Performance Ballet & Dance Opportunities
Northwestern Pennsylvania
Oil Region Ballet Company
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Our Dancers
Oil Region Ballet dancers are selected through regional auditions and gather each week to rehearse under the supervision of skilled choreographers and instructors. This intergenerational program allows ORB dancers to develop a strong sense of teamwork and community, while being provided the opportunity to hone leadership skills. Individual dancers continue taking classes at their home studios, and augment their ballet studies with the ORB Company. All ORB dancers and instructors are held to high standards, both personally and professionally.
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Corps De Ballet
Apprentice - A dancer’s journey with the Oil Region Ballet begins with an audition. At age 11 years, a dancer may audition for the first time. Every dancer begins their sojourn with ORB as an Apprentice. An Apprentice dancer must re-audition each year to remain in the ORB ranks, proving ability and dependability. The amount of time a dancer remains at this level varies.
Corps de Ballet - At age 13, a dancer may be awarded a position in ORB’s Corps de Ballet. Once here, the dancer does not need to re-audition. The Corps remains “fluid” during the dancer’s stint with the company. The subdivisions within the Corps will change from year to year.
Principal - A dancer who has proven their talent and reliability may be awarded a Principal role in a production. This is a very labor-intensive position requiring a great deal of stamina with many hours of rehearsal. For this and other reasons, these parts are generally reserved for a more mature dancer.
Soloist - A Soloist is a dancer whose role may involve a featured solo performance. They get plenty of stage time, and their characters show up in every act of the ballet.
Demi- Soloist - Another division within the Corps de Ballet ranks. These dancers again play featured characters, but they often dance in small groups and may only show up infrequently.
Character Role - ORB applies this title to dancers who are also talented actors. These dancers use more then just dance steps and technique to win the crowd, and often have a loyal following.
Programming and community engagement are at the core of our strategy. Audiences are introduced to "ballet mime"- the non-verbal art of storytelling. Through the adaptation of modernized folk tales and literature, ORB's performances provide both real and fictional role models. All are rich with relatable characters who learn valuable moral lessons and overcome challenges with humor and personal growth. Each full length performance uses colorful sets, lighting and inspiring music, giving audiences a dazzling tapestry for the senses right here in our own venues. Discover our past menagerie of toe tapping, stomach laughing and tear forming shows below.
Alice in Wonderland 2010
ORB's own interpretation of Alice in Wonderland portrays the mystical, magical, and often frustrating characters of this historical novel through the composition of two celebrated composers from very different eras: the classical composer Pyotr (Peter) Tchaikovsky and the more contemporary Herbert Baumann. ORB's use of both musical styles adds to the peculiar flavor of the production, and allows different dance styles to entertain its audience.
