Our Mission

The Mission of Lake Erie Ballet Company is to provide pre-professional and professional performance opportunities to benefit local dancers, the arts community through collaborative creative efforts, and the community at large by offering inspiring, high-quality dance to audiences including local schools and organizations.

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The Lake Erie Ballet Company (LEBC) is a newly formed organization in 2022. Our purpose is to educate and equip young pre-professional and professional dancers to participate, through audition, in various performance opportunities in the Erie, Pennsylvania community. LEBC is committed to offering the highest level of dance education through performance opportunities to local performing artists and aspiring dance and acting performers. The opportunity is given as an educational tool for these performers who wish to become professionals in the field one day. The rehearsal process, costuming, backstage, and theatre experience all contribute to the educational process. LEBC is interested in tearing down the barriers between dance organizations in Erie County, Pennsylvania while promoting the diversity of talent in our area. While all performers must audition for a role, everyone is given a role and participation by all is encouraged. With this mission, LEBC will perform the Nutcracker each year during the holiday season, successfully working with directors, dancers, and actors from Erie arts organizations to sustain this Erie Tradition. The rehearsal staff will be dedicated to fostering a positive and inspirational learning environment so that the dancers that participate in this performance opportunity can prepare for a professional career in dance through skilled training and mentoring.

Meet our Artistic Director

Lake Erie Ballet Company, Artistic Director

Christina Maria Adelhardt is considered one of the leaders in dance of Erie, PA. She arrived here, after dancing with Boston Ballet, as one of the first members of the professional company at the former, Lake Erie Ballet. The Erie Times News reviews, “Christina Maria, with her musicality and relaxed stage presence, was the pin that held…succeeds in one of dance’s toughest challenges-projecting warmth and personality from the stage…gives the impression of not simply repeating what she has been taught, but expressing something she really feels.” In addition, she was the Artistic/Executive Director of the former, Lake Erie Ballet for nine successful years as well as being instrumental in bringing dance in the Greater Erie area together in the first Erie Festival of Dance. Training dancers to excel and capture the love of dance is her greatest passion.

Early training began at Charmaine’s School of Dance in Roseville, MI. Christina eventually moved to Dallas, TX to train with Natalia Krassovska, former prima ballerina Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo then later to Dallas Metropolitan Ballet, Honor Company of the Southwest Regional Ballet Festival under the direction of Ann Etgen and Bill Atkinson. She also received training during the summers at School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet School and after graduation she joined Boston Ballet II. She has also appeared with Boston Ballet, Et Tois, Tu Danses (Milwaukee, WI) and several other guest performances in the nation. She danced with the former Lake Erie Ballet for 14 years and was the Artistic/Executive Director for nine years before retiring to raise and home school her children. During her time at the former Lake Erie Ballet, she created many original ballets for the company which were toured throughout the region. She is widely respected in the dance community and has taught and advised in several area schools as an independent instructor including adjunct faculty for the Mercyhurst University Dance Department and Gannon University.

Most recently, she has reprised her role as Artistic Director for Lake Erie Ballet Company formerly known as Lake Erie Ballet. This fresh new direction has brought community collaboration and has inspired the World Premiere of Erie's Nutcracker Reimagined.

Our Mission

Meet our Artistic Director

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