HB Helene Story

Hendersonville Ballet's Resilience Story

September 27, 2024 will be a date that many in WNC will never forget. Communities were affected in different ways, but likely the most common experience was of the community coming together to support each other in its time of need.

Hendersonville Ballet Company is a small non-profit performing arts organization that was gearing up for fundraising and preparing for their annual Nutcracker when the unthinkable happened.  This preparation included: trying on and purchasing costumes, selling ads for the program, raising needed funds and rehearsing the dancers.

Dancers living in Buncombe, Henderson and Transylvania counties make up the company, and all of these areas saw a lot of destruction and some communities saw entire neighborhoods decimated. After the storm, dancer families rallied together, checking on each other and gathering food and supplies for those cut off from neighboring areas because the roads were blocked or washed away. Sometimes, this even meant meeting people using all terrain vehicles.  

Hendersonville Ballet Board members gathered needed items for families and partner agencies. One of the low-income housing for seniors where the company had performed Swan Lake requested supplies on Facebook and that request was answered the same day. 

The dance studio and rehearsal time became an important place for dancers and teachers to come and get the sense of normalcy and routine that was taken when everything changed and everyone went into survival mode. Kevin Overbey, creative director of Hendersonville Ballet Company, decided to hold classes a little over a week after the storm so the Dancers could get their creative outlet back. Pictures from that first class back show how relaxed and excited the dancers were to be together, working on their craft.

This sense of community is one of the major gifts that arts, and specifically performing arts, brings to the surrounding area. Dancers work together to create art with peers, teachers and choreographers. Parents and volunteers work together to ensure everything runs smoothly “behind the scenes.” Finally, audience members get the privilege of enjoying a show with friends, family, and neighbors. 

Consider supporting the arts this year, especially in WNC, to ensure this sense of community continues and we are able to bring the joy of performing arts to a theater near you.

For more information about Hendersonville Ballet, go to www.hendersonvilleballet.org.

Hendersonville Ballet Dancers returned to the studio for rehearsals a little over a week after Helene ravaged Western North Carolina.