FIRST TIME AT THE BALLET?

This section answers a range of questions about ballet and the unique nature of Virginia Ballet Theatre. Find out the difference between a full-length ballet and a mixed-repertory program or what to wear to a performance.

TICKETS

How can I purchase tickets?
Season and Series tickets can be purchased through the VBT box office. Please fill out a ticket order form and fax it to 757.622.7904 or mail it to Virginia Ballet Theatre, Attn: Tickets, 134 W. Olney Road in Norfolk, VA 23510. Orders placed through VBT will incur a handling fee of $5 per order.
Please allow two to three weeks for mail and fax orders to be processed.

Single tickets for Pétrouchka can be purchased through TicketMaster or the VBT box office. Single tickets for The Nutcracker can be purchased through TicketMaster or the Scope/Chrysler Hall box office and single tickets for The Twelve Dancing Princesses can be purchased through the Sandler Center box office. Please note all internet and phone purchases through TicketMaster and Sandler Center tickets will incur additional handling and convenience fees. Purchasing directly from the venue or through the VBT box office will minimize additional charges.

The Box Office at the Theater is open on performance dates beginning one hour prior to the performance until the first intermission.

Are there discount tickets available?
Season and Series packages save up to 25% off of single ticket prices!

We offer a 10% discount for all performances to seniors 55 and older and military families. Groups of 10 or more receive a 20 % discount on adult tickets. Students age 13-25 and children 12 & under tickets are discounted and cannot be combined with any other discount. Students, seniors and military must present a valid ID in person when purchasing tickets.

Should I have my tickets mailed to me or arrange to pick them up at Will Call?
When time allows, it is best to have the tickets mailed to you in order to review the tickets when they arrive. Be sure to check the day, date, and time of performance, as well as the number of tickets. Will Call is the option when the performance is less than a week away. Please allow plenty of time for traffic delays, parking lots lines, and a line to pick up will call tickets as latecomers will be asked to stand in the back until an appropriate break in the program to be seated.

Where do I pick up Will Call tickets?
Will Call tickets are held at the Box Office located in the lobby of the theater where the performances take place. The Will Call window is open only on performance days, beginning one hour prior to performance time.

My online purchase did not complete; what should I do?
If you haven't yet entered your payment, simply try again. If you ordered your tickets through TicketMaster or New Era Tickets, you need to contact them directly for replacement tickets. If you ordered through the Virginia Ballet Theatre box office, it's best to email us or phone us at 757.622.4822 x 401.

My seat numbers at the Theater are 1 and 3. Are these seats together?
Yes. In many theatres, seats are numbered odd on one side of the theater and even on the other, with the center section numbered consecutively. If you are still unsure, please feel free to contact us or the theater to confirm.

PERFORMANCE DAY

What should I wear?
You should wear whatever you like! You will see people attired in a wide range of dress. Many come from work in business attire and many attend wearing jeans. If you are looking for an opportunity to wear that new cocktail dress for a night out on the town, there will be others dressed up, as well.

What time does the theater open?
The theater box office and 'will call' window will open one hour prior to curtain for picking up and purchasing tickets. The venue doors will open one hour prior to the curtain, allowing guests into the lobby; theater doors open one half hour prior to the curtain.

Where should I park?
At the TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, limited on-street parking is available on Granby Street. City parking garages are located one block away at the corner of Freemason and Monticello Streets and at MacArthur Center Mall. City garages and lots usually cost $4.00 per car on event nights.

Chrysler Hall's parking garage is located under Norfolk Scope and Chrysler Hall and can be accessed from St. Paul's Boulevard. City lots are also available across Brambleton Avenue and across Charlotte Street. City garages and lots usually cost $4.00 per car on event nights.

Click here for a Downtown Norfolk parking guide.

If I'm new to ballet, how will I understand what's going on?
You will be provided with a program when you enter the theater explaining the Ballet you about to see, including information about the performers, music and choreography. Remember, you can appreciate ballet in just the same way as a piece of music. If there is a theme or a story, it will be made clear through the dance. Often there is no story and all you need to do is appreciate the shapes, patterns and skill of the dancers.

How do I know when to applaud?
There are no rules about showing your appreciation of a ballet performance - the dancers love hearing the audience applaud and even cheer, just as athletes and musicians would!

At what age is it appropriate to bring a child to the Ballet?
Many children over the age of four can remain happily and quietly seated for a two-hour performance but you know your child best. The Nutcracker is an excellent introduction for children. However, we do not typically recommend children under the age of six for a repertory show and under the age of three for family shows. Please note that everyone entering the theater must have a ticket, no matter how young or old. Parents will be asked to remove children creating a disturbance during the performance. No infants please.

What's the difference between a full-length ballet program and a mixed-rep program?
Ballet is similar to theater in that many ballet productions are based on stores that unfold over one to three acts during the course of an evening. The Nutcracker, Cinderella and Swan Lake, are full-length ballets that follow a story line.

A mixed repertory program has something for everyone. It's a selection of three or four works that make up an evening of entertainment. The individual works may be based on a story, relationship or an abstract idea that evolves throughout the piece. A mixed repertory program can also be an excellent introduction to ballet because of this variety.

