Wilmington, DE - First State Ballet Theatre (FSBT) presents UP FRONT ON MARKET on Friday, November 14 at 7:00 PM and Sunday, November 16 at 2:00 PM in Studio One at The Baby Grand. Tickets are available through The Grand’s Box Office.
A fan favorite, Up Front on Market offers an intimate evening of dance featuring a mixed bill of highlights from the classical repertoire and new contemporary work. With just 75 seats per performance, the audience sits only feet away from the dancers—close enough to see every detail of their artistry, athleticism, and even the breath between movements.
The program blends tradition with innovation. Audiences will experience excerpts from Paquita, a jewel of the classical ballet canon celebrated for its elegant style. Complementing the classical, FSBT introduces two world premieres: a trio by Andrea Yorita, a distinguished artist and choreographer who taught at FSBT’s Summer Intensive this year, and a dynamic work for seven men by frequent FSBT collaborator Zachary Kapeluck. Kapeluck, whose past creations for FSBT include A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Sélo, returns with a bold new piece that showcases the strength of the company’s male dancers.
“Up Front is one of my favorite programs we present each season,” says Executive Director Kristina Kambalov. “The closeness between dancer and audience creates an energy you simply don’t get in a large theater. Plus, I can’t wait to see what Andie and Zach have in store for us!”
“It’s a unique experience for the dancers as well,” shares Artistic Director Pasha Kambalov. “In a traditional theater, they rarely see individuals in the audience. Here, everyone is visible, and that closeness demands an extra level of focus. Some dancers thrive on it immediately, while others find it jarring at first—but all rise to the challenge.”
Tickets start at $57, and seating is limited. Last season’s Up Front on Market performances sold out, so early reservations are strongly encouraged. Single tickets and subscriptions are available through The Grand Box Office, which is accessible online, by phone at (302) 652-5577, or in person at 818 N. Market Street in Wilmington, DE. Subscriptions are offered through The Grand’s MyChoice Series, which provides savings on tickets, service fees, parking, and more. For more information, visit firststateballet.org.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
UP FRONT ON MARKET
Experience Dance Up Close
Friday, November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, November 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM
A mixed program of highlights from classical repertoire and contemporary work in an intimate setting. Seating is limited, with only 75 seats available for each show. Studio One in The Baby Grand | Tickets from $57.
ABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHERS
ANDREA YORITA is from Irvine, California, where she received her classical ballet training at Academy of Dance and graduated as a Gillespie Scholar with a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of California. Originally trained under the Royal Academy of Dance (R.A.D.) syllabus, Andrea has completed all Vocational R.A.D. exams with Distinction, as well as received the Solo Seal Award. In 2008 Andrea competed as a finalist in the Genée International Ballet competition in Toronto, Canada. She has participated in the National Choreographers Initiative, as an apprentice, and the Traverse City Dance Project. Andrea was a 2016 Dance Finalist for the Clive Barnes Award. She joined BalletX in 2012 and spent 11 seasons with the company, touring nationally and internationally while working with a multitude of choreographers. She is a former Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of the Arts. She is a freelance artist and co-founder of Sonder Space in Philadelphia.
ZACHARY KAPELUCK hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he received his early training at Southwest Ballet and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and The Juilliard School and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Summer Intensives. He graduated with a BFA in Dance from Point Park University in 2013 and subsequently joined BalletX in Philadelphia that summer. He spent nine years there, partaking in over 60 world premiere creations by choreographers including Matthew Neenan, Cayetano Soto, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Nicolo Fonte, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and many more.
Zachary left BalletX in 2022 to pursue a new chapter in choreography and teaching. Since then, he’s created work for companies including First State Ballet Theatre, Flight Path Dance Project, Hudson Ballet Theatre, Philadelphia Dance Theater, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Drexel University, and others. In 2024, he was awarded Outstanding Choreographer at YAGP - San Francisco, and, that same year, he co-produced with two peers the inaugural performances of Sonder Space, a new performing arts project in Philadelphia. In September of 2024, he accepted the position of Contemporary Dance Manager at The Rock School for Dance in Philadelphia, as well as its satellite location, The Rock School for Dance West Chester.
ABOUT FIRST STATE BALLET THEATRE
Established in 1999 by Artistic Director Pasha Kambalov and Executive Director Kristina Kambalov, First State Ballet Theatre is Delaware's only professional ballet company.
FSBT employs a talented roster of dancers from around the world to present classical and contemporary ballet, including new works from local and internationally recognized choreographers, on stages across the state of Delaware and beyond.
The School of FSBT is ranked in the top 5% of U.S. ballet academies and offers classes year-round at the company’s headquarters at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington, DE and at a new satellite school in Whitehall, DE (near Middletown). The School of FSBT attracts students from all three counties in Delaware as well as Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
FSBT’s mission is to present ballet boldly to Delaware; to enrich the community with live professional performances; to inspire and educate dancers and audiences of the future; and to connect local youth with a creative, inclusive movement experience. FSBT reaches more than 6,000 people annually through its performances and outreach programs.
