Annual membership dues, donations, and yearly gifts from the City of Santa Clara have primarily funded the non-profit Santa Clara Ballet Company, now in its 35th year. In addition, friends of the Ballet volunteer their time and effort for backstage work and fund-raising projects. The company has also been an active community member through school visitation programs and local demonstrations. It is the collective commitment of the dancers, the volunteers, and individual and corporate members that enable the Company to continue its goal of keeping classical ballet alive in the community.

Starting as a repertory company in 1973, the Company has since expanded its repertoire with full-length productions such as The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty. The Company has a regular season in the area performing at The Santa Clara Convention Center Theatre. The Company has also completed professional tour engagements throughout the Western United States, British Columbia, and most recently overseas for a special event in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

Because of the ever-present difficulty in getting funds for the Company, we are asking your support in the form of memberships and donations. Your tax-deductible contributions will help talented young dancers in their artistic growth and development. If you would like more information on how to donate or become a volunteer, please contact Dennis Mullen, President and Board Member, at 408-247-9178 or scballet@bigfoot.com.

The Artistic Director
Josefa Villanueva

Villanueva started her training in the Philippines with Roberta and Ricardo Cassell (a student of Vincenzo Celli). She was formerly a member of the San Francisco Ballet Company and the San Francisco Opera Ballet. Previous to that, she performed as a lead dancer with the San Francisco Ballet Celeste for four years. She taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Ballet and Theatre Arts as well as San Jose City College. Her teaching experience is enriched with classes from well known Russian teachers and distinguished teachers in New York City. Her performing experience includes multiple lead roles from the classical repertory. Villanueva holds a degree in Music and has studied post-graduate in Early Childhood Education and Dance Education at both SF State University and San Jose State University. She co-founded Santa Clara Ballet with husband Benjamin Reyes in 1973, and remains an integral part of the company as Founding Artistic Director.
Founding Artistic Directors
Josefa Villanueva and Benjamin Reyes

Past Guest Artists
Joanna Berman
Cynthia Drayer
Diana Kettler
Tina LeBlanc
Pascale LeRoy
Kristen Long
Christoper Anderson
Peter Brandenhoff
Antonio Castilla
Edward Ellison
Alexander Greschenko
Nikolai Kabanaiev 		Viktor Kabanaiev
Lawrence Pech
Andre Reyes
Ludmilla Lopoukhova
Elizabeth Loscavio
Patricia Tomlinson
Wendy Van Dyke