FAIRFAX BALLET COMPANY
Cause Area
- Arts & Culture
- Children & Youth
- Community
- Veterans & Military Families
Location
14119 SULLYFIELD CIRCLECHANTILLY, VA 20151 United StatesOrganization Information
Mission Statement
The Fairfax Ballet Company exists to foster, promote, and increase the knowledge, appreciation, experience, and performing abilities ofyoung dancers, and to further artistic awareness and education of the general public in the art of dance, by establishing, maintaining, and operating one or more educationally-based youth ballet companies in the Commonwealth of Virginia under professional direction with a high standard of artistic achievement at a cost which allows outreach to residents of the local community.
Description
The Fairfax Ballet is one of the longest-running ballet companies in Northern Virginia and one of the largest regional ballet companies in Fairfax County. It was founded by Ilona and Thomas Russell in 1965, following retirement from successful careers as soloists in the Metropolitan Opera Ballet of New York City and National Ballet of Washington, D.C. The Russells were honored for their contributions by the VA General Assembly HJ766, which also cited The Fairfax Ballet Company for its work in presenting "classical and contemporary ballets in public performances throughout the Washington metropolitan area and as part of an outreach program in the Fairfax County public schools". Alumni from our company have gone on to dance professionally with the New York City Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, the Boston Ballet, Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and other professional dance companies.