Excellent company and dancers, I just recently saw their production of The Sleeping Beauty. It was beautifully danced.

My boyfriend and I decided to take my daughter to see Sacramento Ballet's performance of the Nutcracker for her first ballet at SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, since she loves ballerinas and wants to be one! I'm a bit rusty since taking ballet as a child, but she's always twirling around, curtsying when she finishes, he he! I won't give away any spoilers in case you hadn't seen the ballet, but she loved watching them twirl around and seeing their beautiful festive tutus, as did we! Something about watching ballet is very calming too, maybe it's the classical music, but we stayed awake and the performance was flawless and the young dancers were so graceful! The ballet has finally opened after 2 years since the pandemic started and everyone was masked up, including some dancers, vaccine cards checked at the door as well! We'll definitely be back in the future I'm sure to watch more performances here, despite having a rambunctious child, to start a family tradition! It was definitely a favorite child memory for my family! read more

Sacramento Ballet - With my boyfriend! :-) - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Dancing talent is sub par. Timing is way off. Too many scenes are left out. No uniformity. Just awful. Orchestra was good. read more

it's a great school and i have been going to it for about 4 years.Although some teachers do have favorites and some don't and treat equal.Although, great school and front desk is friendly read more

Astounding! The Swan Lake Performance was flawless, skilled and powerful. Looking forward to the 2023 season.

What an awesome show today, I once when to 40 Sac Ballet shows in 3 months back in 2012. (23 Nutcrackers Performances). Well thanks to Yelp,.I got to go to today's show with my wife, Rich L and his grandson. The first performance was "In The Warmth of Winter" was amazing seeing all the dancers in sync shows how much practice they put into making this show. In the second performance "Among the Cypress" Dancers Julia Feldman and Chris Nachtrab made this part of the performance awesome, their grace and poise made this one not to miss. The third performance "Incident at Blackbriar" was my FAVORITE. Alexandra Cunningham, Ava Chatterson and Stefan Calka all work GREAT together. They all have been dancing together for a few years now and they really know how to make it shine. The 4th performance of the day was "Keep Me Wishing in the Dark." Sad to say it was the last part of today's performance. It was pretty interesting seeing all the dancers in dress like outfits, But it looks like they didn't have any problems performing in them. The choreography was amazing. If you ever get a chance to see this show, I recommended you go see it. I can't wait for the 2016 performances to be announced. Get in there and watch one of Sac Ballet's performances. read more

See all

This is a review of the Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Party held by the Sacramento Ballet after one of the Nutcracker performances. I believe it is held once per year so it is a highly anticipated event. Tickets cost $20 for each person attending the party. The party was held in one of the rooms in the Sacramento Convention Center, right next to the theater. The party room was very nicely decorated for the season. Large props were scattered throughout the room for photo opportunities. Delicious snacks were located each table. Some tables are reserved so look out for the table signs. It was a bit crowded, so when the characters arrive get in line right away to take pictures, especially with the Sugar Plum Fairy. Her line was the longest. Some characters are not assigned stations so they walk about and mingle with the guests. Highly, highly recommended! And don't forget your camera! read more

Sacramento Ballet - Sugar Plum Fairy Tea 2011. More pics: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjxiVBi6 - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Finally I can review! I want to profusely apologize to those people in row K a few weeks ago. I went to the Nutcracker to see a family friend perform. I was feeling nauseous and started getting a fever.. then yes I unexpectedly threw up on myself.. UGH. Fortunately for me I was close to the end and the ushers were awesome getting me some water and bags... The theater does not have a bad seat in the house, and the performance was well done.. I hope next year I can see all of the acts, not the first two... stupid flu bug read more

I went to see the Nutcracker. This would be a wonderful holiday treat for children who enjoy theater. Enjoyable for adults, too. Hey guys, this would be a great date night! Very reasonable prices. read more

