Fledgling ballet company Pointeworks was born in 2023 with a vision to elevate female artists’ voices and bring cutting-edge ballet to San Diego. As Pointworks prepares for their inaugural performance this week, we sat down with founder and Artistic Director Sophie Williams to learn about the journey that brought her to this new venture and the significance of off-season ballet for the arts community at large.
Alanna Love: Could you share a bit about the journey that led you to found Pointeworks?
Sophie Williams: Ballet has always been my passion, and I recognize the challenges that dancers face in a competitive industry. Many talented artists struggle to find work in the off-season, so I wanted to create opportunities for them to continue pursuing their passion. As a dancer, I have been fortunate to work with incredible directors and choreographers who have inspired me and taught me valuable lessons. Their guidance and mentorship have shaped me as an artist and given me the confidence to take the leap and start my own summer ballet company, Pointeworks.
I wanted to create a space where dancers could thrive, express themselves, and collaborate with other like-minded individuals. Pointeworks is not just a company, but a community where artists can push boundaries, explore new techniques, and create beautiful and meaningful performances. I am beyond grateful for the trust of my dancers and the journey that led me to found Pointeworks, and I am excited to see where this new chapter will take us!
AL: What motivated you to create a summer ballet company as opposed to sticking to the more traditional ballet season?
SW: Creative minds never stop so I was inspired to give opportunities to the many artists who are off contract with our main companies in the summer. By bringing together artists in the summer, Pointeworks provides a unique opportunity to work on our artform, create, and perform during a layoff time. For audiences, a summer season is a novel and exciting experience, a fleeting window into a burst of creativity and inspiring newness.
AL: As a San Diego native, how does it feel to bring this project back to your hometown?
SW: San Diego is a community with a huge appreciation for music and theater. I was privileged to go to many events growing up here, thus, when I had the idea to create Pointeworks, it was an obvious choice to give back to a community that had given me so much. With such an appreciation of the arts, I saw an enormous untapped potential that Pointeworks could fill.
AL: How do you envision Pointeworks contributing to the San Diego community and beyond?
SW: Pointeworks will bring a vibrancy to the dance community in San Diego because the leadership of Sophie Williams is locally grown yet globally inspired, connecting dancers and choreographers from a wide range of backgrounds here, where ballet took shape in her own life.
AL: What are some of the most pressing challenges facing ballet today, and how can initiatives like Pointeworks help address them?
SW: The ballet world is faced with engaging audiences with short attention spans and a limited pool of arts resources. Pointeworks seeks to draw people into the theater through programming with a variety of choreographic styles and musical choices. It also brings together versatile dancers who can match the demands of styles, while also providing them with work during the time when most professional companies break for summer.
AL: The inaugural performance of Pointeworks features works by female choreographers. Why is it important to highlight the voices of women in ballet?
SW: Choreography is how a cohesive message is translated into movement— women who have stories and priorities, should have a platform to communicate that through dance. They should be encouraged to do that with as much fervor as is provided to men.
AL: What can audiences expect from Pointeworks’ first performance, and how does it reflect the company’s mission and values?
SW: They should expect an evening that portrays the full spectrum of ballet potential— it will be musically engaging, visually diverse, and a joyful expression of all the passion and work that has been poured into the inaugural season of an incredible project. They will see dancers from around the world, brought together by a shared love of the art and a desire to connect to new artists and new audiences. This is integral to the mission of Pointeworks, as it works to provide more opportunities to dance for professionals throughout the off-season.
AL: Can you share any memorable moments or anecdotes that have occurred while preparing for this week’s performance?
SW: Working on our first program has been an incredible journey filled with warmth, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments! We all come from different companies, but our shared love of ballet and life has really brought us all together, creating a tight-knit Pointeworks family. From studio moments to late-night smores, we’re creating memories that will last a lifetime. It’s like all the nostalgia of a summer intensive, but with the added joy of building our own ballet company!
AL: What excites you the most about the future of Pointeworks, and what can we look forward to from the company in the years to come?
SW: As Pointeworks grows, I’m excited to be able to offer more work and opportunities to dancers, choreographers, and artists during the off-season. I look forward to facilitating new collaborations and sharing cutting-edge ballet with San Diego and beyond.
Book your tickets here to this inaugural evening of dance that will portray the full spectrum of ballet potential— it will be musically engaging, visually diverse, and a joyful expression of all the passion and work poured into the inaugural season of an incredible project.
