SALT LAKE CITY — Ballet West's first Ballet Mistress, Bené Arnold, passed away Thursday at the age of 88, the company announced Saturday.
In a press release sent out to the media, Ballet West touted Arnold's many accomplishments both for Ballet West and the University of Utah's dance program.
Prior to joining Ballet West in 1964, Arnold had risen to the rank of Soloist at the San Francisco Ballet School. Over a decade later, she joined the faculty of University of Utah's Ballet department.
She continued to work with Ballet West during her tenure, serving as a rehearsal director for young dancers performing in "The Nutcracker," as well as directing the Ballet West Academy.
Ballet West artistic director Adam Sklute described her as "passionate, joyous, very funny."
"We were doing the Nutcracker children's audition; she walked on in, and she did a big cartwheel right into the splits," Sklute recalled. "This was a woman in her early 70s at that point — cartwheel to the splits. That was her signature move."
Sharee Lane, a former professional dancer and instructor, studied under Arnold at Ballet West. She described a sort of tough love and passion in Arnold's teaching.
"We knew when we didn't do a good show and she'd come backstage afterward and we all wanted to run and hide, but we knew what she was going to tell us would make us better," Lane said. "The dedication that she put into her art form was her life and she instilled that in all of us."
In addition to staging works at Ballet West, she also staged works for the Cincinnati Ballet, as well as choreographing works for both the Utah and Arizona Operas. She also performed as a guest artist in various character roles for Ballet West.
"Bene Arnold's legacy is everywhere in everything that Ballet West does," Sklute said.
