Ballet 5:8 has officially opened its new Fox Cities Campus, bringing the organization’s distinctive approach to ballet training, artistic development, and community engagement to Northeast Wisconsin.
The new campus will offer dancers in the Fox Cities access to Ballet 5:8’s established training philosophy, which combines rigorous classical ballet instruction with an emphasis on artistry, character, creativity, empowerment, and empathy. Registration is now open for students interested in joining the new campus.
The Fox Cities Campus will be co-directed by Dora Ciacca and Alessandro Angelini, two experienced dancers, educators, and arts leaders who bring international training and professional experience to the program.
Alessandro Angelini, Ballet 5:8’s newest team member and Co-Director of the Fox Cities Campus, is a third-generation ballet dancer and arts administrator. He trained at Tulsa Ballet’s Center for Dance Education before performing with Oregon Ballet Theatre II and Eugene Ballet. His career included classical and contemporary works by choreographers including Nacho Duato, Nicolo Fonte, Toni Pimble, and Edwaard Liang.
After retiring from the stage in 2022, Angelini served as Creative Director of BodyVox Dance Center and School Registrar for Oregon Ballet Theatre. At Ballet 5:8, he will help build a Fox Cities community rooted in strong dance training, creativity, empowerment, and empathy.
Dora Ciacca, Co-Director of the Fox Cities Campus and Artistic Director of the Bobbio Summer Ballet Intensive, brings extensive international training and performance experience. She received her early training at Ballet Academy East, 92Y, and the Alvin Ailey School in New York before continuing her studies in the Cecchetti Method in Italy, contemporary dance in Rome, and Vaganova training at the Yerakhavets Ballet Academy in Barcelona.
Ciacca began her professional career in 2019 with Ballet de Barcelona and later danced for three seasons with Columbia Classical Ballet. She currently directs the Bobbio Summer Ballet Intensive, dances with Continental Ballet Company, guests with Metropolitan Ballet in Minnesota, and serves as Ballet Mistress with Dance by Kris and Jete Dance Centre. She also teaches masterclasses and choreographs throughout Italy and the United States.
Together, Ciacca and Angelini will lead Ballet 5:8’s efforts to establish a long-term artistic and educational presence in the Fox Cities while building relationships with local families, schools, arts organizations, businesses, and community partners.
“Opening a campus in the Fox Cities gives us the opportunity to invest deeply in another community while maintaining the level of training and personal mentorship that Ballet 5:8 is known for,” said Ballet 5:8 leadership. “We want students to grow as technicians and artists, but also as thoughtful, resilient people who understand the value of creativity, empathy, and meaningful storytelling.”
Ballet 5:8 is a professional ballet company and school known for storytelling that explores life, faith, and human dignity while challenging assumptions about who ballet is for, where it belongs, and what it can say. The organization combines professional performance, rigorous dance education, and community engagement.
Enrollment at the Ballet 5:8 Fox Cities Campus is now open. www.ballet58.org/fox-cities
For information about classes, registration, or partnership opportunities, visit Ballet 5:8’s website or contact the Ballet 5:8 team.
About Ballet 5:8
Ballet 5:8 sparks discussion on life, faith, and human dignity through powerful storytelling and breathtaking dance. Its work challenges assumptions about who ballet is for, where it belongs, and what it can say. Through professional performances, dance education, and community partnerships, Ballet 5:8 works to build spaces where world-class dance and meaningful human connection can grow together.