The Asheville Ballet
North Carolina's oldest non-profit ballet company
Photo Credit: Rose Pillmore
Upcoming Events
Fall classes begin September 8, 2026
new students welcome
Training
Fall Classes begin September 8, 2026 at the Asheville Academy of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, official school of The Asheville Ballet, Ann Dunn Owner/Director!
We have excellent offerings at all levels for students of every age in Ballet, Modern Dance, Pilates, Pointe, Conditioning, and Creative Ballet, with our wonderful faculty, including Zoe D'Astolfo, Alisha Ear, Fleming Lomax, Allison Hertzberg, and Rachel Taylor. Please review our schedule and fill out a registration form to enroll and then feel free to drop in!
Fall into dance
September 18 & 19, 2026
7:30pm
Performance
“Fall Into Dance: An Artistic Harvest” is a gift to our community – a professional production of all original choreography by Western North Carolina’s own Ballet Company and North Carolina’s oldest ballet company, The Asheville Ballet, directed by Ann Dunn. Resident choreographers will present their exciting new work in a variety of styles, from classical to contemporary dance.
Performance Dates
Friday & Saturday
September 18 & 19, 2026
7:30pm
Location
Pack Square Park,
Roger McGuire Green Park
Nutcracker Auditions
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Auditions
The Asheville Ballet, Ann Dunn, Director, welcomes all dancers ages 4 to senior adult, from all area studios, to audition for our professional production of The Nutcracker.
Performance Dates: December 10-13, 2026
Audition fee is $10, via cash or check to The Asheville Ballet. Auditions will be filmed.
Audition Date
Saturday, October 3, 2026
2:45pm-7:00pm
Registration Information Coming Soon!
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The Nutcracker
Friday-Saturday, December 11-13, 2026
Performance
The Asheville Ballet’s Nutcracker has been a holiday tradition in Asheville for half a century. Children and adults will be charmed yet again by ballet’s greatest classic. This all-time favorite story of Clara’s magical midnight trip to the Land of Sweets is classical ballet at its best. Snow will fall in the Snow King and Queen’s kingdom, scary rats will frighten and good soldiers will rescue Clara, the exquisite Sugar Plum Fairy and her handsome Cavalier will dance an eternally lovely pas de deux, and beautiful flowers will waltz, and waltz, and waltz.
Location:
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts
Dates:
Dec 11, 2026 • 7:30 pm
Dec 12, 2026 • 2:30 pm & 7:30 pm
Dec 13, 2026 • 2:30 pm
As a key component of its Educational Outreach Program, The Asheville Ballet will perform its production of the holiday classic The Nutcracker for school children groups on Thursday, December 10, 2026, at the Diana Wortham Theatre at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, at 9:30 AM. Seating is limited and confirmed on a first come, first served basis. Thanks to generous patronage, we are able to offer children’s tickets at $10 this year. This popular opportunity fills up quickly. Limit 3 chaperones per 20 students.
For reservations for school children groups call Wortham Center for the Performing Arts at 828-257-4530.
Ticket Details Coming Soon!
Alice in wonderland
and
the firebird
May 14 & 15, 2027
Performance
The Asheville Ballet, Ann Dunn, Director, welcomes you this spring to a spectacular double bill featuring Alice in Wonderland and The Firebird—two beloved ballets brought together in one unforgettable performance.
From the whimsical adventures of Wonderland to the breathtaking magic of the Firebird, this enchanting performance promises imagination, beauty, and extraordinary dancing for audiences of all ages.
Save the date!
Performance Dates
Friday, May 14, 2027 at 7:30pm
Saturday, May 15, 2027 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
Location
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts
18 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville NC 28801
Ticket Information Coming Soon!
Blue Ridge Dance Camp
2027 Dates Coming Soon
Dance Camp
The Asheville Ballet will be accepting applications for its prestigious Blue Ridge Dance Camp in 2027. The summer intensive offers daily classes in Ballet, Pointe, Repertoire, Modern, Partnering, and Choreography.
Serious students ages 11-18 can pursue their training in a supportive, fun, personal environment. Instructed by Marcelo Martinez and Megan Jones Medford, the professional staff ensures proper instruction at appropriate levels.
Details available in early 2027.
The Asheville Ballet has a rich history of pedagogy and performance spanning over 60 years. Originally the Fletcher School of Dance, the Asheville Ballet is North Carolina's oldest non-profit regional ballet company. We thrive because we believe strongly that quality arts education and community involvement should take precedence over mass growth and competition, and because we live here year-round, we can perform monthly, weekly, daily, to help fulfill our community’s artistic needs.
Since its inception, the Asheville Ballet has produced both cutting edge interdisciplinary work and full length major work. We have collaborated with other local art agencies (the Asheville Symphony, Asheville Bravo Concerts, Asheville Community Theater, Asheville Lyric Opera), and have worked live with the areas major musical, poetic and visual artists.
Praise for
The Asheville Ballet
"Dunn achieves a level of accomplishment that elicits helpless comments...haunting beauty and often stunning emotional pitch."
Carrie Frye - Mountain Xpress