As an active patron of the arts and a newcomer to Sacramento, I decided to experience the city's local ballet. A friend invited me to the Beer and Ballet series, a unique idea in which several dancers choreograph pieces that the remaining dancers perform. A ticket includes a beer or glass of wine-hence the name. When buying the tickets, I was a surprised at the expense: $58 per ticket. Given that the troupe is rather small, I expected cheaper prices and honestly, mediocre dance...was I ever wrong. The first impressions of Sacramento Ballet do not accurately predict the quality of the show. The ballet is held in a room on the top floor of an old school, which threw me off at first, as did the sight of the ballet dancers scurrying around us as we waited in line to check in. Coming from Chicago, I was used to big productions held in large concert venues. You never saw the dancers unless you had a VIP pass backstage. Once I understood the premise of Beer & Ballet, which was supposed to take the pretentiousness and formality out of ballet, I appreciated the relaxed surroundings. As we entered the seating area, I realized that I was hungry (as always). Thank goodness there were a variety of snack items such as chips, cheese & grapes, and brownies for sale for $5 or less. I chose the cheese plate and a glass of Chardonnay. As we found our seats, I noticed that the room was intimate with graded rows so the small crowd could see the performance unobstructed. Unfortunately, the sound was not consistent for those of us sitting in the back near the speakers; some songs sounded loud and a little grainy. The DJ had some issues starting one or two of the songs which threw off the entry. The production itself was phenomenal and made up for the little quirky mishaps in the show. Each dance piece was unique and the dancers were very talented. Most of the pieces were energetic and kept us on the edge of our seats. I also enjoyed the variety of musical genres represented: Alice In Chains, Chicago the Musical, 70's music, and classical pieces to name a few. By the end of the production, most audience members including myself gave the event a standing ovation. I will be back to see the ballet again in March and will be leaving my judgments at home. read more

I've always enjoyed a performance by the Sacramento Ballet. They have intimate, in-studio, performances that you don't want to miss. The shows are inexpensive. The more elaborate productions are even more exciting. My favorite is "Modern Masters" -- a contemporary ballet show that the company produces every year. With the mastery of Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda at the helm, you are left dazzled at each production. Go! Go! Go! See this and fall in love with the most spectacular of art forms. read more

The schedule for 2014-2015 is spectacular. A repeat of 2013's world premiere Great Gatsby (which was probably the best ballet I've ever seen and I've seen a few), Swan Lake (which hasn't been on the Sac Ballet schedule in 15 years), the ever popular Nutcracker Suite and a brand new Ron Cunningham choreographed "Peter Pan". I recommend purchasing your season tickets today! read more

I agree with Jen. Who says there is no culture in Sacramento? I went to see the Nutcracker in December, and I was very impressed with the dancers, the orchestra, and especially the beautiful sets. They kept the production lighthearted, with a couple of funny moments, including when one of the dancers paused for a moment and started doing the Macarena. My 8 year old son was not thrilled about going to such a girly event, but it kept him and his 2 cousins enthralled. read more

What an amazing treat! I got to see excerpts from their upcoming performance of Romeo and Juliet at their Hot Italian nights in Verona event and witnessed the most beautiful dancers I've ever seen. I had no idea there was such amazing talent here in Sacramento, not only are they phenomenal dancers, they're great actors and actresses as well! I was also able to attend their preview performance which was a final run through before going on stage and it brought me to tears! These dancers, my goodness I can't even describe. Juliet was beautiful and had such range from innocent child to seductress and blissfully happy in love to a wife in agony. Romeo was full of passion, anger, and charisma. Mercutio was comical, playfully aggressive, and fierce. I would love to see their full production coming up this week! An amazing company with a beautiful and touching performance. read more

The Sacramento Ballet astonishes me in the way they can perform and operate with such a ridiculously small budget. Time after time they put out wonderful performances, fun events, and great studio shows without you ever realizing they are surviving by the skin of their teeth. It amazes me why the community doesn't stand behind such an incredible arts institution! I'm looking forward to the next season. Hope you will attend a performance, and lend your support! read more

We love the School of the Sacramento Ballet. Our daughter has been dancing here for a year and a half. Everyone from the school principal, Miss Melanie, to the school administrator, Dr. Julie, to the teachers, is great. They care about the kids, work to make sure the parents understand what is going on and run the best dance school I have seen! This is a top notch school!! read more

If you truly love ballet, I would advise against Sacramento Ballet. Their dancers are mediocre at best. The men can barely get off the ground. I saw their Peter Pan a few years ago. The dancer playing Wendy was terrible and the Indian dance was fairly racist. They are okay with some of the Balanchine rep but they don't bring in great choreographers. I gather their current director choreographs a lot of their rep but that stuff is at best derivative and at worst stolen from Balanchine and other choreographers. I'm guessing people in Sacramento don't know much about dance or maybe they just enjoy watching their kids in the Nutcracker. I've heard people talk about the small budget but I've seen ballet school productions that were better. read more

The problem with the Sacramento Ballet is not the performance but the ticket sales process. I ordered two tickets totaling 32 Dollars. On top of that I had to pay a convenience fee of 15.50 Dollars plus an order processing fee of 3.50 Dollars. Those extra fees total 19 Dollar which is over 59% of the ticket price. Are you out of your mind ? And, the more tickets you buy, the higher that fee even though the work involved in this processing really doesn't increase all that much. In the future, I will go to the San Francisco Ballet which is also great but has a much lower "convenience" fee. read more

