Ballet Fantastique
Ballet Fantastique is an American contemporary ballet company and nonprofit performing arts organization based in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 2000, the company creates and presents original narrative dance theater works blending ballet, live music, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Ballet Fantastique is a resident company at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts and presents annual seasons locally while touring throughout the Pacific Northwest and internationally.
History
Ballet Fantastique was established in 2000 by choreographer-producers Donna and Hannah Bontrager. The organization became an Oregon nonprofit in the early 2000s and later achieved 501 status. Its mission is to build new audiences for dance through original ballet works, provide professional training for emerging artists, and engage youth through arts education. Since its founding, Ballet Fantastique has presented more than 100 original works, including over 50 full-length narrative ballet premieres.Based in downtown Eugene, Oregon, the company has received regional and national media attention. The Washington Post has featured Ballet Fantastique, while Eugene Weekly described it as a “bold, cross-disciplinary dance company. According to Portland Center Stage Reviews, Ballet Fantastique has "made a name for itself in out-of-the-box revisions of classic story ballets" and is "not your grandmother's Swan Lake." In recent years, Ballet Fantastique productions have been recognized with media attention and awards nominations, including regional Emmy® nomination coverage in press releases.
Ballet Fantastique productions emphasize collaboration with live musicians, visual artists, and other cross-disciplinary performers. Notable collaborations include work with Michelle Ladd Williams for the world premiere of Ballet Fantastique's Robin Hood & Maid Marian in 2023.
The company regularly holds auditions and attracts dancers from across the United States and internationally.
Outreach and Education
Ballet Fantastique’s outreach initiatives are designed to increase access to dance education and performance for diverse communities throughout Lane County and the surrounding region. Programs include need-based scholarships for Academy students, integrated arts residencies in public and private schools, and community performances that bring professional dance to nontraditional venues. The organization also provides free or reduced-cost tickets for youth audiences and school groups, with the goal of introducing young people to live performing arts. Through these initiatives, Ballet Fantastique seeks to broaden participation in ballet and engage audiences beyond traditional concert-going communities.Academy of Ballet Fantastique
The Academy of Ballet Fantastique is the official training school of Ballet Fantastique, offering year-round dance instruction for children, adults, and aspiring professional artists ages 12 months and up. The Academy provides structured programs focused on technical development, artistic growth, and performance experience.In the Professional Training Division, dancers age 9 and up study the Vaganova Method of training in limited class sizes of 12 students or fewer. Students participate in professional performances with the company, and may audition for company positions and apprenticeships upon graduation. Academy of Ballet Fantastique coaches are experienced in the well-recognized Vaganova method of training as well as in pedagogy and professional performance.
The Young Dancer Program at The Academy of Ballet Fantastique is for dancers ages 12 months and up, and follows a progressive training approach, introducing young children to creative movement, music education, and dance fundamentals.
Company repertoire
Ballet Fantastique performs all-original repertoire created in house in collaboration with a wide range of multi-disciplinary artistic collaborators. Selected list of new works created and premiered by Donna and Hannah Bontrager, Resident Choreographer-Producers for Ballet Fantastique:| Title | Basis | Description | Music | Premiere | Ref |
| Little Mermaid: The 80's Pop Ballet | Two acts | Neon Revival : | May 11–14, 2023 | ||
| Arrivals: Rio | Two acts | Bossanaire and Juan Cruz Luqui, performing original music and music by Argentine composer Gustavo Santaolalla | Dec. 31, 2021, Jan. 2, 2022 | ||
| Nevermore: Stories of Edgar Allan Poe | Two acts | Liz Dorman, Dale Bradley, Sergei Teleshev play the music of YouTube celebrity composers Peter Gundry and Lucas King | Oct. 25–27, 2019 | ||
| Cleopatra: The Ballet | Two acts | Beats Antique | May 9–12, 2019 | ||
| Babes in Toyland | Babes in Toyland (operetta) | Two acts | Swing Shift Jazz Orchestra play Duke Ellington's jazz Nutcracker score | Dec. 10–12, 2018 | |
| Alice in Wonderland | Two acts | High Step Society | May 11–13, 2018 | ||
