Arts Educator Gioia Michelotti founded Kaleidoscope Dance Theatre as a performing opportunity for young children in 1978. The organization attained tax exempt status the following year. A training program was added to enhance the development of the young dancers in 1980 and a little over a decade later that performing group became known as Ballet Pensacola. In 1992, Kaleidoscope & Ballet Pensacola became one of the anchor tenants in the newly renovated Pensacola Cultural Center. In this setting K&BP has grown to become one of the major arts organizations in the area. In 2006, the Board of Directors officially adopted the name Ballet Pensacola.

In recent years Ballet Pensacola has enjoyed tremendous development with a goal of becoming a cultural cornerstone of the region. Through synergistic efforts of the Board of Directors, volunteers, Faculty and Staff, the organization has produced critically successful performances, quality training for the students and publicly applauded outreach programming.

Under the Artisitc Direction of Richard Steinert, Ballet Pensacola is Pensacola's only resident professional ballet company. Full-time professional dancers work alongside students to provide the Northwest Florida region an outstanding cultural contribution.

Ballet Pensacola serves over 300 students each school year, ranging from age 3 through adult, beginner through professional. Ballet Pensacola presents major productions each season including the Nutcracker, which has become a holiday tradition for many in Pensacola. Ballet Pensacola also continues to develop and maintain key collaborative partnerships with organizations such as the school systems of Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties, the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, the Choral Society of Pensacola, and the Arts Council of Northwest Florida.

Ballet Pensacola also nurtures outreach efforts to offer access to the Art of Dance to populations that might otherwise never have the opportunity. The publicly lauded Arts-in-Education Program, begun in 1988, offers many young people their first live performing arts experience and through the Dance Chance Scholarship Program, many young students are able to realize their dream of dance training. In 2008, Ballet Pensacola launched its Discover Dance program which takes the Art of Dance into elementary schools throughout the region to provide a cultural experience to over 15,000 children each season.

Ballet Pensacola continues to fulfill its mission of enhancing the cultural life of the community by developing an appreciation and knowledge of the Art of Dance through excellent dance training and quality performances.