnering positive reviews by the New York Times critic Alistair MacCaulay. The School of Ballet Arizona turns out professional dancers, including David Hallberg, the first American dancer invited to join the celebrated Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, Russia. And all this excellence is coming out of cramped quarters, tucked away behind a strip mall.

Supporters of Ballet Arizona are working diligently to raise the funds necessary to move the dancers and the school to a new 45,000-square-foot home in the Discovery Triangle, a former Walsh Bros. warehouse at 29^th Street and Washington. The company has been in the same 14,000-square-foot space in a shopping center since its founding in 1985. It also rents 10,000 square feet in a South Phoenix warehouse for costume storage, creating logistical challenges for performance preparations.

Not only will the new facility have more space for rehearsal rooms, costume and set storage, and administrative offices, but the dancers will also locker rooms and space for physical therapy. One studio will be the approximate size of the main stage at Phoenix Symphony Hall to better prepare for performances.

Building on $3.2 million voter-approved bond funds, The Next Step capital campaign’s goal is to reach $10 million and begin construction. According to campaign co-chair, Carol Schilling, “The campaign has already raised $4.2 million, achieving two-thirds of its goal in only nine months.  We are now turning to the broader community to raise the balance of the $2.6 million through donations at every level of giving.”

Donors have until December 15 to take advantage of the Dorrance Family Foundation Matching Gift program. The program provides $500,000 in matching funds at dollar-for-dollar for past contributors and two dollars-to-one on gifts from new donors.

“We want to give our ballet a facility in line with its professional reputation,” said Jacquie Dorrance, capital campaign co-chair. “Right now they have three rooms for rehearsal and space is scarce. When the dancers aren’t performing, they’re often sitting on the floor in the hallway waiting for their next practice session. At 4 p.m., rehearsal is over to make room for the children and adult classes.”

“To have such a high level of performance coming out of there is like a president coming out of a one-room schoolhouse,” remarked Schilling.

Artistic Director Ib Andersen sees the new property as a major enhancement to the Ballet’s training program.

“We expect our attendance to double, even triple, in the near future,” said Andersen. “The expanded studio space also expands our capacity to develop dancers through our school, creating a feeder program for dancers to join our main company. It will increase local students’ opportunity to learn their craft and stay here.”

“Our location on the rail line increases our visibility and our place in the community,” said Jon Teeuwissen, Ballet Arizona executive director. “We will be able to hold more public programs, increase our school enrollment and host smaller events for our friends, donors and community neighbors. Of course, it will be wonderful to have more time for rehearsals and more space for everyone who comes into our building.”

The space will also open up new revenue building opportunities such as facility rentals for community groups, events, photography and rehearsal space for visiting arts companies. The bond agreement with the City of Phoenix also opens up opportunities to create and provide free public events such as salons and classes.

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To Do in the DT: NHS Phoenix Open House

Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix (NHS Phoenix) has been busy renovating older homes throughout the Discovery Triangle under Housing and Urban Development’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The program has rehabilitated 21 vacant houses in central Phoenix to help stabilize neighborhoods in partnership with the City of Phoenix, Neighborhood Services Department.

This Thursday, neighborhood residents and stakeholders will proudly show off 901 E. Garfield, a Craftsman bungalow, built in 1915, as the newest four-bedroom, three-bath rehabilitated home.

Visitors will be able to walk through to see the reconditioned wood windows, high efficiency mechanical systems, new plumbing and electrical, new fixtures throughout and full exterior repaint.

4 – 7 p.m.
Thursday, November 10
901 E Garfield, Phoenix, AZ 85006

Maricopa County has the highest overall number and percentage of vacant homes among the 10 most populous counties in the US. According to the Arizona Republic, almost 14 percent of all homes are empty in Maricopa County.

NHS Phoenix has a 36-year history of revitalizing Phoenix neighborhoods by providing a full range of programs and services that encourage, create and support homeownership. As a charter member of the national NeighborWorks® network, NHS Phoenix has access to financial support, technical assistance and training that have benefited thousands of clients.

During the current housing crisis, this HUD-approved housing counseling nonprofit agency has emerged as a trusted local leader in foreclosure intervention by offering free counseling services that has helped hundreds of families hold on to their homes. In an effort to revitalize neighborhoods, NHS Phoenix is launching this public awareness campaign to educate aspiring homeowners to learn about homeownership and the properties available under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

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