TICKETS ON SALE NOW
2025 BALLET FESTIVAL
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, AT 2PM & 7PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH, 3-7 PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre’s VIP Jade Room
Enjoy an elegant afternoon mingling with ballet artists over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
We believe in the transformational effect of ballet for those who dedicate themselves to the craft, and all those who are touched by ballet performance.
Through our signature annual festival, we provide Southern California’s top ballet artists with a world-class platform to perform and connect. Our goal is to cultivate a vibrant community of ballet enthusiasts who celebrate the artistry, dedication, and talent that ballet brings to our region. Join us!
OUR MISSION
At SoCal Ballet Scene our mission is to build community through the experience of ballet in Southern California. We do this through:
- enriching professional performances with an educational presentation of diverse repertoire
- introducing the art form to communities who may not otherwise have access
- offering complimentary training to local professional ballet artists
- uniting Southern California artists to foster creative collaboration
Check us out on Instagram @socalballetscene
Each September, our Ballet Festival unites Southern California’s leading professional dancers and ballet companies for a program that spans ballet’s past and present — from classical favorites to new contemporary works.
Accessible, inspiring, and full of variety, the festival welcomes both newcomers and longtime fans alike, with guided introductions that bring every performance to life. More than a performance, the festival is a shared experience that unites our community through a love of ballet and a celebration of the art form in our region.
Check out our previous festivals:
JOIN US
2025 BALLET FESTIVAL
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH, AT 2PM & 7PM
Irvine Barclay Theatre
Join us at our next SoCal Ballet Scene Festival!
September 13th, 2025
at the Irvine Barclay Theatre
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
2024 BALLET FESTIVAL
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH
Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Long Beach
Our signature Ballet Festival brings together the best dance artists and companies in Southern California to perform a curated program of classical, contemporary, and commissioned ballet works.
New to the ballet scene? We’ve got you covered. The festival has something for everyone to enjoy. Presented in an entertaining, educational format, each piece is introduced with interesting insights enhancing the viewing experience for all.
Our signature Ballet Festival brings together the best dance artists and companies in Southern California to perform a curated program of classical, contemporary, and commissioned ballet works.
Hi I’m Rena Kamariotakis, founder of SoCal Ballet Scene and our Signature Ballet Festival event. Having trained and danced professionally in Southern California myself, I saw so much local talent, yet few opportunities for the community to appreciate and be moved by these artists. The Festival was created to provide a performance platform to bring together dancers, choreographers, regional ballet companies, and connect them with the community to celebrate dance together. The entire event, from connections made backstage to the reception following the performance, creates a real sense of community among dancers and audience members. All are welcome to join us in this celebration of ballet. I hope to see you at our next Signature Festival Event!
JOIN OUR CAUSE
Our signature festival event attracts hundreds of people from the community, both seasoned dance lovers as well as people experiencing ballet for the first time!
Through the educational format of our festival event, the local community has the opportunity to learn more about this inspiring art form that is centuries old. Your generous support allows us to:
- bring the experience of seeing live theatre and dance to youth from underserved neighborhoods in SoCal
- provide a platform for our local elite ballet artists and dance companies to perform and connect with the SoCal community
- unite Southern California artists together to network and foster future creative collaborations
For Zelle donations, please send to: info@socalballetscene.com
For mail donations, please send check to:
SoCal Ballet Scene
PO Box 1239, Lake Forest, CA 92609
EIN #: 92-1746761
STAY INFORMED
Sign up for our email newsletter to receive updates on the next festival and other upcoming events!
OUTREACH
Sharing the joy of ballet begins with access. SoCal Ballet Scene partners with local nonprofits that provide dance education to children from low-income families, ensuring their students can experience ballet beyond the classroom. While these young dancers are building foundational skills, they often lack opportunities to see professional, world-class performances. Each year, we donate complimentary festival tickets so they can witness elite local artists on a major stage. Students from communities including Santa Ana, Carson, and Anaheim have joined us in the audience—an inspiring step in their artistic journeys.
OUR SHORT FILMS
Our short ballet films showcase creative collaborations between choreographers, dancers, musicians and visual artists. Born out of the pandemic as a way to sustain creative expression and add beauty to the world, capturing ballet on film provided employment for Southern California artists and encouraged us to present ballet in unconventional settings.
