It’s a busy afternoon at the Boulder Ballet headquarters. Artistic director Ben Needham-Wood is juggling multiple meetings and rehearsals for the company’s upcoming season opener, Unlocked. Emails pile up and dancers await him in the studio.
“This is just a normal day as an artistic director,” he laughs. “One minute I’m running rehearsals, the next I’m meeting with donors or organizing costumes, and then I’ll be off to teach a class.”
When Needham-Wood took the reins of Boulder Ballet in August 2022, he brought with him years of experience. Before moving to Boulder, he performed with the prestigious Smuin Contemporary Ballet, the Louisville Ballet and Amy Seiwert’s Imagery. His choreography for the TV specials BaseBallet and BaseBallet: Into the Game nabbed five Emmy Awards and inclusion in the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame.
His relationship with Boulder Ballet began before he officially joined the company. In 2021, he collaborated with the company to stage Seiwert’s The Devil Ties My Tongue and fell in love with the dancers and the Boulder community.
“I could just feel a hunger for growth,” Needham-Wood says. “I ultimately chose to move here because it is an environment that I think is ready to blossom.”
As Boulder Ballet enters its 42nd season, Needham-Wood says his vision for the company is clear: to create work that pushes boundaries, helps dancers reach their full potential and strengthens connections with the Boulder community.
Unlocked
The season opener at Chautauqua Auditorium begins with Grand Pas Classique from Raymonda Act 3, a traditional Russian piece known for its intricate footwork and demanding jumps. This is followed by Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain, an “iconic, sensual piece” that celebrates the fluidity of the human body.
Andrea Schermoly returns to Boulder after co-choreographing Minefield last season to stage the Colorado premiere of Within Without, a full-company work. The night concludes with the world premiere of Superbloom by emerging choreographer Ching Ching Wong about the conditions that allow growth to take place.
ON STAGE: Unlocked. Friday, Sept. 20, Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. $41-$64
Dancers’ Choice
This one-night-only event at the Dairy Arts Center, where Boulder Ballet is headquartered, allows dancers to explore choreography, production and other creative leadership roles.
“We’re unlocking their curiosity and creativity in new ways by allowing them to discover what their future could look like beyond performing,” Needham-Wood says. “The show will still be performed by the professional dancer, but the whole production process is going to be done in-house by our dancers.”
ON STAGE: Dancers’ Choice. Saturday, Oct. 12, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $25
The Nutcracker
The ever-popular yuletide collaboration between Boulder Ballet and the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra remains a cornerstone of the company’s season. The Nutcracker is performed across multiple venues through the holiday season, including CU Boulder’s Macky Auditorium, Vance Brand Civic Auditorium in Longmont and the famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.
This year, Boulder Ballet will share behind-the-scenes content via social media and email to give audiences a glimpse into the meticulous preparation required to bring this beloved holiday classic to life.
“The Nutcracker is a special program that people have traditions around, so we want to unlock more of those layers,” Needham-Wood says. “It is one of the few programs we have that truly reflects the heritage we hold as a collective.”
ON STAGE: The Nutcracker. Saturday,Nov. 30 through Sunday, Dec. 1, Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder. $40-$110. Dec. 7-8, Vance Brand Civic Auditorium, 600 E. Mountain View Ave., Longmont. Dec. 14, Stanley Hotel, 333 E. Wonderview Ave., Estes Park. Tickets not yet available for Longmont and Estes Park performances.
Revived
The company’s March production at the Dairy focuses on returning to dances with fresh perspectives.
The program includes Heart(S)pace, a deeply personal piece by Nicolo Fonte, originally choreographed after the loss of his father. Revived will also include the return of a piece from the company’s first show, allowing dancers to revisit choreography from earlier in the season. The final work in the program is Cooties, a “playful, juvenile ballet that centers on relationships” created by Needham-Wood 10 years ago.
ON STAGE: Revived. Friday through Sunday, March 21-23, 2025, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $25-$55
Queen of Hearts
For its season finale, Boulder Ballet stages a playful reimagining of Alice in Wonderland at the Dairy that shifts the focus to the story’s infamous villain. What events shaped the Queen of Hearts into the figure we know?
This ballet delves into her backstory with a mix of drama and humor, providing a new perspective on Lewis Carroll’s classic story. If that sounds similar to what Wicked did with Wizard of Oz, Needham-Wood says that’s the point: “There is a lot of value in understanding the world from different perspectives.”
With former Boulder Ballet artistic and school director Ana Claire making a guest appearance in the title role, Queen of Hearts will close the season on a sentimental note.
“I have been wanting to create a ballet based on the story of Alice in Wonderland my entire life,” Needham-Wood says. “My first lead role in a ballet was the White Rabbit, so it has a special place in my heart.”
ON STAGE: Queen of Hearts. Friday through Sunday, May 16-18, 2025, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $25-$55