The weather is becoming crisp, and outdoor festivals and activities are abundant in Scottsdale. The Scottsdale City Ballet hopes to bring an air of elegance and classic dance to the area with performances by a company that will truly immerse itself in the community.
"I think Scottsdale is the perfect spot for a ballet company; there is a constant hum and desire for more art, and ballet feeds the soul and shakes up our daily grind," Maggie Rupp, founder, says.
After a dream career dancing as a principal for Sacramento Ballet, Maggie knew she wanted to live closer to her family. In summers prior, she had spent time in Scottsdale and fell in love with its ambiance of "enjoying life."
"While dancing for Sacramento Ballet, I worked under the Artistic Directorship of Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda," Maggie says. "Every day in the studio, I got to learn from them and soak up every detail of whatever ballet we were rehearsing. They have this way of making the most intricate of details so important and are truly master mentors and storytellers. This certainly translated through the performances they put on the stage. There has been so much goodness poured into me through their love of ballet and art as a whole, and also from the love and support of my family, that I decided I want to give that goodness back and create a professional ballet company here in Scottsdale. Scottsdale City Ballet was born so stories can be told for decades to come through the nearly ineffable medium of dance to captivate and inspire all ages."
Scottsdale City Ballet is unique because instead of performing on a grand scale, the goal is to be out and about in the community, building performing relationships with local artists, musicians, restaurants, hospitals and retirement homes, and therefore, have as many performing opportunities as possible. Whether it be on stage at an outdoor event or participating in a pop-up show paired with rock 'n' roll music, Maggie strives to eliminate the preconceived notions of what ballet is and isn’t.
"We plan to cater to our whole audience by doing a little bit of everything. I want ballet to feel accessible and relatable to our audience—no different than going to a concert or sporting event."
"Ballet is a magical thing; it can be described as both an art and a sport. Ballet defies what our anatomy should do. It requires excellent coordination, strength and flexibility. It’s quite ethereal what dancers can do. Ballet does make you sweat, it can make you incredibly sore, and that’s not even mentioning the pain ballerinas experience with their feet dancing en pointe all day. All that said, and you have to make it look effortless while you are dancing. I believe it is wonderful as a sport because it works all of your muscles at once, with your brain being the muscle that is worked the most. "
—Maggie Rupp
Facebook: Scottsdale City Ballet | Instagram: @SCBallet