SAN ANTONIO – Showcasing talent since 1985, Ballet San Antonio has spent decades making an imprint in the San Antonio performing arts community one leap, lift, and pirouette at a time.
“I was born and raised here, so I’ve seen the company for a very long time,” said Aryanna Yang, a member of the company. “I started out as an apprentice and this will be my first year as the corps de ballet.”
Yang’s first year with the company comes during a difficult time for all performers. They’ve been challenged to find ways to connect with the community given the COVID-19 pandemic.
This weekend, they’re joining four other local arts organizations for a special event.
“Last year was really hard,” Yang said. “We only had one show of ‘The Nutcracker,’ and even then it was reduced-sized and we were masked on stage. So we’re really grateful to be back no matter what the circumstances are.”
Michael Agudelo has been part of Ballet San Antonio for several years. He was first exposed to ballet at his parent’s dance studio when he was 12 and decided to give it a shot.
“Seeing all the other older male dancers and like, actually looking at them like, ‘Wow, that looks like a lot of fun,’” Agudelo said “It’s very athletic. It teaches you a lot of self-discipline, body awareness, all kinds of things you can’t get from a lot of other fields.”
Yang and Agudelo’s next performance with the company will feature parts of the “The Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake,” and “A Night at the Castle.”
“It’s going to be a lot of partnering, a lot of lifting, a lot of fun dancing, just like all the best parts of each ballet,” Agudelo said.
For more information on Ballet San Antonio, click here.
