FESTIVAL BALLET ALBUQUERQUE

FROM JANUARY THROUGH EARLY MAY, FBA DANCERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS AND DIRECTOR WERE WORKING ON THE SPRING PRODUCTION OF AN ORIGINAL PRODUCTION OF ROMEO & JULIET PRESENTED IN MAY AT THE NATIONAL HISPANIC CULTURAL CENTER, WHICH WAS A FIRST-TIME PRODUCTION FOR FBA. FBA PRESENTED A FREE SPECIAL SHOW ON THE FINAL DRESS REHEARSAL PRESENTED TO CLIENTS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE CLIENTS INCLUDE THE HOMELESS, DOMESTICALLY ABUSED WOMEN AND CHILDREN, EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES INCLUDING STUDENT OF TITLE 1 SCHOOLS, FAMILIES OF INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, AND RESIDENTS OF RECOVERY HOMES AND HALF-WAY HOUSES. IT IS GIFTED TO THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OVER 600 UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE PERFORMANCES OF THIS CALIBER THAT THEY OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO. -FOR ONE WEEK IN MARCH, FBA DANCERS TRAVELED TO FT. SMITH, ARKANSAS TO PRESENT TWO PIECES OF CHOREOGRAPHY CHOSEN FOR THE REGIONAL DANCE AMERICA (RDA/SW). RDA IS A PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL DANCE ORGANIZATION OF WHICH FBA IS A SOUTHWEST REGIONAL MEMBER AND IS THE ONLY ADJUDICATED AND ACCEPTED MEMBER FROM NEW MEXICO. TWO WORKS OF CHOREOGRAPHY WERE PRESENTED, INCLUDING ONE FBA DANCER BEING CHOSEN FROM HUNDREDS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHWEST TO PERFORM AS AN OUTSTANDING SOLOIST, AND WHO IS A NATIVE NEW MEXICAN TRAINED AT FBA SINCE HE WAS 4 YEARS OLD. _ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH OUT THE SPRING MONTHS, FBA PERFORMED FREE ON-SITE MOBILE HISTORY OF DANCE AND DISCOVERY WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS PART OF ITS VAST OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR LOCAL UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. FBA PERFORMED FOR TEN PRIMARILY TITLE 1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE URBAN ENHANCEMENT TRUST FUND. -IN AUGUST, FBA HELD CITY-WIDE AUDITIONS FOR THE UPCOMING 2025-2026 SEASON, GAINING MANY NEW DANCERS IN BOTH THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL AND THE PRE- PROFESSIONAL LEVELS. -IN NOVEMBER, FBA SERVED AS GUESTS OF THE NEW MEXICO HISPANIC HERITAGE COMMITTEE TO PERFORM AT THE PRESENTATION EVENT OF THE HISPANIC HERITAGE COMMITTEES FOR THEIR CORAZON DE CULTURA AWARDS. IN ATTENDANCE WAS THE MAYOR OF ALBUQUERQUE, THE LT. GOVERNOR, THE AMBASSADORS TO MEXICO AND SPAIN, SEVERAL CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILORS, SEVERAL BERNALILLO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND MANY OTHER DIGNITARIES. -IN DECEMBER, FBA PRODUCED NUTCRACKER IN THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT. FBA PROVIDED 5 PUBLIC SHOWS, NEARLY ALL SOLD OUT, AS THIS REGIONAL NUTCRACKER BALLET HAS BECOME A FAVORITE ANNUAL HOLIDAY TRADITION WHERE ENTIRE FAMILIES ATTEND. A FREE SPECIAL SHOW ON THE LAST DRESS REHEARSAL WAS PRESENTED TO CLIENTS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE CLIENTS INCLUDE THE HOMELESS, DOMESTICALLY ABUSED WOMEN AND CHILDREN, EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES INCLUDING STUDENT OF TITLE 1 SCHOOLS, FAMILIES OF INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, AND RESIDENTS OF RECOVERY HOMES AND HALF-WAY HOUSES. IT IS GIFTED TO THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OVER 600 UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE PERFORMANCES OF THIS CALIBER THAT THEY OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO. ADDITIONALLY, FBA PROVIDED TWO SCHOOL-TIME SHOW THERE IN THE NHCC THEATER FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR A GREATLY REDUCED PRICE, AND IN SOME CASES FOR TITLE 1 SCHOOLS, STUDENTS ATTENDED FOR FREE.