BalletNEXT Presents Free Performance in Park City

Michele Wiles, former principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre founded BalletNEXT in 2011 with a vision to produce boundary-crossing performance projects and one-of-a-kind, immersive training opportunities.

In 2018 the University of Utah brought Wiles from New York out to Utah to teach and choreograph. While in Utah, she and her husband took a drive to Park City, fell in love with the community and the mountains and decided to make the move. 

Although BalletNEXT is now based in Park City, maintaining connections to New York is a part of their strategic plan. “We will continue to mix local talent with talent from around the country, as well as highlight and develop Utah talent on the national stage. Most of my board is from NYC. We are in discussions of planning another YMCA BalletNEXT event with Dordy Jourdain, CEO of the Bedford Stuyvesant, Harlem, and Park Slope YMCAs. I did a lot of work with the kids and part of our goal is to continue to jump at opportunities to work with young dancers here in Park City and all over the country.” 

BalletNEXT offers choreography services, private lessons and a variety of community programs. “In our first two years,” explains Wiles, “we have focused on laying the groundwork for ongoing collaborations with incredible local music and dance talent as well as establishing partnerships with local arts organizations. That has resulted in a number of pop up performances throughout town, the launch of our Leap Lab in Park City, and the Summer Series. You can expect to see all of that continue in 2022 and more!” 

BalletNEXT is thrilled to present their first free community performance at the Santy Auditorium on Tuesday, July 26 at 5:30 pm. They hope to connect with locals, families, and out of towners. According to Wiles, “Dancers are joining us from Boulder Ballet, Ballet Festival Providence, MOGA Conservatory, and the University of Utah’s School of Dance. There will be 6 musicians from Utah playing a range of music from Vivaldi to Led Zeppelin. The choreography for the evening is all new and unexpected!”

Wiles predicts the audience will feel uplifted and inspired after the performance. “It is a unique opportunity to experience this kind of live music and dance coming to life on stage in person. We have all been starving for this audience/artist connection since the pandemic hit. It’s a gift to be able to share what we love!”