Jan. 21, 2013

David Hallberg Inspires Scholarship

David Hallberg, alumnus of The School of Ballet Arizona, has inspired support for future young male dancers. Ballet Arizona has announced a new scholarship in honor of one of the leading male dancers in the world. Hallberg is a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre in New York City and a premiere dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow.

David Hallberg in American Ballet Theatre's production of Jerome Robbins' "Other Dances." Photo by Rosalie O'Connor

He made history a little over a year ago when he became the first American to join the renowned Bolshoi, a move that evoked memories of Rudolf Nureyev’s and Mikhail Baryshnikov’s defection from Russia to dance in the West. Hallberg splits his time between the two pinnacle houses of the dance world, ABY in New York and the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow and has become a national celebrity, from appearing on such mainstream media as The Colbert Report and CBS Sunday this Morning to features in Vogue and W Magazine.

Hallberg attributes much of his success to the support and training he received in Phoenix at Ballet Arizona during the late ’90s and wishes to encourage more young boys to pursue dance.

“The intention of The David Hallberg Scholarship for Boys is to help nurture and facilitate training at The School of Ballet Arizona. It is never an easy feat to have the courage or the means to find your calling in ballet as a young boy,” Hallberg says, “but this scholarship will help facilitate that journey through financial support and guidance. My personal journey to finding ballet was riddled with hardships, but once ballet found a place in my life as a kid, I couldn’t let go of its exhilarating pulse. I have made it my career to date and to pass on the inspiration I felt when I was first discovering ballet is a completely invaluable experience.”

Hallberg will serve as a member of the scholarship’s selection committee with Ballet Arizona’s Artistic Director Ib Andersen and School Director Carlos Valcárcel. In addition, as available, he will oversee Master Classes for young dancers at Ballet Arizona’s new studios.

The David Hallberg Scholarship Program for Boys will award scholarships for ballet class tuition and supplies to boys who demonstrate a passion for ballet and meet the audition requirements of The School of Ballet Arizona.

Scholarships will be awarded to one or more boys from age 13 and older on an annual basis determined by audition and review of a written application. The number of scholarships will depend on funding of the program.