Our Legacy
Bakersfield City Ballet is the culmination of a rich artistic tradition spanning generations of dancers, teachers, choreographers, and community leaders dedicated to advancing the art of ballet in Bakersfield and Kern County.
Bakersfield City Ballet’s institutional history begins with the founding of Bakersfield Civic Dance Company in 1993 by Sanford Smith, Cindy Trueblood, Valerie Lewis, and a dedicated group of community supporters. However the artistic heritage that informed the company’s creation reaches back to earlier generations of ballet education and performance in Bakersfield.
Among the foundational figures in Bakersfield’s ballet history was Martha Knight, whose Bakersfield Ballet Theatre helped establish a tradition of classical ballet training and production in the community. Among her students was Cindy Trueblood, who carried forward those artistic values when she founded Civic Dance Center in 1968, initially teaching ballet classes in her parents’ garage before growing the school into one of Kern County’s longest-standing arts institutions.
Inspired by the talent and potential of young dancers in Bakersfield, Sanford Smith joined Cindy Trueblood and a dedicated group of community supporters in 1992 to begin planning Bakersfield’s first non-profit pre-professional ballet company. Their vision was to create an organization that would provide advanced artistic training, meaningful performance opportunities, and enriching cultural experiences for the community.
That vision became a reality in 1993 with the incorporation of Bakersfield Civic Dance Company. Sanford Smith served as the company’s founding Artistic Director, with Cindy Trueblood as Associate Director and Valerie Lewis as company manager. The company’s first auditions selected twelve company members and seven apprentices, establishing a tradition of artistic excellence and mentorship that continues today.
The company’s inaugural performance took place in 1994 at the Doré Theatre, featuring the classical ballet Les Sylphides, the story ballet Rodeo, and original contemporary works. Shortly thereafter, when family circumstances required Sanford Smith to return to San Francisco, Valerie Lewis assumed artistic leadership of the company, guiding its artistic growth for more than a decade.
Under Valerie’s leadership, the company expanded its performance repertoire, educational outreach, and community partnerships. Company dancers performed with local and regional arts organizations, participated in educational programs throughout Kern County, and helped establish ballet as an important part of Bakersfield’s cultural landscape. In recognition of its expanding mission and regional impact, Bakersfield Civic Dance Company adopted the name Bakersfield Regional Ballet in 1999.
Throughout its history, the organization has remained committed to providing young dancers with opportunities to pursue artistic excellence while serving the broader community through performance, education, and outreach. Generations of dancers have trained, performed, and gone on to professional careers, higher education, and leadership roles in the arts and beyond.
The current era of the organization reflects the continuation of this enduring artistic lineage. Artistic Director Erica Ueberroth, who herself trained under Valerie Lewis’s leadership, has guided the company’s continued growth and evolution. Under Erica’s leadership, the organization adopted the name Bakersfield City Ballet, reflecting both its deep roots in the community and its ongoing commitment to serving as Bakersfield’s premier pre-professional ballet company.
Today, Bakersfield City Ballet continues the mission established by its founders more than three decades ago: to train, mentor, and inspire future generations of artists while enriching the cultural life of Bakersfield and Kern County through excellence in ballet performance, education, and community engagement.
The company remains committed to preserving, presenting, and passing on the great works of the classical ballet repertoire while also fostering new artistic voices and expanding its contemporary repertoire through original choreography and innovative programming.
While the organization’s name has evolved from Bakersfield Civic Dance Company to Bakersfield Regional Ballet to Bakersfield City Ballet, its core purpose has remained unchanged: to preserve, advance, and share the art of ballet with future generations, while honoring its rich artistic heritage and embracing the continued evolution of the art form.