What do I do if I arrive late to the theater?
When arriving to the theater, please allow plenty of time for traffic, parking and ticket lines. Ushers will be in the lobby to greet you when you arrive; they will seat in you the back of the theatre, as not to disturb the performance. You will be able to move to your seats during intermission.

Is the theater wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All of the theaters Virginia Ballet Theatre performs in are ADA compliant. Please contact the theater directly with any further questions.

Can I take pictures or record the performance?
No cameras or tape recorders are permitted in the Theater. Licensing laws strictly prohibit the recording of the music and choreography. Flash photography or even the reflection of light off a camera lens can catch a dancer's attention causing them to loose their footing and hurt themselves. Recording devices of any kind will be confiscated.

THE BALLET

A top-ranked female dancer is called a ballerina - what about the men?
Premiere Danseur or Principal Dancer are terms for male dancers of the highest ranking.

What are pointe shoes made of?
Pointe shoes are worn by female dancers so that they can balance and turn on their toes. Made of satin and shaped like narrow slippers, they have no heel and there is no wood or metal in pointe shoes. The area covering the toes is made of layers of fabric glued together in the shape of an oblong "box" and hardened. The sole of the shoe is hard leather which lends slight support to the arch of the foot. Pointe shoes are worn two to three sizes smaller than street shoes. To keep them on tightly, dancers sew satin ribbons and elastic bands to the sides and tie them securely around their ankles. A pair of shoes cost between $65 and $80; during The Nutcracker, a Principal Ballerina will go through approximately ten pairs of pointe shoes.

What do dancers do when they aren't on stage?
Dancers' lives are full of daily ballet technique classes and rehearsals. A typical work day can start with an hour-long class, followed by four to six hours of rehearsal, often concluding with a two-hour evening performance.

How long does it take to become a dancer?
It takes roughly eight to ten years of training to become a professional ballet dancer. Training ideally begins when a student is between the ages of 7 and 10. Beginners attend technique class once or twice a week. By the time a student is 15 years of age, they will be taking 10-15 classes per week. The hope of a career with one of the world's top ballet companies is limited to a very few people. These dancers are comparable to the finest Olympic athletes.

Why does it take so long to prepare, and isn't a dancer's career rather short?
A large part of a ballet dancer's job is to make the difficult look easy. Unlike professional athletes, whose exertion and effort is perceptible and expected, ballet dancers strive to create the illusion of effortlessness. Simply leaping and turning are not enough. Ballet is a theatre art; the gravity-defying movements these artists can execute are meant to mystify and entertain. Careers in ballet are indeed short. Typically, a dancer's career ends anywhere between ages 30 and 40. Dancers often move into choreography. Many also teach, direct their own ballet companies or resume formal education. The intensity of ballet training and short length of a professional career often mean that dancers do not study beyond high school. In recent years, however, many of the country's top universities have devised special programs that welcome dancers, and many other artists, to join in resumed undergraduate and graduate level study.

Do dancers get dizzy when they turn?
Dancers learn a handy trick called "spotting." Before they begin a turn, they select something to focus on, a clock, door, or distant light. As they turn they try to keep their eyes focused on that object until they have to whip their head around quickly to find the spot again. This helps the dancer keep a steady balance during consecutive turns.

How long does it take to create and present a brand new full-length production, like The Nutcracker, for example?
Creating an entirely new production means assembling quite an extensive creative team of scenery, costume and lighting designers, choreographers, musicians, conductors, dancers, and composers. Not to mention a professional administrative staff that raises funds to support the project, and drives the marketing, public relations, education and outreach efforts to support a new production. It's not uncommon for planning and creative production to commence two years from the eventual premiere date.

Where does ballet come from, and why has the art form endured so long?
Ballet originated in Italy in the 15th century. Catherine de Medici exported the art form to France where it developed into a highly popular form of entertainment for the royal court. Ballet was an integral part of a huge entertainment spectacle that included lavish costumes, music, singing, props, moving scenery and pyrotechnical special effects. Louis XIV, the Sun King, established the five primary ballet positions of the feet and arms. Ballet was not performed on an actual stage until 1669, when it was presented as part of an opera.

HOW CAN I HELP?

What can I do to support the Virginia Ballet Theatre?
Attending performances is a very important part of supporting VBT. Purchasing season tickets and consider taking someone that has never attended a Ballet before. Subscription and single ticket sales cover only about 30% of our operating costs; we depend on contributed income to provide approximately 40% of the annual operating costs. Individual and Corporate opportunities for giving are available; we invite you to supporting The Virginia Ballet Theatre by giving at a donation level that fits your means.

Besides financially, how else can I contribute to Virginia Ballet Theatre?
Play a significant role in the success of the Virginia Ballet Theatre by volunteering. Volunteers are a critical and highly valued part of the Ballet. As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to work with accomplished dancers, artistic staff and administrative professionals. Immerse yourself in the culture of dance with chances to receive complimentary tickets to Virginia Ballet Theatre productions. Volunteer opportunities are available in various areas, including marketing, production, education, and special events. Whatever your talent and schedule; we will find the perfect job for you. Flexible part-time hours are available. Contact Michelle Brennan for more information on how you can help!

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Frank & Janina Bove, Directors
134 W. Olney Rd., Norfolk, Virginia 23510
(757) 622-4822