FROM SCHOLARSHIP TO CENTER STAGE

Ballet West’s fifth annual Spring Soirée made history, raising a record-breaking over $450,000 to support the Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy, providing scholarships and financial aid to young students. The sold-out gala, chaired by Kimberly Heglar, featured dinner on the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre stage with performances by company and academy dancers just inches from guests’ tables. The event was co-chaired by J. Chase Dreyfous, Jr., Samantha Gellert, Bronwyn Newport, and David Parkinson, with committee members Allison Holker, Molly Cooper Jones, Helle LeRette, Athelia Woolley LeSueur, Mara Mazdzer, and Katie Tozer.

Among the evening’s highlights was the inspiring journey of Corps Artist Jonas Malinka-Thompson, whose path exemplifies the transformative power of scholarship support.

“I started ballet as a little buttercup in yellow leotards here at the academy after my parents saw that I moved around a lot,” shared Malinka-Thompson. “When I was on the soccer team in kindergarten, while the other kids were chasing the ball, I was off to the side just flailing my arms around, so they put me in a dance class.”

As his training intensified, the financial challenges became significant. “It became clear to my parents that a ballet education was not something we would be able to afford in the long run,” he explained. “I was lucky enough to be awarded scholarships throughout my training. Otherwise, I would have had to give up dancing a long time ago.”

Malinka-Thompson’s Ballet West journey began as a young Academy student, continued through Ballet West II in 2021, and led to his promotion to the main company in 2023. Since then, he has performed lead roles, including Renfield in Dracula and a Stepsister in Cinderella, earning acclaim for his character portrayals.

“Dance has really become part of my identity as a person,” he reflected. “It has shaped me in and out of the studio, and I truly don’t know who I would be today without it. Dance is where I find joy, passion, and purpose in life.”

Last year, Ballet West provided $251,496 in scholarships and financial aid to 175 students across its programs. The Academy has grown to become one of the largest ballet academies in the country, serving over 1,000 students annually across four locations. Currently, 90% of Ballet West’s main company comes from Ballet West II, and nearly 50% of company members began at the Ballet West Academy.