Since 1953, Wichita Falls has been a center for ballet excellence, starting with two talented and passionate immigrants, Irina Kladivova and Frank Karhanek. Irina was a Czechoslovakian prima ballerina and Frank was trained in the grand Russian tradition. Adopting the last name Pal, they built their home in Wichita Falls and sought to train youth who had a passion for dance. In 1963, their dance company was incorporated as the Wichita Falls Ballet Theatre.

Highly revered throughout the city, Frank and Irina brought the first production of The Nutcracker to the area in 1963. The WFBT dancers were accompanied by a young Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra. The Pals were instrumental in directing the WFBT company to push beyond our community borders and become a part of Regional Dance America, and both Frank and Irina were lifetime members.

In 1988, the directorships passed to Gari Boehm and Patricia Thornton who had served as their assistants. During this period the WFBT was 1 of 30 ballet companies recognized nationally as an Honor Company by Regional Dance America, based on a demonstration of artistic and technical excellence. The WFBT was also listed among 3 of the 24 companies in the Southwest Region who were invited to perform in the Regional Festival Gala for ten consecutive years. In 1990, RDA honored Frank and Irina at Festival, and in 1992 they dedicated the festival to Irina as a memorial for her passing.

Valentine and Mishic Liberatore reawakened the passion for ballet within our community in 2013 when they became WFBT Co-Artistic directors. The presentation of their inaugural version of The Nutcracker marking the 50th anniversary of The WFBT received a standing ovation and marked the beginning of a new era of passion and excellence in company performance.

Exceptional support came from the community philanthropists and private foundations in 2014 when new costumes, sets, props and lights were purchased with grants and donations and a new warehouse was purchased. In 2014, the World Premiere of the Liberatores’ full length production of The Nutcracker signaled a new vibrant direction in the Tchaikovsky tradition with live music by the Wichita Falls Community Orchestra, and with the new costumes and sets. The WFSO joined us once again in 2023 for our landmark 60th anniversary season, celebrating the tradition and excellence of both organizations.

The Nutcracker continues to be a staple for the holiday season, and is a natural introduction to the magic of ballet for all people from all walks of life. Each year the ballet attracts larger audiences at the city’s largest venue, Memorial Auditorium. Many new residents are amazed that a city of 100,000 has a pre-professional ballet company adding to the culture and diversity of Texoma.

The WFBT added a spring performance to their schedule, starting with the original production of The Western Ballet, a retelling of the history of Wichita Falls in 2015, and with a collaborative and unique production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream which included portions of live acting with players from Backdoor Theatre in 2016. This show was brought back to the stage in our 60th anniversary season, to rave reviews from all who attended.

The WFBT also presents a free program called “Afternoon with the Arts” each spring which usually serves a young audience of more than 5,000 students.

We are proud to have a signature WFBT Presents series every fall, which gives our dancers a chance to learn shorter pieces as part of a themed show, and we welcome professional dancers to showcase their skills and to work alongside and inspire our young dancers.

A number of WFBT dancers have worked to become professional dancers and many work as dance faculty performing in a variety of prestigious venues. Many dancers cite their training ground to have begun with the Wichita Falls Ballet Theatre.

In 2024, Artistic Director passed to Erin Fike. Trained by Frank and Irina Pal and Gari Boehm and Patricia Thornton, Erin has an impressive resume in the worlds of dance and direction, having danced for over 36 years and trained at both the WFBT and the AMDA in New York City. Her vast knowledge includes ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theatre. Her choreography has already gotten audience members talking, as she has contributed pieces to WFBT Presents and other area performances in the past. We are grateful to have her leadership and instruction for our dancers.

Abigail Wignarajah became the Executive Director in 2024. With a strong background in the inner workings of running theatre companies, public speaking, theatre, and dance, she is poised and ready to support the WFBT in every way possible and ensure it continues to offer excellent instruction and breathtaking performances, as is its tradition.

2024 also marked a significant acquisition for the WFBT: The WFBT Dance Academy! The WFBT now owns their very own Dance Academy, located at 1501 Midwestern Parkway. This ensures the future of the organization, securing a place for our Company dancers to train and creating an official pipeline from the school to the Company for our younger dancers. Having an official school puts the WFBT in the same league as professional ballet companies, who all have their own academies where their young dancers train. A very special thank you to all who were instrumental in orchestrating this purchase and to all of the parents of the students who were very patient in our transitional period.

With these changes, our commitment to excellence, passion, and creativity remains strong and continues to push the WFBT forward, paving a clear path for the future of dance in Wichita Falls. Come see one of our shows and be a part of our history!