Washington Ballet Announces Fundraiser for Pointe Shoes

The Washington Ballet (TWB) is raising support for its Student Pointe Shoe Fund, to provide pointe shoes to 59 dancers at its Southeast Washington, DC campus, TWB@THEARC, ahead of the group's annual Spring Performance held at the end of May.

The Washington Ballet's goal is to raise $7,500 by May 6th.

A dancer's performance is dependent on pointe shoes which allow her to stand on the tips of her toes (en pointe) for prolonged periods of time and to execute intricate ballet moves. Made by hand with materials such as satin, glue and leather, pointe shoes are constructed with extreme precision. Some roles require extended bravado en pointe and it is common that shoes may only be worn for a single performance and then they must be discarded as they no longer provide the support that a dancer requires. A single role may also provide the use of multiple pairs of pointe shoes depending upon the technique required.

Last season, a donor generously provided funding for TWB@THEARC students to receive new pointe shoes at a special shoe fitting event and a shuttle bus to transport families who needed assistance to attend the fitting.

TWB@THEARC's annual Spring Performance is held Friday, May 27 and Saturday, May 28.

Learn more about the Student Pointe Shoe Fund and make a donation.

The Washington Ballet's Community Engagement Programs

A critical element of The Washington Ballet's (TWB) mission is to actively engage the DC metropolitan area and its surrounding communities. TWB's community engagement programs and initiatives are designed to connect children and adults of all ages to ballet and to bring the joy of dance into their lives. Since the launch of TWB's Community Engagement program 15 years ago, TWB has reached more than 70,000 children through free performances, classes, workshops and other events. As TWB continues to expand its programs each season, it strives to be known as the indisputable leader in diversity and community engagement.

Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC)

TWB is the only major American ballet company with a thriving campus dedicated solely to students who lack access and opportunity to high quality ballet training. THEARC, a state-of-the-art complex in the heart of Ward 8, has served as the headquarters for our community engagement programs, TWB@THEARC, since 2005.

Community Engagement Initiatives

As a result of TWB's important work at THEARC, Washington DC's underserved communities have access to dance and dance education opportunities through DanceDC, the EXCEL! scholarship and the sliding fee scale at the SE Campus. More importantly, many participants have experienced the benefits of dance training: self-discipline, perseverance, responsibility, teamwork and increased self-esteem that will continue to serve them long after they leave the dance studio.

The Washington School of Ballet Southeast Campus offers an intensive and community dance tracks for youth, and additional adult and senior programs; tuition rates are based on a sliding fee scale according to household income with more than 90% of participants receiving tuition relief. More than 500 students are enrolled in our Southeast Campus.

DanceDC is an arts integrated program introducing ballet to second and third grade students through in-school residencies that combine core subjects and dance to meet DC Public Schools and National Dance Education standards. This year the program enjoyed the highest enrollment in its history. More than 900 students from 8 DC Public Schools and an after school program are participating.

EXCEL! Scholarship Program intended for students who have completed the DanceDCprogram and show exceptional talent and ability, is a one-time scholarship that provides funding to train at The Washington School of Ballet for one school year.

Your commitment to TWB's community engagement programs will help us to extend our reach even further into the community by increasing the number of dancers who will receive a new pair of pointe shoes for the Annual Spring Performance.

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