Western Arkansas Ballet

Western Arkansas Ballet was founded July 23, 1979, as the Fort Smith Civic Ballet and reorganized in August 1985 under the present logo and code of ethics. Western Arkansas Ballet has an artistic director, ballet mistress, administrator, business manager, tap & jazz instructor, dance instructor and a receptionist.  Western Arkansas Ballet is governed by a board of directors from the Fort Smith community with input from our National Artistic Advisory Board and our Community Advisory Board.

For the past twenty-four years, the Board of Directors has introduced and implemented outreach and educational programs to fulfill the mission of Western Arkansas Ballet. The Board of Directors is proud of the unique characteristics of Western Arkansas Ballet: it is the only dance organization in the area with membership in Regional Dance America/Southwest, an Association of Regional Ballet Companies; the only dance organization in the area to receive annual support from the Arkansas Arts Council; and the only non-profit dance school and company in the area. The mission of Western Arkansas Ballet is to create a community dedicated to the Fine Arts through quality dance education, training and performance.

Focus on Quality Dance Education

WAB's Artistic Director, Melissa Schoenfeld, holds a Master's Degree and Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Oklahoma. As a part of its mission to bring quality dance education to the community, Western Arkansas Ballet has developed and implemented many community outreach programs. In addition to teaching classes for The Academy of Western Arkansas Ballet during the school year, Mrs. Schoenfeld teaches classes for the Fort Smith Girls, Inc. Summer Program and Lincoln Child Care Center. Western Arkansas Ballet absorbs the total cost of providing lessons as a part of its vision and commitment to community outreach.

In June 2009, Western Arkansas Ballet offered the eighteenth annual Lorraine Cranford Summer Dance Workshop. This event is named after the founder of Ballet Arkansas.  It is a week-long workshop that features a staff of various professional instructors from across the nation with teaching support from Arkansas. The week concludes with a demonstration performance by the workshop dancers. The 2010 Summer Dance Workshop will be held July 8-11.

Focus on Quality Dance Training

The Academy of Western Arkansas Ballet, a non-profit organization, offers classes for company and non-company members in tap, jazz, athletic conditioning, creative movement, modern, pointe and ballet at the Western Arkansas Ballet studios in Fort Smith.

The Nancy Wood Scholarship Fund was established in 1993 to provide funds to young people who had the desire to pursue the art of dance but not the financial means to do so. The scholarship was named in honor of the founder of Western Arkansas Ballet, Nancy Wood. The Ray Moore Scholarship Fund was established in the spring of 2005 by the children of Ray Moore.  At his request, the fund was established to help children ages 4 to 9 to be able to participate in dance who might not otherwise be able to participate because of financial reasons.  Monies from these funds pay for dance tuition, shoes, workshops, and camps. Young people across the state have received scholarships from these programs, but the majority of the recipients are students at The Academy of Western Arkansas Ballet.

The Western Arkansas Ballet Company is composed of 15 junior and senior members under contract for all productions with members selected from annual open auditions.  Company members take class and rehearse at the Western Arkansas Ballet studios.

The Western Arkansas Ballet Company realized a long time dream in 1995 by being accepted into Regional Dance America/Southwest, an Association of Regional Ballet Companies.  Western Arkansas Ballet is the only dance school and company in the area with RDA membership. As a result of this membership, the company members have an opportunity to attend the RDA Spring Festival and take classes from renowned faculty from across the United States. WAB's company is adjudicated annually. The process is extremely demanding and difficult and only the best companies in the region are asked into membership. In April 1999 at the RDA/SW festival in San Antonio, Western Arkansas Ballet auditioned and became a performing company member.  In April 2008 Western Arkansas Ballet was honored to receive the STREAM AWARD from RDA/SW.  This award is presented to one company each year that exemplifies outstanding artistic excellence and growth as well as service above and beyond the call of duty to not the region as a whole.

Focus on Performance

Last spring, the Western Arkansas Ballet Company presented The 2^nd Annual Cinderella at Arkansas Best Corporation Performing Arts Center.  An abbreviated program was provided to area elementary schools in Fort Smith as a part of WAB’s continuing community outreach programs. The Western Arkansas Ballet Spring Dance Demonstration in May provides a "window view" of the discipline of dance to the Fort Smith community.

The Nutcrackeris in its twenty-fourth year of production by Western Arkansas Ballet. The Nutcracker art contest, for a new logo for each year’s production, draws over 100 entries from area junior and senior high school students. The "Meet the Artists" event after the morning performance allows children to meet cast in costume. Not only does the performance give Western Arkansas Ballet an opportunity to showcase local dance talents, but it also allows Western Arkansas Ballet to present performing professional dancers to the Fort Smith community. As part of the goal for community outreach, reduced-rate tickets are distributed to non-profit children and youth groups underwritten by the City of Fort Smith.