Ballet Des Moines

Dornink joined the team of Ballet Des Moines in the fall of 2021 and worked as Wardrobe Director for the company.  We have created costumes for Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love Letters, Sleeping Beauty,  Jekyll & Hyde, Don Quixote, She (including Crystalline and Duty),  Balachine+ (including Rhapsody),  Nutcracker, Salem, of Gravity and Light, Swan Lake and Kiss.

 
 
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Based on the classic Shakespearean comedy, Peter Anastos’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream takes audiences on a whimsical journey full of love, trickery, and magic. Set to the music of Felix Mendelssohn, this joyous production features a robust cast of professional and youth dancers from the greater Des Moines area.
CHOREOGRAPHY BY: Peter Anastos
 
 
LOVE LETTERS
Ballet Des Moines once again brings back the father of American ballet, George Balanchine, alongside work from internationally renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. This triple bill concludes with the world premiere of Love Letters, Tom Mattingly’s ode to the queer community of Iowa.
CHOREOGRAPHY BY: Tom Mattingly
 
 
JEKYLL & HYDE
Tom Mattingly’s Jekyll & Hyde captivated audiences through a story of good and evil. Inspired by the classic gothic novella by Robert Louis Stevenson, this world premiere tells the cautionary tale of leaning too far into our darker side, for fear we might never return.
CHOREOGRAPHY BY: Tom Mattingly
 
 
DUTY
Blending influences of classical ballet, contemporary movement, and street dance, this work sets into motion movement that is athletic, dynamic, and full of emotion. With voice overs from Angela Davis, the performance’s intention highlights that women’s liberation can only exist when we are liberating all women and femmes across the racial, gender, and socioeconomic spectrum.
 
 
CRYSTALLINE
Evoking fleeting memories of comfort and fragility, Crystalline takes inspiration from the many forms of water and memory. Whether flowing freely or evaporating before our eyes, these two subjects are ever changing.
CHOREOGRAPHY BY Shannon Alvis  IMAGES BY Jami Milne
 
 
RHAPSODY
Tom Mattingly’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is an original classical ballet work set on a red backdrop with beautifuly contrasting costumes.
 
 
SALEM
a contemporary piece by Tom Mattingly inpsired by the Salem Witch trials depicting how fear can control history. 
 
 
GRAVITY
This was the world premiere of composer Beau Kenyon’s Of Gravity and Light – a contemporary ballet exploring the beauty and wonder of space through ethereal imagery, abstract sound, and remarkable movement. Set in eight movements, Of Gravity and Light features choreography by Ballet Des Moines Artistic Director, Tom Mattingly, video installation by artist Yu-Wen Wu, and live musicians under the direction of conductor Tim McMillin. Photos by Ryan Morrison.
 
 
 
SWAN LAKE
the classic love story told by Ballet Des Moines
 
 
NUTCRACKER
a new twist on the classic story of Clara and her dreams