Culture of Belonging

Richmond Ballet, the State Ballet of Virginia, awakens, uplifts, and unites human spirits through the power of dance. Our organization strives to cultivate a Culture of Belonging, embedded in every aspect of our work, flowing through our dancers, staff, school, and community engagement programs. We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and included. By embracing diverse voices and perspectives, and through active and continuous learning, we aim to build a culture where all members of our community feel empowered and experience a true sense of belonging.

Key Initiatives

Workshops and Training
Through ongoing professional development, we equip our staff and dancers with tools to foster belonging. Our workshops include training on unconscious bias, anti-racism, communication styles, and diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices.

Community Partnerships
We actively collaborate with local organizations to bring diverse perspectives to our performances, educational programs, and community engagement efforts.

Empowering the Community

School of Richmond Ballet, Minds In Motion, & Lecture Demonstrations
Our commitment to a Culture of Belonging extends to our educational and community engagement programs. Through the School of Richmond Ballet, Minds In Motion, and Lecture Demonstrations, we create a welcoming environment that fosters a love of dance, nurtures self-awareness and confidence, and connects students of all ages to the art form in an engaging and accessible way.

Public Programs
We aim to make ballet accessible to everyone in the community through our community ticket programs:

Ballet for All: Providing free tickets to The Nutcracker for local non-profit organizations.
VCA Passport Program: In partnership with the Virginia Commission for the Arts, we offer select $10 tickets to performances for Women, Infants, and Children cardholders as well as individuals in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

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Our Commitment

We understand that fostering a Culture of Belonging is a continuous journey. Richmond Ballet is committed to:

Building future partnerships that reflect the diversity of our community.
Expanding our internal staff programs to include more voices and perspectives.
Evolving our company’s structure to promote inclusion at every level.