The Last Curtain for IBC/RBAI
April 2, 2010 – The Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana (RBAI) and Indiana Ballet Company (IBC) ceased operations as of March 31, 2010, due to a lack of financial viability. RBAI and IBC were established in 2006 and served more than 100 students.
“Closing the academy was a difficult decision made following a great amount of thoughtful deliberation,” said Denise Halford Holder, president of the RBAI/IBC Board of Directors. “We were committed to ensuring that we had explored any and all possible options to continue operating for our students. We are grateful to our visionary Artistic Director Alyona Yakovleva, our talented teachers and staff, and our supportive parents, donors and sponsors for the generous support they’ve provided during the past five years.”
Since its founding, RBAI had garnered accolades in three of the past four years as “Outstanding School” in the Midwest regional portion of the Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s largest pre-professional dance competition. Several of the academy’s students received top awards at this year’s Grand Prix competition.
Source: The Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana, Indiana Ballet Company
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Ballet Company Closes its Doors (Inside Indiana Business)
Financial difficulties have forced the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana and Indiana Ballet Co. to cease operations. The two were established in 2006 and served more than 100 students. About eight people, most of whom were part-time instructors, have lost their jobs.
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Indiana Ballet Co.’s final bow (NUVO.net)
Posted by David Hoppe on Fri, Apr 2, 2010 at 2:50 PM
The Indiana Ballet Company and its offshoot, the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana have called it quits. The IBC, founded by former Ballet Internationale artist Alyona Yakovleva and her husband, Russ Smith, following the dissolution of BI in 2005, enjoyed some success with audiences here, most notably their productions of “Phantom of the Opera.” Their last production was a reprise of “Shakespeare in Love.”But the organization was unable to attract substantial or longterm funding from the community’s most influential ballet patrons. “It is with great regret and deep sorrow that due to the determination that our organization is no longer financially viable, the Board of Directors has elected to close the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana and the Indiana Ballet Company, effective immediately,” wrote Board President Denise Holder.
The small but intense (and affluent) constituency of local arts patrons who believe the city cannot be considered a legitimate arts destination without a professional ballet company may now focus their attention on the fledgling Indianapolis City Ballet project, which was greeted with great enthusiasm at a gala performance of guest artists at the Murat last Fall.
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Local ballet company folds (IBJ.com)
A professional ballet company that formed in the wake of Ballet Internationale’s collapse has closed its own doors.Indiana Ballet Co. and its affiliated Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana informed its supporters and students in a letter dated March 31 that the combined organization would fold immediately.
“It is with great regret and deep sorrow that due to the determination that our organization is no longer financially viable, the Board of Directors has elected to close the Russian Ballet Academy of Indiana and the Indiana Ballet Company, effective immediately,” Board President Denise Holder said in the letter.
The letter was supplied to IBJ by a ballet company supporter. Holder could not reached for comment. The company directed questions to info@indianaballetcompany.com.
Ballet Internationale was the city’s professional ballet company until it folded suddenly in late 2005 after 32 years.
Alyona Yakovleva, who had taught for the Clara R. Noyes Academy of Ballet Internationale, and her husband, Russ Smith, started the new company four years ago. Yakovleva was artistic director, and Smith was executive director. Last year, Smith left the ballet to work with a start-up organization.
Indiana Ballet Co. appears to have struggled to overcome financial liabilities dating to its founding. In her own letter to academy students, Yakovleva said, “the Board and I fully admit the seriousness of the mistakes we made in our founding years.” She went on to add that she hopes to see a new organization started under new leadership.
