The Company
Berks Ballet Theatre is celebrating its 48th season, and continues to bring the highest quality performances to Berks County audiences.
Berks Ballet Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)3 pre-professional ballet company whose primary purpose is to provide serious dancers the best possible forum of training and performance in classical and contemporary dance in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
BBT was founded by Carol Ennis in 1976 with the philosophy that given the training and opportunity, the child next door could grow up to be anything they wanted, including a dancer in any major professional ballet company.
The company’s vision is to build an ever-strong artistic base for Berks Ballet Theatre; to establish more scholarship opportunities for serious students of dance; to identify additional cooperative performance opportunities with other groups in the community; and to create greater public awareness and appreciation for the art of dance.
Berks Ballet Theatre has performed and continues to perform for many local organizations including: Reading Pops Orchestra, Reading Symphony Orchestra, Berks Arts Council, BCTV, Reading Public Museum, Exeter Festival of Lights & West Reading Tree Lighting. The company also performs The Nutcracker annually. From1991-2016 BBT was a member of Regional Dance America/ Northeast and performed all over the Northeastern USA & Canada.
Our dancers have gone on to work professionally with Richmond Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Annapolis, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, Ballet North Texas and Broadway National Tours. BBT’s studios are within The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, located in downtown Reading. Full of artists of every venue, BBT dancers have beautiful, state of the art studios to dance in, plus this beautiful art facility brings new exposure and community support to the company.
Our Mission
It is Berks Ballet Theatre’s mission to build an ever-strong artistic base for the dance company by providing scholarship opportunities for serious students of dance, identifying cooperative performance opportunities with community groups, and creating greater public awareness and appreciation for the art of dance.
Artistic Staff
Kelly Barber, Artistic Director
Kelly has been with the Berks Ballet Theatre family for more than 30 years, beginning as a student at the age of 9. Now, Kelly teaches Ballet levels 1-Pre Professional 3 at the Conservatory and this is her 16th season as Artistic Director. Read more
A Letter from our Artistic Director:
Hello Friends,
Welcome to our 48th Company Season entitled “From the Past to the Present,” a season alive with classical ballet combining Berks Ballet Theatre’s rich history and thriving present.
As we embark on an exciting journey of dance, the hope is that you, our audience, will join us every step of the way. The season begins with two free performances of Peter and the Wolf at the Exeter Community Library on September 30th. Last season BBT was lucky to partner with the Reading Symphony Orchestra to bring this ballet to local elementary school kids. It was a smashing success and only made us want to do more free performances in Berks County.
Our annual holiday tradition, The Nutcracker, will be performed December 16-17 at the Schaeffer Auditorium at Kutztown University, with live accompaniment by the Reading Pops Orchestra. Our 20 member Company along with students from BBT’s Conservatory of Dance will amaze audiences with high caliber dancing, gorgeous costumes and larger than life set pieces.
The final performance of the season will be the comedic ballet La Fille mal gardee, performed May 11th at the Miller Center for the Arts. Complete with frolicking chickens, a joyous maypole dance and the famous clog dance, this ballet is sure to delight one and all. We are excited for all that this season will bring and hope to see you at our performances.
Regards,
Kelly Barber
Artistic Director, Berks Ballet Theatre
Nathan Bland, Ballet Master & Resident Choreographer
Nathan got his start with Berks Ballet theater as a guest performer in 2006 before taking over as conservatory owner and director in 2012. With international experience, Nathan contributes his love of choreography to the company. Learn more
Leadership
Board of Directors:
Christopher Kunkle, CPA, CFE, President
Susan Hughes, CPA, Treasurer
Nancy Henry, Secretary
Lee Singletary, Member
Elizabeth Henry, Member
With Your Support…
BBT can remain a staple in the Reading/Berks County arts scene and continue to provide the highest quality dance instruction and performance opportunities to our dancers and the community
Latest Company News:
“La Fille Mal Gardée” Past and Present: Q&A with BBT Founder, Carol Ennis.
When the ballet La Fille Mal Gardée is mentioned outside of the ballet world, most people will tell you they’ve never heard of it. They know Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and even Giselle, but this particular ballet, one of the earliest created, is not as widely known. However, it is a feast for the eyes with its sets, costumes, and
