Meet Charlene Carey & Karen Dial from Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre and Ballet Beyond Borders

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Thank you to my guests, Charlene Carey and Karen Dial for joining me on today’s Born To Talk Radio Show Podcast.

Charlene is the founder of the Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre & School and President of Ballet Beyond Borders. Joining her today is my neighbor from Westchester, California, Karen Dial. Karen is the Sponsor and Executive Producer of the Los Angeles, Festival and Gala for Ballet Beyond Borders.

The show’s focus is the Rockey Mountain Ballet Theatre that Charlene started in 1998 in Missoula, Montana. Over 18 years ago, Karen met Charlene because her daughter danced at the school.

They are both Community Gems!

The Mission and some history of the Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre.

“Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre’s mission is to offer important opportunities to the youth of Montana with training, performing and cultural exchanges and to enrich the quality of life in Montana through its original, unique Montana themed programming that is presented throughout Montana, US and internationally.”

In the early days as a local dance school for children 3 years to adults, the competition was not the focus.

Ballet Beyond Borders focuses on classical ballet and all genres of dance from Folkloric and Native American cultures with indigenous nations of Africa and South America, hip-hop, tap, and contemporary choreography. Ballet Beyond Borders is an inclusive society and is just one of the many programs offered at RMBT.

Here are some examples of how this non-profit organization has evolved.

In 2015, Charlene met Mr. Gregor Hatala, the Principal Dancer at the Vienna Staatsoper Ballet. He invited RMBT to host the premiere of the Vienna International Ballet Experience (VIBE) in the USA. In January of 2016, Missoula became the first USA city to host VIBE—which included a dance challenge, film festival, and diplomacy conference. RMBT produced and organized all aspects of VIBE USA: fundraising, recruiting outstanding dancers from an elite global pool. Invited were the prestigious jury, securing all venues, organizing all masterclasses, films, special events and lecture series.

RMBT collaborated closely with the Mansfield Center on the campus of the University of Montana and in harmony with Dr. Abraham Kim with the Diplomacy conferences. VIBE attracted over 6,000 participants, speakers, diplomats, and audience members. RMBT hosted the successful encore of VIBE USA in Missoula, Montana again in January 2017. Dancers from Romania, Italy, South Africa, Cuba, Mexico, Portugal, France, Brazil, China, and Austria met in an Olympic spirit. They shared art and creating mutual understanding. The topic of the week was the role of the arts in global human communication.

What you should know.

BBB presents classical ballet and all genres of dance from Folkloric and Native American cultures with indigenous nations of Africa and South America, hip-hop, tap, and contemporary choreography. BBB is an inclusive society. There will also be musicians, singers and, essay winners at the Gala on the 10th.

Coming to my Westchester hometown and Redondo Beach, California.

Beginning on August 7th continuing until the Gala on August 10th. The BBB dance challenge will be held at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, a state of the art facility. The Master Classes, special events, film screenings and Cultural Diplomacy in a Changing World conference will take place on the beautiful Loyola Marymount University campus. There will also be musicians, singers and, essay winners at the Gala on the 10th. For more information, check out their website for tickets to the Gala.