History & Mission

    HISTORY & MISSION

    West Hartford's Premier Ballet Company

    Since its founding in 1999, BTC has continued to train aspiring professional dancers, stage live-action entertainment, and enrich the community through its youth outreach program.

    Our Mission

    Ballet Theatre Company enriches the greater Hartford area by offering professional caliber dance productions, dance education for ages 3 to adult, and dance related workshops free of charge to children who otherwise would not have the opportunity through BTC's Community Youth Outreach Program.

    OUR HISTORY

    Ballet Theatre Company (“BTC”) was founded in West Hartford in 1999. During its first three years, the Company presented an annual spring repertory performance at the Gilman Theater, Greater Hartford Jewish Community Center. In December 2002, BTC accepted the invitation of the University of Saint Joseph (formerly known as Saint Joseph College) to stage its first Nutcracker at the Hoffman Auditorium in the Carol Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities at the College in West Hartford. This production has become an annual tradition for BTC, the Hoffman Auditorium, and the greater Hartford community.

    BTC’s annual Spring Repertory program, held at the Hoffman Auditorium since 2002, has become a showcase for new, exciting works by regional and guest choreographers, as well as select repertoire of classical ballets. 2018 introduced BTC's first staging of a full length ballet for the spring. 

    BTC provides the greater Hartford community with high-quality professional dance productions and its dancers a professional performing experience. BTC’s classes and performances serve as a critical bridge to major professional companies for those dancers working to make dance their full-time careers.
    PERFORMANCE
    BTC’s performance season targets residents of Greater Hartford and beyond who have varying levels of interest in dance, theater and/or the performing arts. BTC provides professional cutting edge performances, exposing greater Hartford to local and national talent while integrating theater in dance.
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    EDUCATION
    BTC’s Affiliate Training program offers the highest caliber of professional dance education regardless of their intention. BTCs programs and classes are for ages 3 to adult in Ballet and several other supplemental dance styles including; Pointe, Partnering, Variation, Dance Conditioning, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz and Hip Hop. 
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    OUTREACH
    BTC’s CYOP provides unserved children opportunities to participate in studio dance classes and workshops and to experience live professional performances free of charge. Through these classes, children not only receive dance instruction, but learn to appreciate dance as a means of creative expression and physical activity. 
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    MAY 2018

    "As I stepped out of University of Saint Joseph’s Hoffman Theatre from a sold out show of Ballet Theatre Company’s Spring production of Cinderella, I felt a sparkle of pride and exhilaration that creativity and talent is alive and well in West Hartford."

    - Audience Member at Cinderella, Hoffman Auditorium, USJ
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