I saw the Sacramento Ballet perform at the Harris Center in Folsom, California on June 17, 2017, and it was spectacular. There were three distinct acts. The first was The Four Temperaments, originally by George Balanchine. The performers executed the moves with clockwork precision and grace, displaying the professionalism you would expect from a world class ballet company. The second part was Focal Point, choreographed by Ashley Walton. This was my favorite, as it showed enormous creativity, perfect timing, and mesmerizing special effects. Lighting changes added to the dynamism of the performance, with haunting music and exquisite ballet moves. The third part, The Seven Deadly Sins, by Ron Cunningham used ballet to weave a timely story about human nature with a backdrop of homelessness. The story was intriguing and well performed in the classic style of popular ballet. The costumes and the technical details were superb. I really enjoyed the fact that Roy Cunningham and Carinne Binder, the art directors were in the audience mingling to answer questions and provide support for the Sacramento Ballet. Also present was Ashley Walton who created Focal Point in 2015. She was graciously engaging with audience members, providing details on the creative process. Thanks to all! This was truly a memorable performance that brought great pleasure to all of us. read more

You no longer have to go to San Francisco for great ballet! I've watched The Sacramento Ballet perform over the past couple years and have to say that these dancers put on outstanding performances. In addition to the traditional "Nutcracker" I've enjoyed "Where The Wild Things Are", "Dracula", "Scheherazade" and more. I'm really looking forward to attending their annual Beer & Ballet series! read more

I went to Beer and Ballet last weekend. It was the first time I ever went to the Sacramento Ballet and I enjoyed it. However, there was no beer. Apparently Brew It Up had a scheduling conflict and was unable to deliver the beer. I would have assumed that the Ballet Company would have called a day or two prior to the event to determine what time the kegs would be delivered and have then discovered this discrepancy with time to remedy the situation, rather than waiting for Brew It Up to call two hours before the show with the bad news. Other than that, it was an entertaining show. read more

Suprsingly I have been going to plays & ballets for about 25 years now. I am no expert or even an athority on the topic. I took my kindergarten son to see the 2016 nutcracker with his elementry school. I would have been extremely upset if I paid for the tickets. As a traditional classic now 124 years old and considered a masterpiece by some. I thought I knew what I was to expect when I signed up for this show. I thought I would see vibrant colors with an orchesta. I was shocked to see no orchestra and the sound system that took its place to be from the last decade if not century. The vibrant colors replaced with washed out shades of red and white. The stage was confusing with the same actors playing multiple parts and the way different things were going on on stage at the same time. I was not sure what to be watching. Usually I can rely on the program to clue me in on what's happening, this was not the case though. The progam is 34 pages long with 32 pages of useless information & adds. 2 pages had 3 paragraphs each about the show itself. Most of the actors/dancers did excellent. I think the fault lies with the choreographer, director, and production team. I do realize this was a free showing for mainly an elementary school and was a very early run if not the first. My wife has gone to this production many times as a young girl and will take our daughter in two weeks for her first theater experience. I hope it improves in that time. read more

I was so excited to win tickets to the show on Saturday. I took my children and we all really enjoyed the show. Those dancers were amazing!! I truly enjoyed each performance, but "In the Warmth of Winter" and "Among the Cypress" were my absolute favorites! I definitely plan on catching another show in the future. What a special treat for my Mother's Day weekend. read more

Not only a major success story for surviving the economy, this company is cutting edge all the way. I'm no fan of the Nutcracker, but their modern repertoire is fantastic, and they've got a Ballanchine repertoire that's unbeatable on the West Coast. A must-see. read more

Great program of the whole family so gather up the kids, call grandma and gramps and anyone you know who is young at heart. This is a great Valentine's Day ticket. I saw the Premiere on Friday night and couldn't recommend it more highly. I just promise that you will have a great time and the kids will be able to keep up with what's going on in the familiar Peter Pan story. The special effects never get in the way of the dancing or story. Rex Wheeler seems to have been born to dance the role of Peter Pan. Capt. Hook, Tinker Bell, and the Indian Princess are also well cast and danced with skill and personality. I promise that you will thoroughly enjoy this program and be ready to stand and cheer these dedicated dancers. Be prepared to clap- a lot! Don't miss it. It's a perfect Valentine's Day confection for less than the price of a bouquet of roses and a heck of a lot more fun. read more

