07-10-24 | KGW joins Oregon Ballet Theatre as official TV media partner PRESS RELEASE KGW is proud to announce its partnership with the renowned Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) for an exhilarating season of dance and artistry.

07-01-24 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Announces New Slate of Officers and Trustees PRESS RELEASE Oregon Ballet Theatre announced today its officers and a new trustee appointment for the 2024-2025 season and extends its thanks to several members who moved to new positions or left the board after serving with distinction.

10-09-23 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Welcomes Six New Members to its Board of Trustees PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, October 9, 2023) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) Board Chair Cate Sweeney and Executive Director Shane Jewell jointly announced six new members to OBT’s growing Board of Trustees.

08-22-23 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Presents the Return of Christopher Stowell’s Swan Lake PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, August 22, 2023) – Featuring the OBT Orchestra led by Guest Conductor Enrique Carreón-Robledo and San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer Luke Ingham as Prince Seigfried.

08-18-23 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Names World-Renowned Dancer and Choreographer Dominic Walsh to OBT2 Program Director and Principal Instructor PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, August 18, 2023) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) Artistic Director Danielle Rowe and OBT School Director Katarina Svetlova have jointly announced the appointment.

06-27-23 | Oregon Ballet Theatre welcomes four dynamic dancers to the company PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, June 27, 2023) – Including San Francisco Ballet’s John-Paul Simoens as Soloist and bids farewell to two beloved veterans.

04-27-23 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Announces Ambitious 2023/2024 Season – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, Apr 27, 2023) – Filled with adventure, passion, and incredible dancing – “It is our biggest season EVER!”

05-18-23 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Closes its 2022/23 Season with Made in Portland featuring four commissions by four dynamic dance makers – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, May 18, 2023) – This June Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) returns to the Newmark Theatre for its season finale Made in Portland, a program featuring four commissions by a dynamic group of choreographers.

02-13-23 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Appoints Danielle Rowe as New Artistic Director – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, February 13, 2023) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) today announced the appointment of Danielle Rowe as its new artistic director, and the first female to officially hold this title in the nearly 35-year-old company.

01-12-23 | OBT Presents Sylphide and Bids Farewell to Xuan Cheng Final – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, January 12, 2023) – This February Oregon Ballet Theatre premieres a timeless masterpiece, La Sylphide, bids farewell to a beloved ballerina, welcomes a new star, and throws a huge party!

11-14-22 | Shane Jewell Named Executive Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, November 14, 2022) – The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) Cate Sweeney has announced the appointment of Shane Jewell as the organization’s next executive director. His appointment will become effective January 9, 2023 when he will replace current Executive Director, Thomas Bruner, who has chosen to return to his private practice, Bruner Strategies.

11-04-22 | Oregon Ballet Theatre welcomes Houston Ballet Principal Charles-Louis Yoshiyama to its roster this February with La Sylphide – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, November 4, 2022) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) is thrilled to announce that Houston Ballet star Charles-Louis Yoshiyama will be joining its roster as a principal dancer effective this February in August Bournonville’s romantic masterpiece, La Sylphide.

10-07-22 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Emerges from COVID Artistically Vibrant, Financially Healthy and Organizationally Strong – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, October 7, 2022) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) has released its 2022 Annual Report, revealing an organization that is artistically vibrant, financially healthy, and organizationally strong.

08-08-22 | Oregon Ballet Theatre lights up the stage next season with four incredible story ballets and eight premieres! It all begins this fall with Midsummer Night’s Dream – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, August 8, 2022) – Oregon Ballet Theatre returns to the stage this fall with a season that celebrates both traditional storytelling and contemporary dance narrative: from the OBT premiere of August Bournonville’s timeless classic La Sylphide; to the return of fan favorites A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Firebird; to an immersive program of new works called Made in Portland that explores the character of our city through the expressive and physical power of dance.

08-04-22 | Internationally Esteemed Dancer and Teacher Appointed Oregon Ballet Theatre School Director – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, August 4, 2022) – After a national search, Oregon Ballet Theatre’s (OBT) Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to appoint Katarina Svetlova to school director effective immediately. Svetlova has been serving as interim school director since May, and has deep roots in ballet across the region.

