Meet Ally Helman: Artistic Director & Choreographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ally Helman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ally, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Discipline is one habit that has brought much success to me personally and to Ballet Project OC. The skill to push forth into mundane or grueling tasks serves all individuals well. This grind produces perseverance, confidence, and results. Another huge factor that has helped me succeed is humility. To accomplish all I set out to do with Ballet Project OC, I can’t do it all on my own. Having a team who shares common goals and passions creates a great synergy while increasing our efficiency.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Ballet Project OC was founded in 2019 by Emily Helman(my lovely sister) and myself. We originally wanted to create a company for professional artists like ourselves to explore and dive into new opportunities that are hard to come by in the larger professional world.

In the past year BPOC has taken on a status of a full time professional company. Ballet Project OC has many stand out qualities from the industry. For one, we have a sister company called Ballet Project TV that streams all of our (and other’s) performances creating a worldwide virtual audience. Another thing that sets BPOC apart is our family like atmosphere. We are committed to extinguishing the dysfunctional and negative attributes closely related to ballet and the ballet world at large. Every individual who steps in the door knows that BPOC is a place of creativity, comfort, and support.

Challenges are always going to pop up, and that is to be expected. At BPOC we believe it’s how you overcome and deal with these difficult situations that determine your victory. In the arts, especially with a global pandemic, struggles of fundraising, taking necessary health precautions, and scheduling are just the beginning of some challenges we have had to overcome. However the lessons we have learned from these struggles has further contributed to our success.

We want the world to know, we are a company created by dancers for dancers. BPOC is committed to creating and providing stable opportunities for high caliber artists and choreographers alike. Our mission is to serve our community of dancers and our audience here in Orange County California.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Our location in Tustin, CA would be one of the first stops. Our studio
has been created in special circumstances and we are so grateful for it.
The Brea Curtis Theatre is also a highlight spot for BPOC. This is where
we perform to empty seats knowing our loved ones and fans are cheering
on the other side of the screen.

We have a performance coming up. Information listed below.

May 22, 2021
3PM & 7PM PST
Brea Curtis Theatre
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people who deserve recognition regarding my story and success with Ballet Project OC.

First, I would like to acknowledge my team,Camille Kellems, Juliana Godlweski, and my dad Jon Helman. They contribute so much assistance and excitement to the daily work it takes to keep a company running.

However, I would really like to take this opportunity to talk about our dancers. Each and everyone of them has pushed through this past year with a great sense of hope and diligence. With little to no information about their livelihoods returning to the stage, they have pushed themselves outside their comfort zones creatively and physically. To all of my dancers, past, present, and future thank you for your enthusiasm, drive, and beauty you’ve brought to Ballet Project OC.

Website: www.balletproject.tv

Instagram: balletprojectoc, allyhelman, ballet_project_tv

Image Credits
Jack Hartin Photography