Forces of Philanthropy: International Ballet

International Ballet

Address: 1018 S. Batesville Road, Suite 1C, Greer, SC 29650
Phone: 864-879-9404

Facebook Handle: facebook.com/internationalballetgreenville/
Instagram Handle: @internationalballetgreenville

Number of Employees: 36
Established: 2003
Geographic Service Area: Upstate of South Carolina

Mission Statement

The mission of International Ballet is to inspire joy and success through professional ballet training and performances. Our vision is to make the art of ballet accessible to all. IB is dedicated to providing students with the highest caliber of ballet training while bringing exceptional ballet experiences to Upstate audiences through performances of “Swan Lake,” “The Nutcracker” and “Don Quixote” among other works. We seek to remove barriers to ballet by providing free classes to children and adults with disabilities and to children living in underserved communities where exposure to the arts may be limited. IB also provides free performances at the Greenville County Library on a quarterly basis.

Impact

Number of people served in community-outreach programs: 190 (including Storytime Ballet: 1,000)
Number of students enrolled: 250
Number of audience members reached: 7500
Dancers who have trained with International Ballet have gone on to dance professionally with Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Idaho, Ballet San Antonio and Ballet Theatre of Maryland, among others.

Leadership

Sarah Shoemaker, president

Fundraiser and/or Events

Passport to Dance annual benefit gala (spring): Silent and live auctions, dance performances
The Nutcracker Tea (December): A delightful introduction to “The Nutcracker” held annually at the Poinsett Hotel
“The Nutcracker” (December): Four performances with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra at the Peace Center
Children’s Ball (winter): Special parent-child dance fundraiser
“L’Automne”: (October): Four performances of mixed repertoire in our Black Box Theater
Spring ballet: Two performances of “Don Quixote” in 2025 with Greenville Symphony Orchestra at the Peace Center
Year-end demonstrations: Students in all classes including outreach programs perform for family and friends

Volunteer Opportunities

The best way to plug in as an International Ballet volunteer is to join the Assemblé Guild. Guild members serve as leaders and helpers for fundraisers and friend-raisers including the annual Passport to Dance gala, Winter Ball, Nutcracker Tea and Nutcracker Cast Party. The Guild also manages Nutcracker merchandise sales and provides backstage and administrative support. With quarterly meetings and perks of membership, it’s a no brainer to get involved!

Giving Opportunities