07-18-22 | Oregon Ballet Theatre welcomes four dynamic dancers to its company and promotes two talented apprentices to launch its 2022/23 Season – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, July 18, 2022) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) Interim Artistic Director Peter Franc has announced exciting additions to the company’s dancer roster effective with the 2022/23 Season, which opens this fall with the return of Christopher Stowell’s beloved production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

06-10-22 | Oregon Ballet Theatre launches international search for its next artistic and executive director – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, June 10, 2022) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) announced today it will initiate an international and national search for its next artistic and executive director to co-lead and move the organization into the future. The organization has retained Arts Consulting Group (ACG) to conduct the search. OBT intends to complete the search by the fall.

05-12-22 | Oregon Ballet Theatre closes its 2021/22 Season with The Americans Take Two – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, May 12, 2022) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) concludes its 2021/22 season with The Americans Take Two. The long awaited second installment of its popular Americans series celebrating the unique voices of American choreographers features Mirror, Mirror an exciting commission from choreographer Michelle Manzanales paired with the return of two audience favorites: Darrell Grand Moultrie’s whimsical Fluidity of Steel; and BodyVox founders Ashley Roland and Jamey Hampton’s Big Shoes.

03-17-22 | Oregon Ballet Theatre presents Dreamland – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, March 17, 2022) – This spring Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) explores the mysteries of the subconscious mind with Dreamland, a program of three ballets presented at the Newmark Theatre. OBT’s Newmark performances are characterized by groundbreaking works highlighting innovative choreography in an intimate setting. In Dreamland the company presents the return of audience favorite Matjash Mrozewski’s The Lost Dance, and two OBT premieres: Trey McIntyres In Dreams featuring music by Roy Orbison, and the title work Dreamland from former Australian Ballet star turned choreographer, Danielle Rowe.

01-18-22 | OBT celebrates true love with the premiere of Ben Stevenson’s Dracula – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, January 18, 2022) – This February, Portland is in for a thrilling Valentine’s surprise as Oregon Ballet Theatre presents Ben Stevenson’s Dracula, February 19-26 at the Keller Auditorium. The full-length work was originally created by Stevenson to mark the 100th anniversary of Bram Stoker’s iconic 1897 novel. Franz Liszt’s gothic works, arranged by John Lanchbery, set the perfect haunting tone which the OBT Orchestra will perform live. To celebrate the Dracula premiere, OBT will host its annual gala as part of the opening night festivities.

09-13-21 | Oregon Ballet Theatre presents Face to Face – Three powerful works to celebrate human connection and the return to live performance – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, September 13, 2021) – This fall Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) returns to the Keller Auditorium with Face to Face, a program of three powerful works: George Balanchine’s iconic The Four Temperaments, Ben Stevenson’s passionate Three Preludes, and a world premiere from Jennifer Archibald that aspires to sculpt the clouds.

08-16-21 | Oregon Ballet Theatre reboots its 2021/22 Season with more ballets, more dancers, and more live music! – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, August 16, 2021) – Following recent changes in artistic leadership, Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) is thrilled to announce enhancements to its originally planned 2021/22 Season programming that will bring more premieres to Portland, more dancers, and more performances with the OBT Orchestra. “With these changes I’m excited to begin building on the decades of successful leadership at OBT toward an exciting future,” says Interim Artistic Director Peter Franc.

07-01-21 | OBT welcomes exciting new talent for the 2021/22 Season; Company bids farewell to three beloved dancers – PRESS RELEASE (PORTLAND, OR, July 1) – Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) today announced the addition of eight company members and apprentices to its ranks for the 2021/22 season. Together these talented new dancers represent a broad range of backgrounds enhancing the diversity of the organization, and three of them have been promoted through the OBT2 program, highlighting its reputation as an elite ballet training ground. “I’m excited to welcome these gifted dancers to the studio,” stated Interim Artistic Director Peter Franc. “I know their energy will reinvigorate the company following an extremely challenging year. We are all looking forward to the return of a full blooded OBT season!”

“OBT and the OBT School are both in a better place financially and artistically than when I arrived eight years ago,” stated Irving. “I leave with many fond memories of my years here and of the talented professionals with whom I worked.”

2020 Press Releases

10-20-20 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Company Dancers on the Move – Promotions, New Hires, and Retirement – PRESS RELEASE With the onset of COVID-19, Oregon Ballet Theatre faced a completely changed landscape. There was considerable uncertainty regarding when and how its 2020/21 Season would begin, and what it would look like. In September OBT took its first steps forward with its Exposed series when wild fires followed by cold and rain nearly derailed the bold outdoor initiative. Despite all this, one constant remained in place: OBT continued to show up and dance! Now with its reimagined 2020/21 Season OBT MOVES in full swing, the company is thrilled to announce the promotion of OBT fan favorite Eva Burton to principal dancer and to welcome Company Artist Mathilde Lambert. OBT is also pleased to announce that apprentices Zuzu Metzler and Bailey Shaw have been promoted to company artists.

