Ballet Yuma Alumna Promotes Accessibility and Arts Education Locally
Alexandria Urias, a Ballet Yuma alumna who now teaches and works as an administrative assistant, discussed her lifelong connection to dance and the companys season on a local radio program. Her interview highlighted Ballet Yuma launching its first ever sensory friendly Nutcracker and the companys continuing support for local arts education, developments that affect families, schools, and local businesses in Yuma County.
Alexandria Urias spoke with local radio hosts on December 1 about her dual role with Ballet Yuma as a teacher and administrative assistant and about the companys plans for the season. Urias, who trained at The Ailey School and grew up in the Ballet Yuma program, described how those experiences shaped her work back home in Yuma County and informed the companys recent programming decisions.
A central focus of the conversation was Ballet Yuma offering its first ever sensory friendly Nutcracker this season, an accessibility initiative intended to broaden audience access for neurodiverse children and families who may find traditional performance environments challenging. The program marks a notable step for the regional arts scene, as accessibility measures can remove barriers to participation and make cultural events more welcoming to a wider cross section of the community.
Urias also outlined Ballet Yumas efforts to support arts education locally through teaching and outreach tied to company performances. Those activities reinforce the companys role as an educational resource for schools and youth programs, and they sustain a pipeline of trained young dancers who may continue to participate in community arts. For local families and educators, the companys combined performance and education strategy offers both cultural enrichment and practical opportunities for student engagement.
The roughly 20 minute interview, which includes program notes and an audio player for listening online, provides additional perspective on Uriass trajectory from student to company staff and instructor. For Yuma County residents, the developments discussed have both cultural and economic implications. Expanding access to performances can increase attendance and broaden demand for related services such as dining and retail on show nights, while sustained arts education programming supports workforce skills in creativity and discipline that local employers value.
As Ballet Yuma implements the sensory friendly performance and continues its education work, the company is positioning itself as a more inclusive cultural institution and a contributor to the countys community life and local economy.
