The Alabama Ballet is the state’s premier professional ballet company. The company has achieved national prominence as one of only eight ballet companies in the world permitted by the Balanchine Trust to perform Balanchine’s Nutcracker®. The Alabama Ballet promotes the development of classical and contemporary ballet through high-quality performances, dance education, and community outreach. Education and outreach activities include CityDance, which provides 16 weeks of dance training for youth from the city of Birmingham and Jefferson County. The Alabama Ballet is a 501(c )(3) not-for-profit organization.
The Alabama Ballet began in 1981 as an outgrowth of the Birmingham Civic Ballet, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Ballet and Ballet Alabama. Under the co-artistic direction of world-renowned dancers Dame Sonia Arova and Thor Sutowski, the company found status and recognition in the ranks of professional companies. Arova’s and Sutowski’s outstanding 15 year foundation set the stage for the leadership of Wes Chapman and Roger Van Fleteren, who came on board in 1996. Van Fleteren danced with the American Ballet Theatre as Soloist, performing title roles in performances such as Agnes de Mille’s The Other and Kenneth McMillan’s Romeo and Juliet.
In 2005, Tracey Alvey joined the artistic team as Ballet Mistress. In 2007, Wes Chapman was named Artistic Director of ABT II and Alvey was named Interim Artistic Director. As the season began, Alvey was named Alabama Ballet’s Artistic Director and Director of Alabama Ballet School. Under her direction, Alvey introduced major works to the company such as Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, Jiri Kylian’s Sechs Tänze, Dennis Nahat’s Blue Suede Shoes, Christopher Bruce’s Rooster, and Agnes De Mille’s Rodeo. She continued a long-standing relationship with The Balanchine Trust® to stage George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® for twenty consecutive years. In 2008, Alvey introduced the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance syllabus to our school gaining our RAD certification and achieving a dance education milestone as the only RAD-certified Ballet School in the state. After sixteen seasons of excellence, Alvey retired as Artistic Director following our final 22/23 Season performance.
In May of 2023, Christopher Stuart was announced Artistic Director of Alabama Ballet. Stuart trained with Steve Sirico, Angela D’valda Sirico, Franco De Vita and Raymond Lukens and later graduated from University of North Carolina School of the Arts before joining Nashville Ballet. After his sixteen year career as a principal dancer at Nashville Ballet, Stuart was appointed Resident Choreographer at Charlotte Ballet before becoming Director of Charlotte Ballet II. A native of Sandy Hook, Conneticut, Stuart brings his extensive performing and teaching experience to the Alabama Ballet and has expressed a special commitment to the continuing excellence of the company.
To change lives through dance by promoting and fostering the development of classical and contemporary ballet through high-quality performances, dance education, and community outreach.
Alabama Ballet Company
2726 1ST AVENUE SOUTH
BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233
PHONE: 205-322-4300
INFORMATION@ALABAMABALLET.ORG
Mary Goodrich
Director of Development
mary.goodrich@alabamaballet.org | 205.322.1259
Chloe Bowen
PR & Marketing Manager
chloebowen@alabamaballet.org | 205.322.9095
Michele Swader
Office Manager
micheleswader@alabamaballet.org
Margaret Wendorf
Finance Manager
margaretwendorf@alabamaballet.org
Natalie Hunt
Director of Operations, Alabama Ballet School
nataliehunt@alabamaballet.org
Isabella Cowles, ARAD RTS
Director of Curriculum, Alabama Ballet School
Executive Committee
Lindsey Druhan | President
Jeremy Retherford | President-Elect
David Woodall | Past President
Tom Fox∞| Treasurer
Bronwyne Chapman
Glenda Cochran
Warren Giardina
Jessica Kubat
Page Naftel
Al Vance
Honorable J. Scott Vowell
Mary Pat Weiss
Board of Trustees
Hailey Adams
Elizabeth Pilcher
Donna Christian
Bridget Drennen
Dr. C. Morgan Eiland∞
Suzanne Humphries Evans
Joy Grenier
Wyatt R. Haskell∞
Jamie Hill
Mary Clayton Carl Jones
Ray Jordan∞
John Lacey∞
Emily Lassiter
Dr. Lisa Mani
Allen Bunting Mann
Candice McKinney
Elizabeth Miles
Kacy Ireland Mitchell∞
Tyler Novak
Maggie O’Connor
Michael Sansbury
Garland Cook Smith∞
Dr. James Wallace
Mallie Mitchell Whatley
Olivia Wiggins
Honorary Board Members
Betty Ferguson Brice*
Gage Bush*
Jane S. Comer
Penelope Cunningham*
Clara Gerhardt
Barbara G. Gotlieb
Dudley Reynolds
Tammy Towns
* = Honorary Trustee Emeritus
∞ = Lifetime Board Member