In 1941, only two years after the founding of Toledo Ballet, the first production of The Nutcracker in the United States took place in Toledo, Ohio, complete with live orchestral accompaniment by the Friends of Music, a precursor to the Toledo Symphony. Though only an abridgement of the score was permitted out of Russia at the end of the Great Depression and the onset of World War II, more and more of the score would be released over time, and Toledo Ballet continued to grow the production. To this day, Toledo Ballet holds the record for the longest, consecutive-running production of The Nutcracker in the nation, perpetuating a beloved holiday tradition that has become synonymous with Christmas.
In 1958, a group of citizens interested in supporting Toledo Ballet’s mission to present quality dance education and performances in the region founded the Toledo Ballet Association, and in 1963, the association was officially incorporated as a non-profit organization. After a 55-year career as Artistic Director of Toledo Ballet, Marie Vogt stepped down in 1995. Nigel Burgoine succeeded Vogt and served as Artistic Director of Toledo Ballet from 1995-2005. Under his direction, Toledo Ballet co-presented visiting, internationally touring dance companies in collaboration with the Valentine Theatre. Starting in 1998, Open Door to Dance was presented in Northwest Ohio schools. In 1999, First Steps, a dance education program for kindergarteners linking dance and literature was presented in area Title I-funded schools.
In 2007, Toledo Ballet moved to the expanded studio space at Franklin Park Mall and alumna Lisa Mayer-Lang was appointed School Director. During this time, Toledo Ballet premiered nine original productions featuring choreography by faculty member Michael Lang. In 2014, Lisa Mayer-Lang was named Artistic Director of Toledo Ballet and she served in this role until 2022.
Following a decades-long collaboration on various productions, most notably The Nutcracker, Toledo Ballet and Toledo Symphony realized more synergies in marketing and ticketing operations in 2017, setting the stage for increased collaborations. On January 1, 2019, Toledo Ballet and Toledo Symphony officially merged to form the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), a new non-profit organization dedicated to providing exceptional live music and dance performances and education for the region. This partnership is one of only a few in the nation and promises to create new and invigorating programs, provide cost and revenue synergies in operations, and integrate the arts through shared educational missions.
In 2022, professional dancer, educator, and choreographer Eric Otto was appointed as Toledo Ballet’s Artistic Director & Head of Curriculum.