Our ballet Allure, created by Los Angeles-based choreographer Sadie Black, was inspired by the glamor and beauty of flight. Filmed at the Lyon Air Museum in Orange County, historic aircraft serve as the backdrop for this nostalgic piece danced with finesse by Kelsey Dorr, Madison Morris, Rena Kamariotakis, Irina Shabanova, and Susan Vishmid; all professional ballet dancers from across Southern California.
The Dying Swan is a classic piece of ballet repertoire by Michel Folkine that originally premiered in 1905. It has since been performed thousands of times. We decided to put a unique spin on it by filming the dancer on water. Our production team created the water pool just for this film, and local dancer Madison Morris performed the piece beautifully.
Tango Del Fuego - a fiery ballet/tango fusion featuring SoCal dancers Samantha Bell and Eduard Sargsyan. We commissioned this work from local choreographer Sharon Savoy, who is a 4-time Blackpool Exhibition Dance champion. Sharon collaborated with LA-based musician Danny Pravder, who created this original music composition and played live piano during the filming. The artists were filmed in front of a live audience of patrons at the OC Music & Dance blackbox theatre during our wine & tango soiree, which gave the audience a unique insight into the filmmaking process behind-the-scenes.
VIEW OUR CHANNELS
OUR PODCAST
Get to know the Southern California ballet community and join the artistic directors of SoCal Ballet Scene as they take you behind the scenes into the making of the smash-hit Ballet Festival that is uniting the local ballet scene like never before. Each episode offers an exclusive look at the vision, passion, and collaboration that brings this unique event to life. Plus, we’ll welcome special guests on select episodes to share their perspectives and stories.
OUR DANCE FILMS
View our high-quality dance films presenting classical and original work in unique settings.
OUR PODCAST
Get to know the Southern California ballet community and join the artistic directors of SoCal Ballet Scene as they take you behind the scenes into the making of the smash-hit Ballet Festival that is uniting the local ballet scene like never before. Each episode offers an exclusive look at the vision, passion, and collaboration that brings this unique event to life. Plus, we’ll welcome special guests on select episodes to share their perspectives and stories.
OUR PODCAST
Get to know the Southern California ballet community and join the artistic directors of SoCal Ballet Scene as they take you behind the scenes into the making of the smash-hit Ballet Festival that is uniting the local ballet scene like never before. Each episode offers an exclusive look at the vision, passion, and collaboration that brings this unique event to life. Plus, we’ll welcome special guests on select episodes to share their perspectives and stories.
MEETUP WITH US!
Our meetup group connects arts-lovers, performers, and theater enthusiasts together across Southern California. We meet about once a month to enjoy local performances, free art walks, special events, and an array of other dance related outings. We can't wait to meet you!
DANCE WITH US!
Whether you are a professional maintaining your technique, or challenging your skills and artistry as a recreational dancer, we have a class for you. Our open classes are provided in a supportive environment where growth, creativity and community thrive.
Are you a professional ballet artist? Enjoy SoCal Ballet Scene classes on us! We know the dedication your craft requires, and we are here to support you with your on-going training. Please contact us for further inquiries about complimentary classes for professional dancers.
We want to hear from you!
To contact us, email info@socalballetscene.com
PO Box 1239, Lake Forest, CA 92609
© SoCalBalletScene. All Rights Reserved.
Our signature Ballet Festival brings together the best dance artists and companies in Southern California to perform a curated program of classical, contemporary, and commissioned ballet works.
New to the ballet scene? We’ve got you covered. The festival has something for everyone to enjoy. Presented in an entertaining, educational format, each piece is introduced with interesting insights enhancing the viewing experience for all.
Here’s what our audience members and artists had to say about our inaugural event:
- Shenin Mesdaghi, audience member
- Chasen Greenwood, Artistic Director, The Realm Company
Donors who make a contribution to SoCal Ballet Scene this month will be invited to attend our exclusive tango/wine soiree, where you will get to participate and see a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of our next dance film. The filming event will be held the evening of May 13th in Orange County.