Fermata Ballet Collective is hosting its annual Winter Series Jan. 2 to Jan. 4. It invites dancers of all levels to engage with dance, conversation, original choreography and music composition by Alexander Schwarzkopf.  Fermata — a musical notation that means pause — is a collective of artists, creators and educators who provide a communal space that helps people to enhance and learn new skills, as well as break down the pervasive mold dancers are sometimes forced into. “We wanted to make a container for artists who looked like humans and didn’t have to all be the same, and a place where art could thrive in a multidisciplinary way too,” says Alaja Badalich, Fermata co-founder and organizer of the Winter Series. The collective provides community classes on a sliding scale and seasonal workshops. Fermata’s Winter Series 2026 theme is “Thresholds: entering the year unfolding.” This theme focuses on leaving behind what we do not need and opening up ourselves to what we do, according to Badalich. Badalich herself founded Fermata when she saw a gap in Eugene’s professional dance world, and also the lack of representation and encouragement for professional artists. Gabriel Warren, a resident artist and facilitator of the Winter Series, says they “really wanted to be a professional ballerina and wear the tutus.” After experiencing rejection from several studios in his youth, they dedicated his life to proving the industry wrong. He now dances professionally with the Eugene Ballet Company and became a resident artist with Fermata in 2025. Warren and fellow facilitator Jessica Hovermale say the focus and commitment dancers bring to Fermata is unique, and the “Thresholds” theme allows them to have a conversation through movement. Attendees of the Winter Series will receive a custom video package that can be used for media, auditions and reflection.

Fermata Ballet Collective Winter Series is 5 pm to 8:30 pm Friday, Jan. 2, and 1 pm to 5 pm Saturday, Jan. 3, and Sunday, Jan. 4, at Midtown Arts Center, 164 East 16th Avenue. $110 per person, $10-20 for drop in classes. Register at FermataBalletCollective.com.