American Repertory Ballet Presents DIAMOND GALA, Today

On March 15, 2014, American Repertory Ballet will hold its annual Gala performance and reception, Diamond Gala, in downtown New Brunswick, NJ. The performance will begin at 6:00pm at Crossroads Theater, and the reception will begin at 7:00pm across the street at the Heldrich Hotel. The reception, designed by Cassandre Snyder Events and Design, will include a gourmet dinner, dancing to the music of The Kenny i Orchestra, live and silent auctions, and more. Princeton Ballet School students ages 12-18 years can enjoy a Junior Gala party with dinner, dancing and silent auction, also at the Heldrich Hotel.

American Repertory Ballet's annual gala celebrates and showcases the three branches of the organization: American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey's preeminent ballet company; its official school, Princeton Ballet School, one of the largest non-profit dance schools in the country; and ARB's Access & Enrichment programming. This year, Diamond Gala will also celebrate the diamond anniversary of the organization, which was established as Princeton Ballet Society in 1954. The Diamond Gala honorees are: Johnson & Johnson, for their outstanding support of ARB's DANCE POWER program; Covance and Lee and Joseph Herring, for their outstanding support of ARB's Nutcracker; and Princeton Ballet School faculty member Janell Byrne, the 2014 recipient of the Audrée Estey Award for Excellence in Dance Education.

Johnson & Johnson is a three-sector health care company with more than 275 operating companies in more than 60 countries employing approximately 128,700 people. Their worldwide headquarters is in New Brunswick, NJ. Johnson & Johnson's responsibility to its Credo inspires the corporation to advance the health of communities. They fulfill this mission by developing enduring partnerships that deliver community-based solutions to health and education challenges. DANCE POWER is a long-standing partnership between ARB and the New Brunswick School District that delivers these solutions to New Brunswick students. Now in its 29th year, ARB's DANCE POWER is the longest-running arts/community partnership in New Jersey. It brings dance education to all second and third grade students in New Brunswick Public Schools and awards select students full scholarships to study at Princeton Ballet School from fourth grade onward.

Covance, one of the world's largest and most comprehensive drug development services companies, has been sponsoring ARB's Nutcracker productions since 2010, when Artistic Director Douglas Martin's version of the production first took the stage. Their contributions have funded many aspects of the production, including designs by Carl Sprague: new sets for the Act II "Kingdom of Sweets" and Act I "Land of Snow" scenes and, for the company's 50th annual Nutcracker season, a new growing Christmas tree.

Janell Byrne has been teaching at Princeton Ballet School for 35 years. An accomplished and prolific choreographer, Byrne has created over 100 works, mainly for Mercer Dance Ensemble, of which she is the director. She has also created ballets for Teamwork Dance and Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive. She shares her knowledge of the craft of choreography with aspiring students, as the Director of Princeton Ballet School's Summer Intensive Choreography Lab. Mary Pat Robertson, Director of Princeton Ballet School, praises Byrne for her "extraordinary contribution to our school and our arts community, through her thorough teaching of dance technique, and her sophisticated choreography. She was one of the last teachers hired by our founder Audree Estey before her retirement, and it is an honor to present her now with the Audree Estey Award for Excellence in Dance Education."

The Diamond Gala performance at Crossroads Theatre will feature American Repertory Ballet, advanced students of Princeton Ballet School, and ARB's DANCE POWER Scholars. American Repertory Ballet will perform selections from the current repertory, including Douglas Martin's Firebird. Advanced students from Princeton Ballet School's Professional Training Program will perform excerpts from Sleeping Beauty. First and second year DANCE POWER Scholars will also perform a selection from Sleeping Beauty as well as a piece choreographed to Camille Saint-Saëns "The Carnival of the Animals."

"We are excited to be returning to New Brunswick for our gala this year, after such a successful performance and reception last year at the same venues," says Artistic Director Douglas Martin. "New Brunswick has been one of the company's home bases since 1981. The Crossroads Theatre and the Heldrich Hotel are wonderful settings for us to interact with our New Brunswick community and to celebrate the success of the organization in its 60th year."

For more information, or if you would like to be a sponsor, please contact Naomi Levecchia, Director of Development: 732-249-1254 ext. 25, nlevecchia@arballet.org.

American Repertory Ballet's Annual Gala 2014, Diamond Gala

March 15, 2014

Performance: 6:00pm, Crossroads Theatre

7 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Reception: 7:00pm, The Heldrich Hotel

12 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Honorees: Johnson & Johnson; Covance & Lee and Joseph Herring; and Janell Byrne, 2014 recipient of the Audrée Estey Award for Excellence in Dance Education

About American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School

American Repertory Ballet's mission is to bring the joy, beauty, artistry and discipline of classical and contemporary dance to New Jersey and nationwide audiences and to dance students through artistic and educational programs. The organization is comprised of: American Repertory Ballet, the preeminent contemporary ballet company in the state; Princeton Ballet School, one of the largest and most respected non-profit dance schools in the nation; and the Access & Enrichment initiatives, ranging from the long-running and acclaimed DANCE POWER program to the popular On Pointe series. The professional company is a classical and contemporary ballet company committed to presenting ballets from the 19th and 20th century alongside new and existing works by choreographers from today. Founded in 1963, the company is currently under the artistic leadership of Douglas Martin, former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet. The company's rich history of repertory includes established masterpieces by distinguished American choreographers such as George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp; cutting edge works by choreographers such as Val Caniparoli, Kirk Peterson, Dominique Dumais, Harrison McEldowney, Amy Seiwert, Susan Shields, Melissa Barak, and current ARB Resident Choreographer Mary Barton; and former Artistic Directors Dermot Burke, Marjorie Mussman, Septime Webre and Graham Lustig. ARB has been designated a "Major Arts Institution" by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts consistently for the past two decades, and has repeatedly been awarded a Citation of Excellence by the Council. ARB was voted People's Choice for Best Dance Company in 2008, 2011, and 2012.

Princeton Ballet School has gained a national reputation for its excellent dance training since its founding in 1954 by Audrée Estey. Princeton Ballet School currently enrolls approximately 1500 students annually from age three through adult and is directed by Mary Pat Robertson. Princeton Ballet School has studios in Cranbury, New Brunswick, and Princeton which are equipped with shock-absorbent floors, non- slip dance surfaces and pianos for live accompaniment. Many of Princeton Ballet School's faculty members have performed professionally; others have attained graduate degrees in dance education and have won awards for their teaching. Students from the school have gone on to dance in professional ballet and contemporary dance companies in the US and abroad. Graduates have danced with such diverse organizations as the American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, STREB, Momix, Complexions, Mark Morris Dance Company, Twyla Tharp Dance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, New York Theatre Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Ballet Met Columbus, and American Repertory Ballet.