| The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | Two acts | Dreos + Gerry Rempel Ensemble | Oct. 27–29, 2017 | ||
| Aladdin: A Rock Opera Ballet | Two acts | Satin Love Orchestra | May 12–14, 2017 | ||
| Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon | Two acts | DaXun Zhang + Oregon Mozart Players under Music Director Kelly Kuo | Mar. 3–5, 2017 | ||
| Scarlet Flower: Beauty and the Beast Retold | The Scarlet Flower | Two acts | Trio Voronezh | May 6–8, 2016 | |
| Dragon & the Night Queen: Celtic Stories | Two acts | Gerry Rempel Ensemble with Eliot Grasso | Feb. 26–28, 2016 | ||
| The Odyssey: The Ballet | The Odyssey | Two acts | Original live looping violin, Cullen Vance | Feb. 27-Mar. 1, 2015 | |
| An American Christmas Carol | A Christmas Carol | Two acts | Halie Loren, singing original arrangements of 1940s holiday jazz standards | Dec. 12–14, 2014 | |
| The Book of Esther: A Rock Gospel Ballet | Book of Esther | Two acts | Gospel classics, arranged and performed live by Andiel Brown + the UO Gospel Singers | May 9–11, 2014 | |
| Tales from the Floating World | Two acts | Original music by Portland Taiko and Mitsuki Dazai | Feb. 7–9, 2014 | ||
| Zorro: The Ballet | Two acts | Original music by LA-based Latin world guitar fusion band Incendio and violinist Kim Angelis | Oct. 17–19, 2013 | ||
| Pride and Prejudice: A Parisian Jazz Ballet | Pride and Prejudice | Two acts | Gerry Rempel Jazz Syndicate | May 4–5, 2013 | |
| Casanova | Two acts | Antonio Vivaldi, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Jean-Baptiste de Lully, Johann Sebastian Bach | Feb. 2–3, 2013 | ||
| Cirque de la Lune | Two acts | Original music, played live by Betty & the Boy, Troupe Carnivale, and Mood Area 52 | Oct. 20–21, 2012 | ||
| Cinderella: A Rock Opera Ballet | Two acts | 1960s Billboard hits, arranged and played live by Shelley & Cal James and the Agents of Unity Band | May 12–13, 2012 | ||
| Arabian Nights | Two acts | Traditional, with narrations performed by Deepti Khedekar | Jan. 28, 2012 | ||
| "Tango Para Abel," "St. Margaret's Tears," "Illumination," "Misterioso," "Magie Noire," "Viheula," "Jaco y Paco" | Two acts | Original music, written and performed live by Incendio, the Latin world guitar fusion band from LA | Oct. 22, 2011 | ||
| Shakespeare's As You Like It: A Wild West Ballet | Two acts with silent film prologue | Aaron Copland, Hershy Kay, George Gershwin, Jacques Offenbach, Leroy Anderson, John Philip Sousa, Ferde Grofé, traditional saloon music, and original compositions for honkytonk piano by Jeremy DeKyle Schropp | Apr. 16, 2011 | ||
| "Sunday Table" | Pink Martini | Jan. 29, 2011 | |||
| "Gaucho, De Ushuaia a la Quiaca, Pampa" | Gustavo Santaolalla | Jan. 29, 2011 | |||
| "Jongo No. 3 Suite Brasileira" | Lorenzo Fernandez | Jan. 29, 2011 | |||
| "Cinquenta Anos de Soledad" | Original score by NW composer Charles Gurke | Jan. 29, 2011 | |||
| "Dime Amor" | Enrique Cardenas, arranged and performed live by Jessie Marquez | Jan. 29, 2011 | |||
| "Folk Suite" | Traditional Irish and Celtic folk medleys | Nov. 20–21, 2011 | |||
| "Desperation, Obsession, Passion" | John Corigliano, music from The Red Violin | Nov. 20–21, 2011 | |||
| "Bulgarska Tantsova Suita" | Original score Jeremy DeKyle Schropp | Nov. 20–21, 2011 | |||
| Tales of Beatrix Potter | One act | John Lanchbery | Apr. 30, 2010 | ||
| Love at the Cafe Terrace | One act | Original score by composer Jeremy DeKyle Schropp | 2009 | ||
| "Pourquoi me Reveiller," "Je Crois Entendre Encore," "Song to the Moon," "Apres un Reve" | Jules Massenet, from the opera Werther; Georges Bizet, from the opera The Pearl Fishers; Antonín Dvořák, from the opera Rusalka; Gabriel Fauré | 2009 | |||
| "Lagrima," "Adelita" | Guitar meditations arranged and played live by classical guitarist John Jarvie | 2009 | |||
| "Argentinian Dance," "Besame Mucho," "Russian Ragtime," "Waltz for Nicky," "Strauss Polka," "NY Tango" | Original arrangements and new work arranged and played live by Trio Voronezh | 2009 | |||
| Breakfast at Tiffany's | one-act suite of dances | Henry Mancini | 2009 | ||
| Carnival of the Animals | one-act suite of variations | Camille Saint-Saëns, played live by Eugene Symphony | 2008 | ||
| Four Novelettes | one-act suite | Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, played live by Oregon Mozart Players | 2008 | ||
| Daphnis et Chloé | one-act suite | Maurice Ravel | 2008 | ||
| "La Soledad," "Brazil" | Pink Martini | 2008 | |||
| "La Musica Notturna Delle Strade Di Madrid No. 6, Op. 30" | Luigi Boccherini | 2007 | |||
| Goldilocks & the Three Bears | Ferdinand Hérold, John Lanchberry | 2005 | |||
| Madama Butterfly | Madama Butterfly | Giacomo Puccini | 2005 | ||
| The Cakewalk Ballet | Two acts | Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Hershy Kay | 2005 | ||
| "Casta Diva" | Vincenzo Bellini | 2003 | |||
| "Water Music" | George Frideric Handel | 2003 | |||
| "Chopin Waltzes" | Suite | Frédéric Chopin | 2003 |