Idaho Regional Ballet (IRB) is a non-profit organization with the mission to promote the art of dance and provide excellence in training for its company members; to provide funding and support to enable performing opportunities that enrich the education of our dancers and the community; and to provide the opportunity to work with invited guest teachers and choreographers.
The National Association of Regional Ballet (NARB) was established in 1956. NARB contributed to the decentralization of dance and, under its auspices, regional companies grew in stature and quality nationwide. Over time, five regions were formed. Over 200 companies, including more than 2 dozen nationally recognized professional groups, have been NARB or RDA member companies. Regional Dance America (RDA) was founded in 1988 to continue the work of NARB and promote the artistic development of dance companies throughout the United States.
Idaho Regional Ballet was a proud member of Regional Dance America from 2010 to 2018, consistently maintaining the high standards required of the Pacific Region during that time. The Pacific Region has recently left the national organization to forge its own path in the pre-professional ballet movement, securing the future for dancers yet to come. Our companies value rigorous training methods and innovative choreography, which benefit the education of our dancers. We look to the future as an organization that values education over all else. Our member Artistic Directors will cooperate each spring to host an annual Festival, as we have done each year. The Festival is a wonderful experience for our dancers, where they take master classes, perform, and forge new relationships. Our members will ensure that scholarships to world-class ballet schools, contracts to professional companies and acceptance to prestigious college and university dance programs will continue to be available to our dancers at each Festival.
IRB Members train vigorously during the summer months. Some dancers will choose to train with EPAC over the summer and some will attend national programs across the United States. We encourage our dancers to audition even if they choose not to attend programs out of state. Auditioning is a skill that improves with practice.
Summer Programs and Colleges/Universities that IRB members have attended/ are attending
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IRB Alumni dancing professionally throughout the US and Europe
