2003 became a breakthrough year for Ballet Society. First, Ms. Hoffman found a partner in her enterprise, Holly Marble, a Colorado Springs native who had been a principal ballerina for the Nevada Ballet Theatre before returning home to continue her career as a teacher. In short time, the number of talented students had reached a critical mass: a formal performing ensemble was ready to be born. So it was that Colorado's Classical Youth Ballet (renamed Colorado Youth Ballet in 2009) came into being. Next, an ideal facility was obtained. The nearly 10,000 square feet in the Sunrise Church building in northeast Colorado Springs afforded safe parking, sprung floors and ample space for dance, community interaction, and administrative operations.
From there on, the growth of the studio and its artistic achievement has been nothing short of astounding. Thousands of dancers have been a part of Ballet Society's program. As a regional performing organization- whether in its own name or under the banner of the Youth Ballet- it has become far and away the most successful dance organization in Southern Colorado. In 2004, the Youth Ballet made its debut performance in Pikes Peak Center featuring two renowned soloists from American Ballet Theatre: Sascha Radetsky and Stella Abrera (former student of Patricia Hoffman, Ballet Society's Artistic Director).
In the past several years, Ballet Society has engaged in artistic collaborations with the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, the Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble, the Colorado Springs Chorale and Children's Chorale, the Colorado Springs Conservatory, the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony, the Colorado Springs Dance Theatre and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. The Youth Ballet's June 2006 presentation of Menotti's The Unicorn, Gorgon and the Manticore with the Chamber Orchestra and Vocal Arts Ensemble received two Vision, Courage and Achievement Awards from the Pikes Peak Arts Council. In the 2008-2009 season, the Colorado Springs community was treated to two performances dedicated to the art of the ballet with orchestral accompaniment by the Philharmonic: Suites from Coppelia and The Firebird in October and A Midsummer Night's Dream in January.
In the 2009-2010 season, the Youth Ballet presented Lullabies and Love, which featured the world-premiere of a ballet inspired by Benjamin Britten's A Charm of Lullabies with mezzo-soprano Jennifer DeDominici. The season also included a fully-staged version of Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty and the sixth consecutive year the company's A Nutcracker Ballet and Holiday Tea was greeted by sellout audiences.
