Florida Gulfshore Ballet

Three months ago, ballerina Skylar Frye found herself at a crossroads. After studying ballet from age 8, and 10-hour days and performances every night for weeks at a time during her four years at the University of Arizona, she was tired. But Gulfshore Ballet has helped rekindle her passion with its invitation to dance Dew Drop, Snow and Arabian in 'The Nutcracker' ballet.

Gulfshore Ballet has cast alumna Anna McKinney in role of Sugar Plum Fairy in 'The Nutcracker.' It almost didn't happen.

This holiday season, eight ballet companies are performing “The Nutcracker” 27 times across Southwest Florida. Gulfshore Ballet in Fort Myers will be responsible for four of those performances. While the story is the same, the choreography will be different this year because three former students will be dancing the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Dew Drop, Marzipan and the Christmas Fairy.

This year, there are 27 performances of this holiday favorite by eight ballet companies and three symphony orchestras.

Universal Ballet is one of the top competitions in the United States for ballet students. In April, Gulfshore Ballet’s dynamic duo, Kayla Rathur and Madelena Urban, took second place for their Kitris’ friends variation duo. Rathur was also top 9 out of 700 competitors in the solo division.

One of Southwest Florida’s premier ballet companies is back with a charming, comedic masterpiece about an eccentric toymaker and the beautiful life size doll he creates. On May 3rd, Gulfshore Ballet will perform “Coppélia,” in which that doll comes to life, enchanting an entire European town during its Festival of Bells. Artistic Director Iliana Lopez explains why Gulfshore Ballet decided to produce this ballet for the very first time.

When Iliana Lopez and Franklin Gamero joined Gulfshore Ballet 12 years ago, they envisioned the day they’d be able to establish a professional ballet company. That day came last year, and the results will be on display when Gulfshore Ballet performs Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty” ballet at the Wang Opera Center on Saturday.

Opera Naples Festival Under the Stars closes on Saturday, March 15, with two performances of Tchaikovsky’s "Sleeping Beauty" performed by Gulfshore Ballet in the Wang Opera Center. Gulfshore Opera offers a “Taste of Opera” on Thursday at the Naples Sailing & Yacht Club. And the Sarasota Opera House will perform five different operas over the course of the week.

This week, theatergoers have 17 productions from which to choose, including one new play and performances of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker by Gulfshore Ballet and Sarasota Ballet.

Pytor Tchaikovsky’s 1982 two-act ballet has been described as “the eternal fantasy of Christmas come to life.” So Gulfshore Ballet Artistic Director Iliana Lopez is thrilled to bring “The Nutcracker” to Naples, Sanibel and Fort Myers this holiday season.