GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Ballet is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the production of "Cinderella" debuting in February.
The ballet company has seen many changes since it was originally envisioned by Grand Rapids native and retired professional dancer Sally Seven in the late 1960s.
In 1971, Seven officially founded the amateur ballet company under the name Grand Rapids Civic Ballet which would grow and evolve into a fully professional company over the last 50 years.
In the 1980s, Grand Rapids Civic Ballet merged with professional dance school Summerfest School of Grand Rapids and adopted the name Grand Rapids Ballet Company. They also opened the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company, which is now known as the Grand Rapids Ballet School and has over 270 students.
It wasn't until 1991 that Grand Rapids Ballet hired its first professionally contracted dancers and began its journey toward a fully professional company.
Now, in its 50th year, Grand Rapids Ballet enjoys a multi-million dollar budget and is recognized as the only professional ballet company in Michigan. Grand Rapids Ballet has received national recognition numerous times over the years, most recently with a reimagining of the classic "Nutcracker" by renowned Grand Rapidian, Chris Van Allsburg, in 2014.
Grand Rapids Ballet is celebrating its anniversary with the production of "Cinderella" Feb. 25-27. The company first performed "Cinderella" as their first full length ballet production at DeVos Hall in 1987.
"Cinderella" is choreographed by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. and uses the musical composition Sergei Prokofiev from the 1940s. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at GRBallet.com.
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