09-10-20 | Oregon Ballet Theatre Presents OBT MOVES – a Reimagined 2020/21 Season – PRESS RELEASE With the onset of Covid- 19 Oregon Ballet Theatre announced the cancellation of the remainder of its 30 th anniversary season. As restrictions on public gatherings continue to be in effect, and out of concern for the safety and health of its patrons, dancers, and staff, OBT has made the difficult decision to cancel four of its planned 2020/21 season productions.

09-03-20 | Oregon Ballet Theatre brings dance to all of Portland with newly launched OBT MOVES. PRESS RELEASE OBT is thrilled to announcea reimagined 2020/21 Season titled OBT MOVES reflecting the company’s literal movement out of traditional theaters and mode of performance, to locations throughout Portland, offering rare behind-the-scenes access revealing what ballet is, and what it can be.

06-18-20 | OBT’s Principal Dancer Ansa Capizzi and Company Artist Adam Hartley retire without a final curtain. PRESS RELEASEOregon Ballet Theatre’s 30th anniversary season was abruptly interrupted last February with the onset of Covid-19. The company had just completed its run of Sleeping Beauty which included the unexpected final performance of one of the company’s finest dancers, Ansa Capizzi, in the starring role of Aurora. At the end of this year OBT was to also bid farewell to veteran company artist, Adam Hartley, and soloist Matthew Pawlicki-Sinclair, as well as company artists Alexa Domenden, Marc LaPierre, and Theodore Watler. Each season typically brings retirement, promotions, and much celebration within the OBT family and among its fans. Unfortunately for these artists there was no festive send off. Instead there was a silent ending to perhaps the strangest season the company will ever experience.

04-15-20 | OBT Announces the Departure of Michael Greer PORTLAND, OR—Oregon Ballet Theatre Executive Director Michael Greer will leave the organization on May 29, 2020 to become the president and chief executive officer of ArtsFund, a grant making and advocacy organization serving all of King County in Washington State and based in Seattle.

02-12-20 | Beautiful Decay Press Release Oregon Ballet Theatre is delighted to announce the return of OBT Resident Choreographer Nicolo Fonte’s ground breaking work, Beautiful Decay. A riveting, full length ballet exploring the passage of time and its impact on individual identity. Since OBT performed the work in 2016, Beautiful Decay has been staged by dance companies across the country to critical and popular acclaim. With Vivaldi’s Four Seasons as a backdrop, set design by Tony Award winner Mimi Lien, and a multi-generational cast featuring Portland dance icons Kasandra Gruener and Gregg Bielemeier, Beautiful Decay is a creative thunderbolt.

2018 Press Releases

01-16-18 | ALICE (in wonderland) Press Release | Oregon Ballet Theatre has been drawing record-breaking crowds this season, with its fall show, Rhapsody in Blue, and George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® this past December. Now the company prepares for its most
ambitious project yet, the West Coast premiere of Septime Webre’ s ALICE (in wonderland) – a highly athletic and vibrant production that brings the Lewis Carroll classic to exuberant life through dance…

2017 Press Releases

11-16-17 | Nutcracker / Candace Bouchard Retirement Press Release | This winter, Oregon Ballet Theatre proudly returns George Balanchine’s immensely popular version of The Nutcracker to the Keller Auditorium . Now in its 14th consecutive year, the company welcomes over 45,000 people to experience this festive holiday tradition including 2,000 individuals in need through its Share the Wonder program…

Each season there are wonderful new memories waiting to be made – excited young dancers stand in the wings, ready to step on stage into challenging new roles and, this year, one longtime favorite will take her final bow. Audiences will not want to miss the chance to see Soloist Candace Bouchard as the Sugar Plum Fairy or Dew Drop one last time, before she retires from the stage following this production…

9-5-17 | Rhapsody in Blue Press Release | Oregon Ballet Theatre resident Choreographer Nicolo Fonte and Pink Martini founder Thomas Lauderdale. The evening pairs a world premiere set to Lauderdale’s masterful take on George Gershwin’s famous “Rhapsody in Blue” with the return of Fonte’s Never Stop Falling (in Love), an audience favorite. One of the most anticipated events of the fall, OBT’s season opener showcases the company’s commitment to broadening the appeal of classical ballet and features not only Lauderdale, but also China Forbes and Pink Martini at every performance.