American Repertory Ballet to Present 'Meet the Company' On Pointe Event, 9/13

American Repertory Ballet will be kicking off its monthly On Pointe Enrichment Series with their annual "Meet the Company" event on Friday, September 13, 2013 at 12:00pm, noon, at Princeton Ballet School - 301 North Harrison Street (above McCaffrey's supermarket in the Princeton Shopping Center). On Pointe events are usually held at 5:15pm. This is a special lunch-hour On Pointe in light of the beginning of Yom Kippur the evening of September 13, 2013.

"Meet the Company" gives community members a chance to meet ARB's new and returning dancers, as well as learn more about the company's upcoming 2013-2014 season. This year's "Meet the Company" will include discussions of the upcoming season along with a glimpse of what the company has in store for audiences, including pieces by Mary Barton and acclaimed guest choreographer Kirk Peterson. ARB dancers will perform excerpts of select repertory.

ARB created the On Pointe series as part of the organization's mission to make ballet more accessible to the community. Through guest speakers, lecture demonstrations, company performance previews, and panel discussions, the series strives to create community engagement within the world of dance and give the public an inside look at ARB's work.

For more information regarding American Repertory Ballet's upcoming performances, events, or On Pointe series, visit www.arballet.org.

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 and 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 and Melissa Barak; 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.

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