March 2014
ARTS
The Southwest Portland Post • 7
The Portland Ballet holds gala studio reopening in Hillsdale
By Lee Braymen-Cleary
The Southwest Portland Post
Three hundred well-wishing bal-
let fans, parents and contributing
philanthropists streamed through
doors of The Portland Ballet for a
gala grand reopening on Jan. 25. And
what a gala!
Robert Hoffman, principal pianist,
regaled the crowd with classical
works and his own compositions.
Attendees dined on a wide array of
appetizers.
Ballet students costumed to the
nines performed delightful renditions
of favorites such as a “Sleeping Beau-
ty” pas de deux not once, but twice.
Why the hoopla? After months of
expensive remodeling costing some-
where between $500,000 and $700,000,
The Portland Ballet Academy (located
at 6250 SW Capitol Hwy in Hillsdale)
celebrated a new opportunity to serve
more ballet students, many more.
First opened in 2001 by artistic
director Nancy Davis and managing
director Jim Lane, The Portland Ballet
was successful from the outset.
That Davis and Lane were once
principal dancers for the original Los
Angeles Ballet contributed to that
success. They brought outstanding
professional knowledge to school
operations, a sensitive understanding
of teaching, and a serious multi-level
curriculum.
The Portland Ballet curriculum has
successfully inspired and trained 150
or so young academy dancers, male
and female alike. Starting with “cre-
ative ballet” for ages three through
six, it builds layer by layer, seven lay-
ers in all, for students ages six to 22.
Now, with space stretched from
3,500 to 6,100 square feet, the acade-
my can serve at least 50 more curricu-
lum students and as many additional
drop-in students.
Davis, excited about The Portland
Ballet’s increased capacity, is thrilled
about the remodel. “The expansion is
something we’ve wanted for several
years now, so this is a dream come
true.”
According to Davis, “It gives us
more options for expanding our pro-
grams, but it also gives us a sense
of prestige. We can now provide an
even higher level of excellence for our
dancers and our community.”
Excellence is The Portland Ballet’s
pride. When serious, motivated stu-
dents finish the program, they are
well prepared to compete at auditions
with dancers nationwide.
“Our dancers go on to dance with
professional companies and univer-
sity programs,” said Davis.
According to Davis, graduates have
danced with the Houston Ballet, the
St. Louis Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Bal-
let West, the Sacramento Ballet, the
Eugene Ballet and Ballet Idaho.
Still others have been invited to the
professional division of companies
including Alvin Ailey, the Pittsburgh
Ballet Theatre, the San Francisco Bal-
let, the American Ballet Theatre and
the School of American Ballet.
Devin Packard, 18, who danced
the role of the prince in “Sleeping
Beauty” at the gala, soon graduates
from high school and the academy.
Tall, slender but muscular, handsome
and well mannered, he began serious
dancing as a freshman and holds a lot
of promise.
One of perhaps a dozen male dance
students, he has already secured a
position for summer 2014 with The
(Photos courtesy of Caitlin Dwyer, The Portland Ballet)
Boston Ballet.
For a long-term opportunity, he
soon flies to San Francisco to audi-
tion and, if necessary, will continue
competing elsewhere until he finds
his true dance home.
During his dance education, Pack-
ard had many opportunities to per-
form publicly, for the academy offers
shows annual shows.
During the 2013- 2014 season, The
Portland Ballet offers three public
performances. The first performance,
a holiday performance, was held
over the Thanksgiving weekend at
Portland State University’s Lincoln
Hall. Dancers were accompanied by
the Portland State Symphony.
The second performance, date to
be announced, at The Portland Bal-
let studios, is entitled “The Portland
Ballet Showcase.” Students enrolled
in each dance level will demonstrate
skills they have mastered over the
year.
The third performance, a June 13-
15 spring concert, occurs again at the
studios. It will feature quite skilled
youth company members dancing
to works created by well-respected
choreographers.
Whether you want to enroll in
classes or purchase show tickets,
call The Portland Ballet at 503-452-
8448, and check their website at
www.ThePortlandBallet.org.
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