Imagine Ballet Theatre IBT

Imagine Ballet Theatre was created and organized in 2004, under the vision and direction of Raymond Van Mason, former Ballet West Principal Artist and nationally recognized choreographer and teacher. He wanted to create a pre-professional  “youth” ballet company to afford aspiring young dancers professional training and performance experience. The Company may utilize up to sixty dancers, ages nine and up, in a regular season. IBT makes it home and is in residence at Peery’s Egyptian Theater in Ogden, Utah. The young dancers have the opportunity to work with guest instructors, dance and perform with professional guest artists, develop and dance story themed roles, and help create something really special…a family-oriented cultural activity for the greater Ogden community.
 
In addition to the educational and promotional opportunities provided for the ballet art form, IBT hopes to discover and utilize previously untapped talents from young local artists in helping with set designs, lighting, music and more.  An example, one of IBT’s company members is also a talented young painter. Her high school art class helped paint the set for our production of “Pillow Party”, which featured an enlarged version of one of her paintings. We also look for young choreographers and musicians whose work might be introduced and/or featured in our programs. An example, for our production of  “Getting to Know Us” the young dancers each choose a piece of music to choreograph to, wrote and recorded their feelings of dance - the pieces were then weaved together into a ballet. Children with talent, but limited finances, are also targeted for development through IBT’s program.
 
In 2004, IBT was invited to perform Mason's choreography Luminescent at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, CA for the "Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival." The dancers had the opportunity to share the stage with numerous dance companies from within California where they were well received by the audience for their strong ballet technique and talent.
 
Imagine Ballet believes in the enduring potential of this program. The talented instructors and a gifted professional artistic director with a vision and drive…make it all happen! IBT’s program is unique to the area, offering opportunities to not only the gifted young dancers, but also to choreographers (new and experienced) that are willing to work with this young, pre-professional company. 
 
In addition to the ballet company, The School of Imagine Ballet Theatre was organized in 2005. Many of the gifted dancers of Imagine Ballet Theatre receive their training from the school and its well-respected faculty. 
 
IBT was created to encourage involvement in the arts and afford young dancers professional performance experience. We want to train the next generation of dancers.  Imagine Ballet Theatre believes in the beauty, imagination, creation, passion and love of dance!  We invite you to be a part of our program through dance or audience participation – you will feel the passion and joy of dance!