Sierra Nevada Ballet (SNB) Founding Artistic Director, Rosine Bena, and a group of dedicated and supportive dance devotees started SNB in March 2001. Rosine had been instrumental in the birth of dance events at Reno’s Wingfield Park in 1995-96 with “Ballet by the River.” Bena and the SNB Board saw a great need for quality dance productions and education in northern Nevada. The area had many dance schools but offered little opportunity for dancers to continue on in the professional arena.
Performing and Education Branches
SNB was founded in two branches: the Performing Branch and the Educational Branch. The Performing Branch features annual quality professional-level productions throughout the year. The Educational Branch includes instructional options such as the SNB Apprentice/Trainee Program; the SNB Academy; the Dancing in the Schools Program; the Educational Outreach Program; the New Choreography Program; and the Doral Academy Ballet Program.
SNB also partners with schools throughout northern Nevada including the University of Nevada Reno (UNR) School of the Arts, Washoe County, Douglas County Schools, and dance schools in Carson City, Incline, Fallon, Sparks, and Reno. Additional collaborations are in progress with Reno Little Theatre, the Pioneer Center For The Performing Arts, and the Reno Philharmonic.
Collaborators, Donors, Funders & Sponsors
Sierra Nevada Ballet receives funding, grants, sponsorships and support from a variety of local and federal agencies, nonprofits and organizations. Funding to support our organization has also been provided by Nevada Humanities through Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the 2020 CARES Act Economic Stabilization Plan. We are grateful for the support of the following entities.
America Ballet Theater Affiliation
In 2008, SNB began a formal affiliation with America Ballet Theatre (ABT), the national ballet company for the U.S. Artistic Director Rosine Bena was one of the first Master Teachers to be fully certified in the ABT National Training Curriculum and acts as a Curriculum Ambassador.
SNB brought ABT II to perform in Reno on two different occasions and has offered several summer intensives featuring ABT Master Teachers.
E. L. CORD FOUNATION
The E.L. Cord Foundation, established in 1962, is an independent nonprofit organization based in Northern Nevada. It supports cultural and educational organizations, as well as social services and youth organizations.
WAYNE L PRIM FOUNDATION
Founded in 1991, is a private foundation in Zephyr Cove, Nevada and provides gifts, grants, or loans to organizations and individuals, primarily for education.
THE MARIN FOUNDATION
The nonprofit Marin Foundation partners with religious, educational, and government agencies to foster growth, relationships, and education between communities and the LGBTQ+ community.
CAROL FRANC BUCK FOUNDATION
The private foundation, based in Incline Village, Nevada, provides grants and supports to performing and visual arts throughout the Western U.S.
- American Ballet Theatre
- Artown
- Artown Festival
- Ballet Hispanico
- Ballet San Jose’
- Ballet Tucson
- Bartley Ranch
- Brewery Arts Center
- Bruka Theater
- Carson City Community Center
- Carson City Symphony
- Churchill Arts Council
- Dance Retailer Magazine
- Dance Theatre of Harlem
- Diablo Ballet
- Joffrey Ballet
- Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival
- Montreux Golf Club
- Nevada Arts Council- Dancing In The New Millennium
- Nevada Museum of Art
- Northern Nevada PRIDE
- Nevada Opera and Symphony
- Nevada Shakespeare Company
- Nightingale String Quartet
- Northern Nevada PRIDE
- Oklahoma City Ballet
- Peninsula Ballet Theatre
- Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts
- Pipers Opera House
- Pointe Magazine
- Reno Jazz Orchestra
- Reno Little Theater
- Sacramento Ballet
- San Francisco Ballet
- Silver Legacy
- Smuin Ballet
- Sparks Holiday Festival
- Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC)
- Victorian Square Amphitheater
- Western Nevada Performing Arts Center