Hollywood Ballet performs for homeless on LA’s Skid Row
Usa today news
Members of Hollywood Ballet presented the troupe’s boundaries-pushing brand of dance on Thursday, as part of its “Music With A Mission” series at Los Angeles’ Midnight Mission, in the shadow of the city’s most enduring homelessness.
Thise series of shows offer a unique array of performers, who present the arts free of charge to Skid Row residents who cannot afford such entertainment.
Principal dancers Isabella Hoy and Tigran Sargasyan, of Hollywood Ballet, perform at the Midnight Mission during “Music With A Mission” series for those experiencing homelessness at the Los Angeles shelter on Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Principal dancer Eduard Sargasyan, of Hollywood Ballet, performs at the Midnight Mission during “Music With A Mission” series for those experiencing homelessness at the Los Angeles shelter on Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
People watch Hollywood Ballet dancers as they perform at the Midnight Mission during “Music With A Mission” series for those experiencing homelessness at the Los Angeles shelter on Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“I’ve never seen anything like this says Bobby Sanchez who get his hand shake by principal dancer Tigran Sargasyan, of Hollywood Ballet, after Sanchez gave him a standing ovation at the Midnight Mission during “Music With A Mission” series for those experiencing homelessness at the Los Angeles shelter on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Sanchez is a resident in the recovery program after spending three years on the streets and over 30 years trying to get sober. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
People film Hollywood Ballet dancers as they perform at the Midnight Mission during “Music With A Mission” series for those experiencing homelessness at the Los Angeles shelter on Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Principal dancer Tigran Sargasyan, of Hollywood Ballet, performs at the Midnight Mission during “Music With A Mission” series for those experiencing homelessness at the Los Angeles shelter on Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Principal dancers Natella Devitskaja and Eduard Sargasyan, of Hollywood Ballet, perform at the Midnight Mission during “Music With A Mission” series for those experiencing homelessness at the Los Angeles shelter on Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Principal dancers Isabella Hoy and Tigran Sargasyan, of Hollywood Ballet, perform at the Midnight Mission during “Music With A Mission” series for those experiencing homelessness at the Los Angeles shelter on Thursday, July 9, 2026. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Founded by former La Scala principal dancers Petra Conti and Eris Nezha, Hollywood Ballet declares that it is the only ballet company bringing live dance performances to people experiencing homelessness. “Our mission is to deliver compelling and inclusive storytelling for the stage and for the screen, empower the different communities of Los Angeles and nurture the next generation of artist,” according to the group’s website.
Hosting the events is The Midnight Mission, the oldest continuously operating human service organization in the Los Angeles region, according to its website. Centered in the Skid Row area of downtown, the stalwart aid center offers direct services to the homeless in the area all year long.
Founded in 1914, the mission is one of the oldest shelters in the city. Then known for its around the clock food and shelter for the unhoused, its programs how combine housing, workforce development, 12-step addiction treatment and other efforts.
