Florida Gulfshore Ballet

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.

Southwest Florida's new professional ballet company produces Carmen as a loving tribute to the late, great choreographer Jimmy Gamonet de los Heros.

Gulf Coast Symphony and Gulfshore Ballet are making The Nutcracker a Southwest Florida holiday tradition. But this year's production at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on December 16th is different from prior years.

Myth and the music of Mendelsohn will transform the Tribbe Arts Center at Shell Point into an enchanted forest filled with magic and intrigue when Gulfshore Ballet performs A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

In this week’s “Spotlight on the Arts” segment, WGCU’s Tom Hall explores Florida Gulfshore Ballet and Gulf Coast Symphony’s upcoming performances of “The Nutcracker.”

Southwest Florida’s new, first, and only professional ballet company Florida Gulfshore Ballet is holding a fundraising performance event at Artis-Naples, Nov. 18 to benefit local arts organizations impacted by Hurricane Ian. We talk with Florida Gulfshore Ballet artistic directors Iliana Lopez and Franklin Gamero about the event, their vision for the new ballet company, and their own impressive careers as professional ballet dancers.