Facts and Figures

BalletMet serves Central Ohio as a cultural, educational and economic resource by engaging the best and brightest dancers and choreographers to live and work in Columbus, attracting regional audiences to our world-class performances, and educating the next generation of dancers, dance audiences and dance supporters. Led by Artistic Director Edwaard Liang and Executive Director Sue Porter, BalletMet entertains, engages and educates 100,000+ Central Ohioans each year – in the theatre, the dance studio, the classroom and the community.

Rhythm on the River provides a free sneak peek of BalletMet's upcoming season
Company
  • BalletMet ranks among the nation’s largest professional ballet companies.
  • The ensemble of 22 dancers – Central Ohio residents who hail from around the world – is noted for powerful artistry and versatile technique.
  • A diverse repertoire ranges from pure classical ballet to contemporary masterworks, with performances annually engaging audience members who hail from nearly every Ohio county and 45+ states.
Edwaard Liang works with company dancers in the studio
  • A major commitment to the creation of new work is reflected in the 200 BalletMet World Premieres and hundreds of Company Premieres created over 44 years by leading choreographers in the dance world.
  • National and international touring as a cultural ambassador for Ohio includes performances in 28 states including NYC’s prestigious Joyce Theater, and abroad in Canada, Russia, Poland, Spain and Egypt.
BalletMet studio
  • Our Columbus, Ohio campus houses a 35,000 sq. ft. Dance Centre with seven studios, costume shop, and offices, along with a 20,000 sq. ft. fully equipped black box theatre and scene shop.
  • Columbus performance venues include the 2,779-seat historic Ohio Theatre and the 750-seat Davidson Theatre located in the city core, along with the 225-seat BalletMet Performance Space on our campus.
Edwaard Liang teaches students during Summer Intensive Class
Academy
  • The BalletMet Academy is among the largest U.S. dance training centers affiliated with a professional company.
  • Our 1,300 students range in age from preschool to senior adult.
  • 200+ weekly classes include ballet, pointe, character, creative movement, jazz, modern, tap and Pilates.
  • Downtown studios serve as BalletMet’s Academy hub, with classes also taught at the McConnell Arts Center in suburban Worthington.
Academy students participating in classes
  • Performance opportunities include dancing with the professional company in The Nutcracker and other BalletMet productions.
  • Discover Dance scholarship program offers students in the Central Ohio area opportunities for quality dance education and training. Scholarships require an audition and are renewed annually.
Rehearsal for Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Ecliptic
  • The BalletMet 2 performance ensemble serves as a pre-professional development path to a dance career.
  • The Trainee program prepares exceptionally talented students, chosen by audition, for careers in dance.
  • Our Summer Intensive averages 150 local and national students accepted through audition.
Academy students participating in classes
Education
  • School and community programs serve 31,000 in classrooms as well as in civic and business settings.
  • Classroom residency programs aligned with Ohio Department of Education standards include The Wiggle Jig for Pre-K students, Moving Into Literary for grades 1-5, and Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness for middle/high schoolers.
  • Soar on Saturdays offers free dance classes for children ages 8-12 with no prior BalletMet experience.
Academy students participating in classes
  • KidTix provides 3,500+ complimentary tickets each year, partially funded with corporate underwriting, through youth, social service and faith-based agency partners.
  • Access to free performances is provided to 6,000+ participants through the August Bicentennial Park program and through other festivals, meetings and BalletMet 2 community events.
Academy students participating in classes
Finance
  • BalletMet has a 44-year history of strong financial stewardship, and an FY22 operating budget of $6.5M.
  • An estimated $9M community economic impact is generated through ticket sales and event-related spending.
  • A $3.4M annual payroll employs more than 200 staff members – full-time and part-time artists, administrators and faculty.

For more specific information on our 2020-2021 season and how we connected to the community during the pandemic, please click here: 2020/21 Season Report

Images by Jennifer Zmuda