A Note from Sarah Lane, Soloist – American Ballet Theatre (Ballet Guild 2009 Nutcracker Guest Artist) –
“Thank you so much for bringing us to guest in your production of The Nutcracker. It was a lovely experience for us. We were very impressed, not only by the professionalism of the students, but also by the positive attitudes that they exuded. The dancers seemed very inspired by their work. With many years behind Luis and me as ballet dancers, we know that the most important thing to have instilled is a love for dancing. We really felt that this was a quality that was apparent in the young boys and girls at your school. Keep up the good work and best of luck in the future!”
Performances / Collaborations / Community Events
Ballet Guild of the Lehigh Valley (BGLV) provides schools and community groups with the opportunity to expand learning in the arts through the following initiatives:
BGLV invites 4,000 area school students to specially-priced matinee performances of The Nutcracker each December. Approximately 1,000 of those students are invited, free of charge, including the cost of bussing, through generous grants from our sponsors specifically dedicated to Title I school students. We also offer pre and post-performance lecture demonstrations as well as study guides, which build upon the ballet, theatre and music experience.
“You never cease to amaze me!” (A 5th grader from Holy Infancy school)
BGLV has partnered with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra in several productions aimed at arts education for children and families, including Peter and the Wolf, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and Magical Tales. These performances were offered to students at specially priced ticket rates.
Moving Words – BGLV offers this free, one-hour interactive program targeting pre-kindergarten through elementary-level children, given in the classroom during the school year and to community groups in the summer. Each student participating in the program receives a copy of the beautiful, hard cover book “Giraffes Can’t Dance”, thanks to generous grants from our sponsors. Moving Words integrates movement, reading, and an introduction to the world of dance.
BGLV performs for various organizations, such as in this photo of the Downtown Bethlehem Association’s Holiday Window Display, in order to bring the joy of dance to the community. Other community dance events have included the Moravian Country Fair, SportsFest, Musikfest, Historic Bethlehem Hotel events, and local school district arts day lectures and demonstrations.
To learn more about these programs, or to register your organization for one of these events, contact the Ballet Guild office, 610-865-0353; or e-mail pyb@rcn.com.
Check out our newest addition to our sensational class schedule – Broadway Dance!!! Ages 11 & Up! Study with professional theatre performers ...