(Image by Erik Ostling, via The CW website here.)

You’ve seen them on stage, now see them behind the curtain! This month Ballet West will make its television debut in The CW’s highly-anticipated Breaking Pointe docudrama. We’re all so thrilled! Filmed during the 2011-2012 season, this show promises to captivate audiences with a behind-the-scenes view of life as a professional dancer.

The show is scheduled to premier Thursday May 31 at 7:00 PM (Mountain Standard Time) on The CW. (Channels 15 or 30 for the Salt Lake area. Episodes will also be rebroadcast each following Monday at the same time.) Casting producers for the show considered some 15 companies before settling on our very own Ballet West.  The show focuses on the physicality and art of ballet, while highlighting the social interactions and drama that often accompany a tightly knit group of dancers.

Catch up on all the latest publicity:

Ballet West, Breaking Pointe Press Release – 3/7/12
Dance Spirit, Ballet West’s Beckanne Sisk on Breaking Pointe – 5/18/12
Salt Lake Tribune, Ballet West Exposes Itself, on TV – 5/22/12
Campus Circle, Breaking Pointe to Premiere on The CW Network - 5/24/12
KSL News, International TV Series Follows Ballet West Dancers – 5/28/12
NY Times, They Already Know they Can Dance, and They Want to Be Stars – 5/29/12
Joffrey Blog, Ballet West’s Breaking Pointe – 5/30/12
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Ballerina Allison DeBona on Pointe for Reality Show - 5/30/12
Deseret News, Cameras Go Behind the Scenes at Ballet West in New Reality TV Show – 5/30/12

(Image by Erik Ostling, via The Salt Lake Tribune website here.)

Visit The CW website here for show times, photos, videos, and dancer bios.

Participate Today!
We may be featured on a TV show, but Ballet West is still a nonprofit arts organization. Help support the artists you love by donating here. Dancers will be notified of all donations made in their honor.

Meet the artistic director, Adam Sklute, and some of the highlighted dancers from the show in the interviews below.

Other videos can also be found on the CW’s Breaking Pointe website here, and YouTube channel here.

- Ballet West Development Team

The first week of Innovations was received really well by the audience.  I’m not surprised … all the ballets are “complete works” that are very well put together.  If anyone hasn’t seen the show, we perform this Wednesday through Saturday.  After this week the company goes on summer break (tear).  By the way, if you miss us that badly, watch us on TV.  Breaking Pointe will air on Thursdays throughout the summer on The CW, starting May 31st.

Click Here For Kathy Adams’ Innovations 2012 Review

-Beau

A studio filled with a bunch of ballet dancers around a camera doesn’t always result in pretty, balletic images.  Every now and then I snap a photo displaying how much fun we have aside from dancing.  So, I figured I would send these goofy pictures to the company and ask for a caption to match … hence, “Picture Caption Time!”  Commenters, feel free to add to the fun.

Easton Smith & Michael Bearden

“So Mikey, about being third cast for school shows …” – Easton Smith

Easton (with a lisp): “Do you need a walrus, Mikey?  Please let me play the walrus …”
Mikey: “Wait … do I need a walrus???  Let me think …” – Emily & Paige Adams

“Where did you put those pencils when they left your nose, Easton?” – Pam Robinson

“Typical.” – Allison DeBona

“Don’t show him attention.  Don’t show him attention.” – Ronald Tilton

“Easton on the job, taking notes.” – Rex Tilton

“Ballet Walrus!” – Aidan DeYoung

“Maturity optional.” – Anonymous

-Beau

With the Emeralds program behind us, the company has only one week of rehearsals left before we go into the theater.  This year’s Innovations will open with the extended version of Michael Bearden’s Decent.  Two years ago, Michael choreographed the ten minute section of Decent, for Innovations, that will now conclude the forty five minute version of the ballet we will be dancing this year.  Mikey has added a back story to his ballet that is based on true events from 1917, Russia.

Michael Bearden and Aidan DeYoung

The next piece in the program is a new work choreographed by Aidan DeYoung.  This is Aidan’s second year choreographing for Innovations.  I feel like Aidan has grown tremendously as a dancer these last two years.  He’s found his own style which is evident in his choreography.  Aidan’s ballet brings a lot of diversity to the program as his movement is very contemporary.

Easton Smith

Easton Smith’s new ballet will follow Aidan’s on the bill.  I think we’re all excited to see what Easton has to offer as this is his first year choreographing for Innovations.  Emily Adams is the last in-house choreographer in the program.  Emily created a voice for herself the first year she choreographed for Innovations and has only made her voice louder this year with her new work.  This year Emily is using a recent graduate of the University of Utah’s music program to play the piano for her ballet.

Emily Adams

The last ballet of the program will be Grand Synthesis choreographed by Susan Shields.  Grand Synthesis is a a contrasting ballet, full of energy and serenity.  We performed Grand Synthesis first for Innovations 2008, then this last summer in Wolf Trap, VA.  For more information on Susan Shields, click here.

-Beau