Instructions for

2025 Dance Applicants:

THE ARIEL BYBEE ENDOWMENT

Endowment Mission

The Ariel Bybee Endowment at the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts was established in 2021 to honor the legacy of vocal soloist Ariel Bybee and to foster the creation of new works by Latter-day Saint artists in disciplines that correspond to her varied career in music and related arts. Each year, the Endowment announces a call for submissions open to artists and scholars in one of nine, rotating categories: opera, dance, scholarship, art songs, music education, hymns, visual arts, collaborative arts, and choral music. We encourage LDS people from a variety of aesthetics, geographic locations, and diverse backgrounds of identity to apply.

AnnouncingThe
2025 Prize: Dance

In our fourth year, The Ariel Bybee Endowment is turning its sights to dance. We are inviting choreographers to submit proposals for a contemporary ballet work that, in performance, includes a component of live vocal music.

We are pleased to announce that the winning choreographer will work with the Utah Metropolitan Ballet company to create a contemporary ballet that will premiere in the spring of 2026 by the company at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo, Utah.

The premiere in May 2026 at the Covey Center for the Arts will be part of a mixed works program, and the duration of the piece should be approximately 10-15 minutes in length. UMB performances are to live music, and the winning work can feature anything from vocal soloist and piano, to chamber music, mixed ensemble, to small orchestra—but must include voice.

The winning entry will receive a $5,000 award. $1,000 of that amount will be awarded upon the announcement of the prize and the remainder at the premiere of the work, May 2026. 

Applications for this prize call were open until January 12th, 2025 and have now closed.
An announcement of a selected winner will be forthcoming.

The Utah Metropolitan Ballet, celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024, is a professional company of 18 main company dancers with a full-time rehearsal and performance season running annually from August to May and additional touring during the summer. UMB repertory works include those in traditional classical pointe technique as well as contemporary concert dance techniques. The winning work will be appropriate for UMB, but is not limited to dancing en pointe. See a short video here by the company that showcases a range of choreographic styles in their repertory.

Development

Dancers: The winning choreographer will develop the new work in collaboration with UMB; namely: the choreographer will meet with UMB remotely to become familiar with dancers (October 2025); choreographer will be in residence with the company for two weeks to create the work on the company leading up to the premiere (April-May 2026).

Scale of performance: The new work can be for any number and combination of dancers from the company, including the full company.

Rehearsal: The choreographer will visit the company for a period sufficient to set the work on them. (In the past, choreographers have accomplished this in various ways: multiple visits over a period of weeks or compressed schedule. The choreographer will indicate to UMB management how much time will be required in order to schedule rehearsal time in the company’s existing calendar.

Costumes: UMB has an extensive inventory of existing costumes of many styles or will work with the choreographer to create new costumes.

Sets and lighting: The choreographer will be required to research and present arrangements for desired sets and lighting, to be designed in consultation with UMB. 

Music: The choreographer will be required to research and present licensing requirements and arrangements for desired music. Music will be selected in consultation with UMB.

Application
Summary

There are no restrictions nor preferences regarding the applicant’s nationality, age, race, or gender. A blind jury process will be used to choose the winner. The selected project is expected to meet the highest standards in dance. The choreographer will retain ownership of the work and will grant permission to the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts and UMB to use its digital image on its website and communication platforms. If the choreographer and UMB determine that the work will enter the company’s repertory, the two will negotiate performance royalties between themselves.

Deadlines: Choreographers may submit proposals beginning November 12, 2024 through January 12, 2025. The call for submissions has now closed.

Eligibility: We reiterate that we encourage applicants from a variety of aesthetics and diverse backgrounds of identity to apply. There are no restrictions nor preferences regarding the person’s nationality, age, race, or gender. Regarding religious affiliation, the sole limitation is that the artist be a member of, or willing to engage productively with, the community of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The prize is not eligible to members of the jury nor to the Endowment’s and the Center’s boards and committees.

Application Elements - Your proposal should include the following:

1. Narrative description of the new and original work you intend to create for Utah Metropolitan Ballet, including your selection of music (400 words or less) 

2. Three video samples of previous work (or fewer video samples with a total length of no more than 10 minutes) in a similar technique to your proposed work

3. A statement about your philosophical approach to choreography (400 words or less)

4. A statement about how live vocal music will inform this work

5. Description of production, Including choreographic process, props or set pieces required, costume design ideas, lighting color scheme, or special effects

Additional Details

Note: The application requires only a proposal of the product, not a finished product.

Blind submissions: For purposes of the submission platform, names of the applicant and contact information are required. Before adjudication, the moderator will replace the artists’ names with a numerical system to retain anonymity.

Warnings: Please finalize all materials before submitting the application and note that all submissions are final and may not be altered once the application is complete and submitted. Failure to comply with the instructions above will result in disqualification of the application.

Jury: The Ariel Bybee Endowment at the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts - 2025 Prize will be adjudicated between January 15 and March 1, 2025. The announcement of the winner will be no later than March 14, 2025. The 2025 Prize jury consists of:

  • Angella Vernon, President, Utah Metropolitan Ballet Board of Directors

  • Devon Teuscher, Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre

  • Hannah Neeleman, Founder, Ballerina Farm; Graduate, The Juilliard School

  • Jacqueline P. Colledge, Artistic Director, Utah Metropolitan Ballet

  • Jan Dijkwel, Artistic Director, Joffrey Ballet School; Founder and Artistic Director, Civic Ballet

  • Katie Daines Lindsay, Governing Board member, Ballet West; Former Dancer, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet

  • Lisa Hess Jones, Founder & Artistic Dir. Aspire Ballet Center; Former Soloist, New York City Ballet

  • Neylan McBaine, Chair, Bybee Endowment at the Center

  • Rick Robinson, Director for American Leadership Academy; Former Dancer, Odyssey Dance Theatre

For questions about the call for submission, eligibility, or requests for assistance and clarification, email us:  bybee@centerforlatterdaysaintarts.org 

Meet the 2025 Jury:

  • Angella Vernon

    President, Utah Metropolitan Ballet

  • Devon Teuscher

    Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre

  • Hannah Neeleman

    Founder, Ballerina Farm
    Graduate, The Juilliard School

  • Jacqueline P. Colledge

    Artistic Director, Utah Metropolitan Ballet

  • Jan Dijkwel

    Artistic Director, Joffrey Ballet School
    Founder and Artistic Director, Civic Ballet

  • Katie Daines Lindsay

    Governing Board member, Ballet West
    Former Dancer, The Suzanne Farrell Ballet

  • Lisa Hess Jones

    Lisa Hess Jones

    Founder & Artistic Dir. Aspire Ballet Center
    Former Soloist, New York City Ballet

  • Neylan McBaine

    Ariel Bybee Endowment

  • Rick Robinson

    Director for American Leadership Academy
    Former Dancer, Odyssey Dance Theatre