A New comes to Wake Forest!

My name is Ruth Leney-Midkiff and I am the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Wake Forest Civic Ballet (WFCB). Twelve years ago, Patty Ogden, Owner and Director of Destiny Dance Institute (DDI), asked me to develop a high caliber ballet program for young dancers at DDI. We now have what is recognized as one of the top ballet programs in the Triangle area.

What began as a single weekly class so long ago has blossomed into a fully-developed, Pre-Professional curriculum. We now have five levels and a permanent faculty of six instructors, who come to us with outstanding credentials from schools and companies worldwide. Our most advanced young dancers attend class five times weekly, and have been invited to study at some of our nation’s most prestigious dance schools including: , Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Richmond Ballet, , and . Some have gone on to dance professionally, and many are enthusiastically aspiring to careers as young dance artists.

In 2010, we founded the Destiny Dance Institute Ballet Company (DDIBC), which gave our dancers a vehicle to perform both classical and contemporary repertoire. From Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, to Stravinsky’s Firebird and guest artist Bill de Young’s edgy “Slate,” our dancers have leapt and twirled their way into the world of dance. Our success is built upon a commitment to hard work, quality training, and excellence in production.

DDIBC has used its resources to foster the arts in our community, not only by hiring instructors and choreographers, but also by engaging local seamstresses, set designers, lighting designers, photographers, actors and more. We have built up a thriving group of volunteers who have assisted with everything from fundraising to costume designs. Now, seven years later, we are taking it all to the next level with the launching of our new non-profit: Wake Forest Civic Ballet.

As Artistic Director, I firmly believe that the arts have the ability to breathe cultural life into a community, and make it a go-to destination. In that role, the arts can enhance the lives of local citizens, while also bringing welcome business into the area. At DDI, we would like to see Wake Forest Civic Ballet established as a significant and integral part of the Wake Forest community. Our vision is that it be a hub for creativity… a place where young dancers may collaborate and be inspired by professional artists of all varieties. We envision hosting nationally renowned dance artists to share their breadth of knowledge and talent with the next generation. Ultimately, we would like to bring these experiences to the stage with high quality dance performances for the city of Wake Forest and surrounding communities.

This fall, DDI and the Wake Forest Civic Ballet are excited to move to our new centrally-located, state-of-the-art studio spaces in downtown Wake Forest, where we hope to continue expanding our role as a vital contributor to the Wake Forest community. I am heartened by all that we have accomplished thus far and by the support we have received from the community to date and I very much look forward to a bright and thriving future for our company in Wake Forest.

With Kind Regards,

Ruth Leney-Midkiff, Co-Founder and Artistic Director Wake Forest Civic Ballet