Introducing Sophie
Sophie Taylor is a dancer, choreographer, and educator with a background in classical ballet. With over 20 years in the world of dance, she has filled many roles: student, performer, choreographer, educator, and, most recently, artistic and executive director. A woman with a true entrepreneurial spirit, Sophie has recently launched Violet Ballet, a professional dance company in Durham, North Carolina.
Sophie Taylor, Artistic & Executive Director of Violet Ballet
Photo credit: Hannah Burnett
A new professional ballet company
Sophie describes her mission for Violet Ballet, saying she is “seeking to really push the limits of dance, especially in the ballet world.” She recalls her 20 years of dance training combined with an undergraduate research project at Elon University on femininity in ballet culminating into her company’s mission, saying she “creates ballet and contemporary dance pieces that uplift the voices of women and queer individuals,” hoping to represent folks “who have been traditionally left out of the narrative.”
In addition to pushing the traditions of ballet, Sophie is also fostering a welcoming space for her dancers, specifically noting she is creating an environment that is cognizant of injuries and scheduling conflicts. “Most of my dancers are people who have danced their whole lives but now do something different for work,” she emphasizes. Sophie says she is relieved to learn her dancers are finding a space where they can truly enjoy dancing, saying, “We just have a really great time dancing together.” She also mentions that the company is growing and searching for new dancers.
The reality of starting a dance company
Recently receiving 501c(3) status, Sophie has big plans for the future of Violet Ballet: “I eventually want to be running a full-time company with fully-paid dancers, artistic staff, and support staff,” she says. One of the most challenging problems Sophie is solving as a new non-profit is securing sustainable funding, observing that non-profits typically need to demonstrate successful programs to get grants. Given that individual donors are usually the main source of accessible funding for new non-profits, she says it is difficult to cultivate individual donor relationships due to the freshness of the company. A true “Catch 22,” Sophie is taking it one step at a time.
While funding may be a challenge in these early stages, artistic ideas and hardworking dancers are not difficult to cultivate: “Once I have my dancers in the room, it’s been pretty easy to create. They’re all so talented and passionate.” She also mentions finding affordable rehearsal space is easier than she expected, specifically calling out American Dance Festival’s studio subsidy program offered to working artists.
“Art, especially live theater, is so impactful. It really brings people together. I just think you can’t quantify that.”
-Sophie Taylor
Serving as a double-agent
As the company’s artistic and executive director, Sophie recognizes that running a dance company is both an artistic and business endeavor, joking that she is “kind of a double agent.” On one hand, she knows artists need business acumen to be successful. “Artists need to understand that everything is a business,” she says confidently. On the other hand, she knows the power of art doesn’t fall within the realm of business measurables like KPIs and ROI, stating, “art, especially live theater, is so impactful. It really brings people together. I just think you can’t quantify that.”
Living in the abstraction of dance
Diving deeper into this sentiment, Sophie describes her passion for dance, saying, “the thing that I love about [dance] is its storytelling ability and its ability to really make people think and feel.” She notes the ephemeral nature of dance as an artform, saying, “you can’t really put your finger on it, and you can’t really put a price tag on it. Sometimes you can’t really capture what it is in words to explain to someone.” Sophie dances not only to tell compelling stories but to also heal and connect with herself: “With all the change in the world and in my life, dance has been the one constant. When I have those times that are maybe harder, I turn to dance, and it really gets me through life.”
Violet Ballet’s inaugural performance Ebbs & Flows
Ebbs & Flows is a mixed repertory performance with a cast of five dancers, one of which is Sophie herself. The 60-minute performance consists of short ballet and contemporary dance pieces that display both figurative and abstract explorations of the human experience: “I think it’s good for people who aren’t dance nerds but want to see a live performance,” she says, adding that it’s also a family-friendly event. Experience Violet Ballet’s inaugural performance Ebbs & Flows June 13 and 14 at Barriskill Dance Theatre.
Get your tickets before they’re gone!
Ebbs & Flows
Barriskill Dance Theatre School
3642 Shannon Road, Durham, NC 27707
June 13, 7:30pm + June 14, 2pm
$19.19
Approx. 1-hour runtime // Family-friendly
Author: Emily Robison
Emily Robison is a dance choreographer, educator, performer, and advocate. She founded The Dance Resource in April 2026.
