When Zalman Raffael pictures the future of Carolina Ballet, he sees people talking about the technical elements of the pas de deux over a cup of coffee, then stopping by the box office for tickets to the company’s next performance.
The nonprofit’s new base of operations, Starline at South Hills, is set to open in 2028, according to Raffael, Carolina Ballet’s artistic director and CEO. Half of the 70,000 square-foot building, which is owned by development company LODEN, will be dedicated to retail like cafes and shops. The other half, owned by the ballet, will include a new office space, a costume and production shop, long-term storage, ballet school classrooms, and a 300-seat black box theater.
But the real star of the show is the light-filled atrium. Connected to rehearsal studios through floor-to-ceiling glass, it will give people a behind-the-scenes look at how performances are choreographed and rehearsed. Through live lecture demonstrations, workshops, and other events, Raffael told the INDY that he hopes to put ballet front and center…