Local gem in the culture- entertainment venue. Daughter danced there for 10 years and was in multiple Nutcracker performances...not to be missed is the Beer & Ballet series. Formerly held in their studio downtown. Now they hold it at the theater at Sac City college...Free parking and more seats. The performances are choreographed by the dancers...excellent talent read more

The 2008 performance of the Nutcracker was a big hit! The Sacramento Ballet is a smaller company, so no large and elaborate scenes. But the wonderful stage sets, creative lighting, and talented dancers made a great performance. I can't wait to see the 2009 performances! read more

I've only been to one performance, but I was very impressed. Fantastic arts resource in the community. Would love to see them add a few more classical shows to their season. And, would love to see their patronage increase! read more

My daughter participated in the Musical Theater Intensive Camp during the summer of 2012. Alex, the camp coordinator and the other teachers were wonderful with the kids. The placement auditions seemed a little intense but a necessary element, I think, as there were so many kids at different levels/ages enrolled on camp. Each child had classes in ballet, tap, musical theater and vocal ensemble on a daily basis as well as private voice lessons. The demonstration at the end of camp was both fun and impressive. read more

This review is for The Sugar Plum Fairy Tea party. Three years ago I took my little ones to this event, and it was wonderful. The whole place was a winter wonderland, filled with great decorations. There was so much attention to detail, that they even had sugar cubes for the tea party. It was very lovely and everything was so delicious. But sad to say this year it was completely the opposite. There was hardly any decorations, mostly white walls, it felt like you were just at a business gathering more so than a tea party. Everyone that came with us were so excited to go to this event, but were quickly disappointed with everything. All the food was left on the table, it was such a waste. The only thing the girls enjoyed, was getting autographs from the cast of the Nutcracker. The ambience was boring so we ended up just leaving early, which is not like us. The shocker is at $30 per person, the tickets were more expensive this year than the first time we went, yet it was such a disappointment. It is so sad but we probably will never go again unless they do a bit more like what they did two years ago. read more

I am a former member of the Sacramento Ballet and I can say whole heartedly that they treat their dancers very badly. The performances turn out quite well, but the directors Ron and Carine run their dancers into the ground and have no tolerance for injuries. They have also hired foreign dancers illegally in the past and paid them under the table. This made it even easier for them to treat them like garbage without any legal ramifications. I truly do feel sorry for the dancers and wish them the best of luck because no one deserves to be treated that way. read more

We saw opening night of The Nutcracker, seats in row P. It was so magical and wonderful! It was the first time our 4 and 6 year-old's had seen The Nutcracker, and it was priceless to watch them experience it like this! The symphony was an EXCELLENT addition to the show----it is just so nice to have live music--really stepped it up a notch. My kids left mystified how the Nutcracker "grew," and they've been dancing around the house ever since last Friday. Highly recommend! read more

Hands down the best ballet education available in the area.

I have been to two shows so far with family and we really have enjoyed it. The nutcracker was especially magic. I would recommend it highly. read more

This is a review of the Nutcracker performance that took place on 12/15/2012. First of all, how is it that there can be a performance of a classical piece of music written by a composer as illustrious as Tchaikovsky without the presence of an orchestra? I purchased these tickets with the understanding that there would be an orchestra performing the music and found no information on the Sacramento Ballet's website that would have led me to believe anything to the contrary. My girlfriend studied ballet years ago, so I thought that she could enjoy that aspect of the performance while I was able to enjoy the performance of a live orchestra. When we took our seats in the Grand Tier ($50 each BTW) you can imagine my dismay at the sight of an empty orchestra pit. The music was performed over the community center's speakers. After searching on Google to figure out why the heck there was no orchestra, we found that the ballet has been running a deficit the past few years and so decided to omit the orchestra. Now, I can understand having budgetary concerns, but I think it is gross negligence to not have some sort of indicator on the website when people are thinking about purchasing tickets. There is no way I would have been willing to dole out over a hundred dollars to see ballet with classical music over loudspeakers. Additionally, there were several times in the performance when one of the performers nearly fell over. There were a few bright spots, including one guy who played the part of a Russian dancer. Every time he was on the stage you knew it because he danced with so much energy. We did enjoy him. There was also a couple who danced to the Arabian portion of the music, and they were quite good. Aside from those few bright spots, we felt as if we were watching a high school ballet performance by amateurs...and minus an orchestra. I forgot to mention also that the program for the event had the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra listed and blacked out with a sharpie pen. Be warned. If you're going to this event hoping to hear an orchestral performance, you will be sorely disappointed. read more