New World Ballet

New World Ballet offers ballet, contemporary dance, hip hop and movement, and classes that focus on toddlers’ and children’s creativity in movement and dance. The program includes performance opportunities featuring works such as acts from Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, excerpts from Don Quixote, Paquita, a modernized version of Cinderella, and full-length productions like Coppellia and Hansel & Gretel. Students also take part in events such as the Duke Ellington Nutcracker, the second act of The Nutcracker, Not Your Average Christmas Carols, Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, the first annual Spring Showcase, and in-studio demonstrations.

• Ages: 3–18 years old

New World Ballet is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide access to professional quality dance instruction and performance opportunities through dance. It has a thriving and diverse school, performing companies, and many outreach programs, and offers performances to the local Sonoma County area and beyond. The organization describes itself as an energetic dance company in Santa Rosa, California that is dedicated to providing serious and enriched dance education for students who desire to become professional dancers, as well as those who wish to enhance their quality of life through dance. New World Ballet is also the home of the Duke Ellington Nutcracker and offers a full line-up of classes for adults and children by level of experience, including fun and dynamic hip hop and movement classes for all age and skill levels. Starting as young as 3, children can experience creativity in movement and dance, and getting started is described as completing a registration form and booking a first class, with separate Child Registration Form and Adult Registration Form available.

New World Ballet was originally founded in Arcata, California in 1994 by Nadine Cole, a former Chicago Opera Ballet dancer. In 2005, Nadine retired and Victor Temple assumed the position of Artistic Director. The organization is excited to bring this legacy to the Sonoma County community and, after a short time in Santa Rosa, has many outreach programs.

Victor Temple serves as Artistic Director, Dance School Director, and director and instructor at the Santa Rosa dance studio. He is an internationally known dancer, choreographer, and teacher, and a former dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Central Ballet of China, Shanghai Ballet, and Oakland Ballet, and has served as Liaison of Western Dance Styles to China’s Chinese Dancers’ Association. His past associations include Dance Theater of Harlem, American Repertory Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Shanghai Ballet, and New Jersey Ballet. Victor Temple has received the Spirit of Sonoma Award and was named one of the “22 People to Watch in 2022” by the Press Democrat. New World Ballet has trained dancers who have gone on to professional dance opportunities such as interning for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and dancing for companies including San Francisco Ballet, City Ballet of San Diego, and the Utah Ballet Company.

New World Ballet also offers and participates in a wide range of workshops and festivals, including classical ballet, contemporary ballet, pointe, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban, Congolese, Samba/Afro-Brazilian, and West African workshops, as well as the First and Second Annual Humboldt Dance Festivals and the First Annual Spring Showcase. The program states that it is celebrating diversity through dance.

Last updated March 28, 2026.