By: Sara Wright Covington
Photos by Jim Kendall Photography

Ballet is in their blood. Or at least that seems to be the driving force that brought dancer husband and wife duo Phillip Otto and Rachel Butler from their native New York and New Jersey to Alabama thirteen years ago to build Huntsville Ballet. “We thought that Huntsville would be a place where we could develop a quality ballet school with a professional company,” says Otto.  “There are a lot of dance schools, but we set out to focus on a dance education.”

Both from families who embraced the arts, Otto and Butler began dancing at early ages and credit that familial support for the paths they chose. “I was one of seven kids and my mother was a ballet teacher,” says Otto. “So we were all dancers.” At the young age of seven, Otto made his professional debut as the Nutcracker Prince for the New York City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” production at Lincoln Center. As an adult, Otto went on to perform for the Pennsylvania Ballet Company, which is where he met Butler.  Like her husband, Butler also came from a large family and was one of five siblings. Her parents had strong musical backgrounds and encouraged their children to study the creative arts as well. “My mother played the piano at my ballet studio in exchange for my lessons,” says Butler. “Without her and that exchange, I would never have been able to pursue dancing.”

Otto and Butler eventually ended up at the Pacific Northwest Ballet where they both performed for about ten years before taking a break from ballet to manage a general store in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. But when Otto received a call in 2008 from a former colleague about a possible opportunity, they made the decision to move their family back into the ballet world—and this time, they would bring the art of dance to the Deep South in Huntsville, Alabama.

Now parents to a son and daughter, Otto and Butler sought to carry on their familial tradition of an artistic education when they opened Huntsville Ballet. “We wanted to promote dance as an education, not just an activity,” says Otto. “And whether they pursue a professional career in dance or decide to be doctors, we just try to focus on providing a dance education. We aren’t just training kids to get them ready for competitions. Our goal is when our students graduate from here that they understand ballet history, French terminology, physical education and even communication skills. It’s an education that will enhance every aspect of their lives.”

On Dec. 9 through 11, the Huntsville Ballet Company will perform its 54th annual production of “The Nutcracker,” featuring the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra at the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall in Huntsville. The show promises to delight as always, with stunning sets, ethereal costumes and performances by some of North Alabama’s most talented youth. For more information and to purchase tickets, huntsvilleballet.org.