By Emily Miller

REXBURG — In an evening that organizers say will be an exciting opportunity to enjoy the art of ballet up close, Ballet Etude presents “For The Love of Ballet,” this Saturday, February 8 at 6 p.m.

The Valentine’s Day-themed event will be held at Uptown Event Center (formerly The Woodman Ballroom) at 57 East Main Street in Rexburg. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and tickets ranging in price from $20 to $30 are available here.

“For The Love of Ballet” will feature performances from Ballet Etude’s auditioned company and academy dancers, including sneak peeks of upcoming productions. Gala attendees will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and raffle prizes and are invited to participate in a silent auction. Formal dress is encouraged but not required.

Established in 2022, Ballet Etude is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission “to elevate the art of ballet in Rexburg by fostering a community dedicated to excellence in training and performance,” according to the organization’s mission statement. Artistic Director Kiersten Lewis says proceeds from Saturday’s event will help provide opportunities for dancers of all ages and skill levels.

“We have our company, which are dancers 16 and older who audition to be a part of that, and they have to be quite proficient in ballet,” Lewis says. “These are very skilled dancers who get our main roles in our productions. And then we have apprentices and trainees who are on that path.”

Lewis says company dancers take five classes per week to keep their skills strong and improving.

“And then we have our academy,” she says. “Those are all the students who enroll, ages three to adult, who come and take classes with us. Some of our academy dancers have auditioned and become part of our company as apprentices.”

Seats are reserved and limited, so attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Lewis says the venue and seating arrangements provide a unique experience for the audience to experience the performances up close.

Lewis says Ballet Etude uses the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet curriculum in its academy.

“It’s a really lovely curriculum that just takes the dancers step by step, learning all the little details,” she says. “It gives them a very thorough knowledge and creates very strong, lovely dancers.”

Ballet Etude offers programs for students as young as three years old with no upper age limit, making it accessible to dancers of all ages and skill levels.

Lewis says learning ballet as an adult beginner is an exciting opportunity for people who have always wanted to try it.

“They have always dreamt of learning ballet and it’s their new opportunity,” Lewis says of adult beginning dancers at the academy. “They feel very grateful for this opportunity.”

Ballet Etude’s offerings are also geared toward experienced dancers who want to continue dancing after high school and college. Lewis, herself, is an experienced dancer who has been dancing since she was a child. Her parents were both dancers at the University of Utah, and she says ballet has provided her with a wonderful framework for learning valuable life skills.

“The knowledge that I can do hard things has really been a great lesson for me,” Lewis says. “I can work hard at things and I can do my best and improve and accomplish really great things if I set my mind to it. It’s a great lesson for young people to learn.”

For more information about Ballet Etude or to purchase tickets to “For The Love of Ballet,” visit balletetude.com.