Meet Robyn Gardenhire of City Ballet of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Gardenhire.

Robyn, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
City Ballet of Los Angeles started in 2000 with the idea of training students and producing ballet’s that embraced all races and to bring the ballet into the 21st Century. We began in a small basement of the First Baptist Church of Westmorland and 8th street, we then began going through the paperwork of being a non-profit and this is the time I meet my very first board member Lynn Shook she would help me in my mission and how to operate as a business. She also introduced me to the Red Shield Youth & Community Center that ended up offering me the ballet studio they just built 4,000 sq. foot space that we have been in since 2001. We have built a school that offers Ballet, Modern, Yoga for ages 3yr.-up and have built a partnership with the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts that will help our students enter when they become of age. The company has performed all over Los Angeles The Ford Amphitheater, Ebell, Nate Holden, Orpheum, and the Henry Fonda. Presenting cutting edge work that takes the ballet to another level.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it is always a struggle to produce, but you make a way. The school has grown a great deal and continues to do so.

City Ballet of Los Angeles – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
What sets us apart from others is we are open to everyone. Our school is the only scholarship school in the city.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Seeing that our work matters in more ways than dance it has affected lives in building fine young people even if they did not become dancers. They come and visit they bring their kids to take ballet. I have been able to continue and pass on an art that was passed on to me.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1532 W 11th Street
• Website: www.cityballetofla.org
• Phone: 323-292-1932
• Email: cbla@cityballetofla.org

Image Credit:
Camara Creations
Julie Hopkins