Among the dozens of art galleries in this small mountain town lies a school for young performers who aspire to attend prestigious ballet programs or pursue dance as a career.
Megan Yackovich founded Ballet Taos Academy in 2016 to help young dancers develop their passion for this classical art form. A former professional dancer who previously operated an academy in Colorado Springs, Yackovich discovered Taos while traveling back to Colorado. She and her son quickly fell in love with the area and decided to stay.
Although ballet classes already existed in Taos, Yackovich chose to focus her program on older students—ages 11 and up—who were working toward pre-professional training. Students age 10 interested in continuing their training audition for a limited number of spots in the program. Ballet Taos hosts five to six performances each year, including several during the summer. The nonprofit also produces its signature winter performance, The Nutcracker, each year with a 1950s-themed twist.
Ballet Taos also features an accomplished roster of guest faculty, including Navajo and Puerto Rican ballet dancer Jock Soto, who spent 24 years with the New York City Ballet and later moved to Eagle Nest after his retirement. Other guest instructors include international dancer Maia Makhateli, daughter of renowned ballet master, choreographer, and former principal dancer Nikoloz Makhateli, who also joins the academy as guest faculty.
Students in the fifth- and sixth-level programs train approximately three hours a day, six days a week, in addition to rehearsals for the shows.
“It’s a lot of hours and commitment—more training and more focus,” Yackovich said. “Their goal is mastering skills. Some students want to pursue this as a profession.”
Many Ballet Taos students have earned scholarships to study dance or secured apprenticeships with major companies and schools, including the Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Zikr Dance Ensemble, and ballet schools in Boston, San Francisco, and Denver. More than 100 students have gone on to professional dance companies or advanced training programs nationwide.
While Taos is primarily known for its visual arts and long-standing artist colony, the performing arts scene has been growing steadily for more than a decade. Ballet Taos frequently collaborates with the Taos Center for the Arts, WildFlower Playhouse, and other local organizations. In addition to dance training, students learn how to produce shows, design costumes, and manage stage lighting. The program is the first of its kind to be offered in Northern New Mexico.
Yackovich, who employs 10 contract staff members, first connected with The Loan Fund through a Small Business Development Center counselor to help build a studio and launch the nonprofit. Over the years, she has returned to The Loan Fund for additional support, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic and to fund roof repairs.
“I would not be where I am without the business advice from (former President and CEO) Leroy Pacheco,” Yackovich said. “I’m not in a big city, but we’re doing big-city things. A lot of it was learning the business side of art—how to be grounded in the community and help everyone thrive.”
Yackovich also recalls how Mr. Pacheco told her how important it was to publicly thank supporters when seeking sponsorships.
“He told me, ‘Make sure you include a “Thank you for supporting the arts.” Other businesses will see that and want to support the mission,’” she said. “We’ve operated that way ever since. Now we have the local golf course reaching out to sponsor us.”