CLEVELAND — It’s a centuries-old art form characterized by grace and beauty, but ballet is about more than tutus and toe-shoes.

The dance brings people from around the world together by communicating through a common language of movement, and the Cleveland Ballet hopes to share that message of unity while entertaining and inspiring audiences in Ohio.

Dancers with the professional company are preparing to take the stage for performances of “Carmen and Other Works” on Friday and Saturday night in Playhouse Square.

Marla Aleyda is a fifth-year member of the dance troupe.

“I am notorious for always being late,” she said, while tightening a ballet slipper on her foot. “It’s, like, on stage call and they’re calling my name. I’m still in my dressing room. I don’t have my dress on or my lipstick on or anything.”

But she’s been doing this long enough to know how long she can stretch it.

“Total, since I was 18 months old,” she said. “And I’m 20. So, a long time.”

That passion for dancing runs in the family. Gladisa Guadalupe, Aleyda’s mom, is co-founder and artistic director of the Cleveland Ballet.

“This arts community is phenomenal,” Guadalupe said. “I don’t know why people don’t come to Cleveland!”

Guadalupe brings her years of experience traveling the world as a professional ballerina to those now following in her footsteps.

“I came here in 1982 to dance with the former Cleveland Ballet, and I fell in love with Cleveland,” she said.

She now directs everything the audience sees on stage during performances.

“The teaching, the choreography, the coaching, the casting, the costumes, the sets,” Guadalupe said.

More than 30 professional dancers from around the world are now members of the company.

“People go to the theaters to forget about their lives and maybe see themself on stage,” Guadalupe said. “That’s what we’re all about. Diversity.”

The group rehearsed for their Playhouse Square season debut of “Carmen and Other Works” for weeks, leading up to the Sept. 22 and 23 performances.

“Making movements and corrections permanent,” she said. “Not perfect. We’re not perfect, but permanent. And the more we do it, the more we clean it and the more they are comfortable with their bodies, their costumes and their movements. So when they go on stage, they can just enjoy it.”

With the goal of giving the audience a show they can enjoy, as well. One with old familiar tunes.

“People don’t realize that this kind of music that we use for this art form is everywhere,” Guadalupe said. “You go to the malls during Christmas, you hear ‘Nutcracker.’”

That show’s a family tradition, with Guadalupe performing in the past and passing the pointe shoes on to Aleyda for the present.

“It’s my favorite character that I’ve played ever,” Aleyda said. “So every show I play of Caroline (in the ‘Nutcracker’), it’s a new experience and so much fun. And so exciting. And I get to add little secret things that people may not notice, but I know that are different.”

But growing up spinning in Guadalupe’s shadow wasn’t easy.

“I always had to prove to people that I work hard enough, and I deserve this,” Aleyda said.

In the process, she gained confidence.

“I found that dance is the only way I’m able to express myself without having to talk,” she said. “And it’s not as embarrassing if I mess up, I guess.”

The unspoken communication is also a strength in performing with her long-time dance partner, Bruno Palheta, who moved to Ohio from Brazil to join the dance company.

“We’re in a point now, almost four years later, that we understand each other without saying a single word,” Palheta said.

Aleyda said mastering the movements takes strength, power, and grace.

“We need to be just as athletic as any other sport player out there,” she said. “If not more.”

Hoping the team begins to acquire a larger fan base, like the other professional sports in the region.

“Slowly the company is getting the recognition it deserves,” Aleyda said. “Which is really, really cool.”

This is the Cleveland Ballet’s ninth season. The troupe is the resident company of Playhouse Square, with performances of “Carmen and Other Works” scheduled for Sept. 22 and 23, and “Nutcracker” and “Aurora: A Sleeping Beauty Story” planned for later in the season.

Correction: The previous version of this story misspelled  Bruno Palheta's name. This has been corrected. (Sept. 25, 2023)