A professional dance
troupe United Ballet Theatre debuts in Orlando this weekend with a show at the Dr. Phillips Center.
Joseph Gatti believes in the power of unity.
In fact, the dancer believes in it so strongly he named his new troupe United Ballet Theatre. The professional company joins the Orlando arts scene Sunday with its debut performance, “The Athletes of Art” at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
Gatti is a former dancer with Orlando Ballet, the city’s namesake professional company, as are several others in his troupe. He has lined up a wide-ranging team of collaborators to assist in getting the company off the ground.
For audiences, he promises a wide variety of dance offerings: the first show features a short Latin American ballet as well as George Balanchine’s classic “Stars and Stripes.”
And he intends to treat dancers like athletes, putting their health first — an ideal that resonates with performers.
“Joey has a really good vision for what ballet should be,” said dancer Sebastian Serra, who danced with Orlando Ballet for several seasons. “It’s not just about the end product; he cares about the whole process.”
That process, in Gatti’s eyes, includes collaboration with his dancers as well as building a communitywide group of experts to provide support.
“That’s one of the reasons I wanted to call it United Ballet Theatre,” said Gatti, 33.
On the team at UBT, which registered as a nonprofit in June, are real estate broker Jodi Hatins, who has worked in marketing and financial services; former Orlando Ballet School teacher Orlando Molina; Vadim Fedotov and Irina Depler of Russian Ballet Alafaya in Orlando; and Jessica Perez, owner of Xplosive Dance Academy in east Orlando.
Advisers include Daniel Ulbricht, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, and Marshall Ellis, a former Orlando Ballet and Cirque du Soleil dancer who runs his own training program and theater in south Orlando. James L. Boyd III, a dancer who runs his own arts-related nonprofit in Jacksonville, is executive di-
rector.
The troupe is rehearsing at Xplosive Dance, and Perez called the arrangement an inspired partnership.
“When I heard about [Gatti’s] idea, I said ‘I am so on board if you need me,’ ” said Perez, who specializes in contemporary and hip hop. Gatti will complement her specialties and help expand ballet offerings at the 8-year-old school by teaching there.
After stints as a first soloist with Boston Ballet and a principal dancer with Cincinnati Ballet, Gatti chose Orlando for United Ballet Theatre because “it’s where I started my whole career.”
As a 10-year-old, the New York native came to Florida and studied with Barbara Riggins, co-founder of Southern Ballet Theatre, the forerunner of Orlando Ballet. While at Orlando Ballet School, he won a gold medal at the 2003 Youth American Grand Prix competition and a scholarship to London’s Royal Ballet School. Later, he became the first American male dancer to win the gold medal at the New York International Ballet Competition.
But Gatti never forgot his roots; his parents still live in Central Florida.
He returned to Orlando Ballet as a guest artist in 2015, but a foot injury cut his performances short. He always had been interested in dancers’ injuries — interviewing colleagues about their mishaps and how they tried to return to full strength.
“I would make short documentaries and put them on Facebook,” he said. “Seeing my colleagues end their careers at 30 … it made me more hungry to create a company where we prioritize the dancers’ health.”
To that end, doctors and physical therapists work with UBT’s dancers. And gym time is scheduled alongside dance time.
“I believe in Joey as a leader,” Serra said. “He cares about the dancers. He cares about the art form.”
Gatti hopes United Ballet Theatre also will strike a chord with Central Florida audiences.
“This is my passion,” he said. “I want to give something back to Orlando.”