Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s mission is to provide Maryland with a fully professional ballet company and training academy that meets the aesthetic and recreational needs of Maryland through expressive movement by:
Originally established as The Ballet Theatre of Annapolis, the organization was founded in November 1978 as a private non-profit corporation governed by a twelve-person Board of Trustees, and established residency at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis. In 1980, Edward Stewart became Artistic Director and led the company until his death in 2002. In 1996, the company achieved professional status. In 2000, the organization’s name was changed to Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Inc. to fulfill a new mission of serving the State of Maryland. Dianna Cuatto joined BTM as Artistic Director at the start of the 2003-2004 season and has since won numerous awards for her choreography with BTM. She begins her fifteenth season in Fall 2017.
Ballet Theatre of Maryland produces high-caliber ballet performances that engage the mind and spirit and express Maryland's unique voice through movement. We perform a wide range of powerful quality ballets at venues throughout the state. As the state’s premier professional ballet company, Ballet Theatre of Maryland: Conducts over 20 full-length professional ballet performances per season of both classical and contemporary works, performed at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, the Bowie Performing Arts Center, the Lyric Opera House at the Modell Performing Arts Center, Ocean City Performing Arts Center, The Gordon Center for the Performing Arts at the JCC and other presenting theaters throughout Maryland; Performs in more than 40 outreach lecture/demonstrations in Maryland schools where students experienced 1-hour ballet excerpts and interactive activities from Pirates of the Chesapeake, Excalibur, or Alice in Wonderland, to name a few. Presents 10 Mini-Performances for students and seniors at Maryland Hall in Annapolis and Bowie Center for the Performing Arts composed of an educational literary or historical introduction, a 1-hour performance, and audience interaction. Was named in 2016 as the resident ballet company of the Lyric Opera House, Baltimore's 2500-seat landmark, in addition to continuing the company's 39-year residency at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. Teaches and performs at a 10-week Arts Integration Residency in tandem with Anne Arundel County Schools where BTM faculty work with students and teachers in underserved schools to create sets, costumes, choreography and a story modeled after BTM’s “The Little Mermaid.” The students perform their works alongside BTM’s professional dancers in a final public performance. Provides Access to Classics Outreach to introduce the art of dance to children and teachers from Head Start, school children in underserved communities, and organizations such as CASA, Casey Cares and the Stanton House with special performances; Conducts a Trainee and Apprenticeship Training Program, attracting top dancers throughout the U.S. to train with Ballet Theatre of Maryland for the season. Educates through BTM’s School of Classical and Contemporary Dance; offering dance training for students ages 2 to adult, beginner through professional level, including a 6-week Summer Intensive Dance Program and Choreographic Institute. Ballet Theatre of Maryland holds classes at Maryland Hall and our Merritt Annex studios in Annapolis, as well as at the Academy Art Museum on the Eastern Shore and at the Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park, MD.