About LABT
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Story Of The Company
WHO WE ARE
THE ARTS IGNITE THE MIND
Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre (LABT) is a nonprofit professional ballet company rooted in Southern California and dedicated to the transformative power of dance.
Founded in 2022 by professional dancers and Artistic Directors Renée and David Kim, LABT was born from a lifelong commitment to ballet and a legacy shaped by extraordinary artists and educators, including legendary ballet pioneer Arthur Mitchell and renowned teacher Lois Ellyn.
Today, LABT brings together professional artists, emerging dancers, choreographers, educators, and audiences through exceptional performances, innovative programming, arts education, and cultural exchange.
ARTISTRY AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO
LABT honors the traditions of classical ballet while embracing the possibilities of the future.
Our repertoire spans classical, neoclassical, contemporary, and original works, challenging our artists and inviting audiences to experience ballet not simply as movement, but as storytelling, artistry, athleticism, and human connection.
We believe great ballet should do more than entertain.
It should move you. Challenge you. Inspire you.
DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION
As a professional company with a strong educational foundation, LABT is committed to creating meaningful pathways for dancers to grow.
Through Los Alamitos Ballet School (LABS), young dancers receive rigorous classical and neoclassical training in an environment designed to develop technique, artistry, discipline, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for the performing arts.
For those who choose to pursue dance professionally, LABT provides opportunities to experience the expectations and rewards of performing at a professional level.
ARTISTRY WITH PURPOSE
Our work extends beyond the theatre.
Through arts education, community outreach, partnerships, and performances, LABT seeks to make the arts accessible, create positive role models, and demonstrate the powerful impact dance can have on individuals and communities.
We believe the arts can educate, inspire, connect, and transform.
DANCE WITHOUT BORDERS
Through our Dance Across Cultures initiative, LABT takes that mission beyond our local community.
By connecting dancers and dance organizations across borders through performance, education, and cultural exchange, we use dance as a universal language—one capable of creating understanding and celebrating the unique traditions and perspectives of communities around the world.
OUR LEGACY. OUR FUTURE.
LABT stands at the intersection of tradition and possibility.
We honor the legacy that brought us here while creating opportunities for new artists, new works, new audiences, and new connections.
From our home in Los Alamitos to stages and communities around the world, our vision is to build a ballet company that is artistically ambitious, community-minded, and meaningful to every generation.
To inspire through excellence.
To educate through the arts.
To create opportunities for artists.
To connect communities through dance.
This is Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre.
Experience the Legacy in Motion.
Artistic Directors
Renée Kim
Co-Founder & Artistic Director
A professional dancer whose artistry and vision have been shaped by legendary mentors including Arthur Mitchell and Lois Ellyn. Renée brings decades of performance and choreographic excellence to LABT.
David Kim
Co-Founder & Artistic Director
With a distinguished career spanning major companies and stages, David's technical mastery and creative vision drive LABT's commitment to pushing the boundaries of classical and contemporary ballet.
Artistic Directors
Ballet Mistress
Lisa Gillespie
Ballet Mistress
Lisa Gillespie serves as Ballet Mistress and Board Member of Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre (LABT), where her artistry shapes every stage of the company's work. A dynamic performer and dedicated educator, Lisa has danced with Ballet Arizona in works by Balanchine and Pilobolus, originated roles with Polunin Ink in London's West End and Prague, and starred as Eliza in The King and I at Théâtre du Châtelet and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Her opera credits span LA Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and Washington National Opera, and she recently led LABT's Dance Ambassador Corps on tour to Trinidad. Beyond LABT, Lisa teaches at the Colburn School and Loyola Marymount University, bringing decades of world-class training and performance experience to every dancer she mentors.
Our performances
Join Us This Season.
From the innovative restaging of Swan Lake to the standing-ovation-worthy debut of Fathom, our repertoire is a testament to the versatility and brilliance of our artists.