Alabama Ballet
The Alabama Ballet is the state’s premier professional ballet company and a leading arts institution based in Birmingham, Jefferson County. Founded in 1981 by acclaimed dancers, husband and wife Sonia Arova and Thor Sutowski, the company is nationally recognized for its excellence in performance and education. Notably, the Alabama Ballet is one of only eight ballet companies worldwide licensed by the Balanchine Trust to perform George Balanchine’s version of The Nutcracker, a distinction that has contributed significantly to its national and international reputation.
The company’s repertoire reflects a blend of classical and contemporary ballet, showcased through seasonal performances, educational initiatives, and robust community outreach. It is the largest professional ballet company in Alabama and the second-largest performing arts organization in Birmingham.
Sonia Arova (1927-2001), a celebrated ballerina of Bulgarian descent, began her formal dance training in Paris. In June 1940, Arova fled the city ahead of the Nazi occupation and continued her dance career in exile. In 1942, she joined the International Ballet and later performed as a principal ballerina with several prestigious companies, including the Original Ballet Russe, the London Festival Ballet, the Royal Ballet, and the National Ballet of Washington, D.C. Indeed, Arova even performed with renowned dancer Rudolf Nureyev on a number of occasions. In 1965, she and San Diego resident Thor Sutokowski (1945-) were married. She directed the Norwegian National Ballet from 1966 to 1970. The following year, the couple began co-directing the San Diego Ballet.
In 1976, Arova and Sutowski relocated to Birmingham to accept teaching positions at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. During their tenure, they oversaw the merger of Alabama’s three ballet companies, the Birmingham Civic Ballet, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Ballet, and Ballet Alabama, into a single professional company. This consolidation led to the official founding of the Alabama Ballet in 1981, with Arova and Sutowski serving as founders and co-directors. Many individuals who trained under the pair and in Alabama went on to careers with ballet companies and schools. The Alabama Ballet was the first dance company in Alabama to offer full-time contracts to its dancers.
In 1996, leadership of Alabama Ballet passed to Wes Chapman and Roger Van Fleteren, both former principal dancers with American Ballet Theatre. During their tenure at Alabama Ballet, the company established a partnership with the Balanchine Trust, enabling the company to stage ballet choreographer George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. This relationship proved pivotal to the Alabama Ballet and granted the company national and international prominence.
In 2009, the Alabama Ballet expanded its performance offerings by incorporating an adult tap-dancing ensemble. This group performs in a showcase each April.
The Alabama Ballet operates out of the Alabama Center for Dance in Birmingham, which houses administrative offices, rehearsal studios, a costume shop, and storage facilities. The building is also home to the Alabama Ballet School, the only school in the state accredited by the Royal Academy of Dance, an international leader in classical ballet training. The school offers classes for ages three and up.
Alabama Ballet hosts a variety of educational and community outreach programs, including CityDance, a 16-week in-school instructional program that provides opportunities to learn about ballet to underserved children in the Birmingham area. Modeled after a similar initiative by the Boston Ballet, the program targets third, fourth, and fifth graders with an aim to make dance education more accessible. Participants are taught by Alabama Ballet faculty and company members, learning the fundamentals of ballet and jazz. The curriculum also incorporates creative movement exercises, encouraging students to explore dance as a form of personal expression and storytelling.
In addition to CityDance, the company hosts a variety of workshops. For instance, in Summer Intensives, young dancers ages 4-19 can build their skills. Dance Discovery workshops bring together company dancers to speak with groups of young people. Student Matinee performances enable students to attend for free.
The Alabama Ballet performs four main-stage productions plus one in-studio show each season. The company is composed of approximately 25 dancers and 12 apprentices who regularly tour throughout Alabama and the southeastern United States.
