About the Director
Sallyann Mulcahy fell in love with ballet when she was five years old. She studied in Helena with Shirley Cummins and Blanche Judge, and eventually commuted to Missoula to train with Fifi Hut. She received the Montana Dance Arts Association Outstanding Achievement Award during its founding year, and attended Ballet West's summer school on full scholarship at age 11. American-ballet pioneer Harold Christensen saw her dance the following year, and offered her a Ford Foundation scholarship to attend the San Francisco Ballet School year round. That Christmas, Sallyann danced the part of the Sugar Plum Fairy in Helena's first-ever production of The Nutcracker.
While attending the Banff School of Fine Arts in Alberta at age 14, Sallyann met Betty Farrelly, co-founder of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, who granted her a full-scholarship enrollment at the Canadian School of Ballet in Kelowna. Two years later, the Royal Winnipeg's renowned Artistic Director Arnold Spohr invited her to begin training for the company under David Moroni, Founding Director of the RWB School's Professional Division.
At 18, Sallyann took stage as a member of the Royal Winnipeg's corp de ballet, and by the end of her first year was performing solos. Eventually, she traveled east to dance for Finus Jhung's Chamber Ballet USA in New York, and for New Jersey Ballet. In 1990, New York Times dance critic Jack Anderson wrote of Sallyann's dancing:
The evening's most striking dramatic performance was that of Sallyann Mulcahy in 'Le Combat,' William Dollar's ballet about a duel between a Christian and a Saracen warrior during the Crusades. When the Saracen's helmet is removed, the knight is revealed to be a woman. Looking fierce and taut,
Ms. Mulcahy commanded the stage, proving a formidable opponent to the elegant Shi Hui, who
portrayed the Crusader who came to realize that he loved her.
Sallyann returned to Montana in 1991. She accepted an adjunct-professorship at Carroll College in Helena and, while teaching private classes to select students - many of whom have gone on to dance professionally - founded Artisan Dance in 1995. Every summer, professionals from around the country travel to Montana to study with Sallyann and perform at Helena's historic Myrna Loy Center. To that end, she has choreographed over 50 original ballet works.
About Ballet Montana
Ballet Montana began as Artisan Dance in 1995. It is a professional ballet company, in residence at Carroll College in Helena, whose performing members are employed by various established professional ballet companies throughout the United States and Canada. Ballet Montana dancers are generally 18 years of age and older unless showcasing exceptional younger talent. Ballet Montana provides a unique training ground for performers of high caliber by offering continual development and refinement of their technical and artistic skills.
Just as Artisan Dance has for 15 years presented high-quality professional dance performance to Montana - while educating audiences of all ages about the art of dance at a level normally not found in a cultural "outpost" region such as ours - Ballet Montana will in the coming years take this presentation beyond the borders of our state.
Ballet Montana explores the relationship between traditional and contemporary forms of dance by introducing original ballet works. Collaboration with other performing and visual artists broadens this experience and presentation. Ballet Montana's original productions contribute to the artistic identity of Montana and the region while presenting and preserving the integrity of the classics. Ultimately, Ballet Montana satisfies a full spectrum of dance exposure, and aspires to enhance the national American dance identity.
Ballet Montana is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.