American Repertory Ballet to Host 'A Day with the Ballet' Classes

Princeton Ballet School, the official school of American Repertory Ballet, NJ's top professional dance company, is teaming up with Middletown Arts Center to offer "A Day with the Ballet" on Saturday, October 24, 2015.

Mary Pat Robertson, Director of Princeton Ballet School, will lead dance teachers in an immersive professional development session and share her philosophy on teaching and learning. Students of all ages will also have the opportunity to participate in classes throughout the day, including ballet for ages 6 through 16, and a very special Beginner Ballet session for adults! These ballet technique classes will be led by Amy Megules, Princeton Ballet School faculty member and former American Repertory Ballet company member. Robertson's and Megules' varied backgrounds in professional dance, liberal arts education, and extensive teaching careers promise to provide workshop and class attendees new perspectives and unique inspiration.

The class schedule on Saturday, October 24, 2015 is as follows:

9:30am-10:15am: Ballet Class (6-8 years old)

10:30am-12:00pm: Intermediate Master Class A (9-13 years old)

1:00pm-2:30pm: Advanced Master Class B (12-16 years old)

2:45pm-3:30pm: Adult Beginner Ballet

The cost per dance teacher is $125. If a teacher brings five students to the Intermediate and/or Advanced Master Class, their professional development participation fee will be waived. For Intermediate/Advanced students, the cost is $25. It is $15 per student for Children's Class and $20 per student for Adult Beginner Ballet Class.

For more information and to register, please contact Middletown Arts Center at (732) 706-4100. RSVP is required by the end of the day on Friday, October 16. This is a firm requirement and deadline.

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 comprises: the preeminent professional classical and contemporary ballet company in the state; Princeton Ballet School, one of the largest and most respected non-profit dance schools in the nation; and ARB's Access & Enrichment initiatives, including the long-running and acclaimed DANCE POWER program. The performing company is a classical and contemporary ballet company committed to presenting ballets from the 19th and 20th centuries 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. Its 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, Patrick Corbin, Trinette Singleton, and 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 the Jersey Arts People's Choice for "Favorite Dance Company" in 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2015.

Princeton Ballet School has gained a national reputation for its excellent dance training since its founding in 1954 by Audrée Estey. Under the direction of Mary Pat Robertson, Princeton Ballet School currently serves approximately 1,200 students, starting at age three, and includes a large open enrollment division for adults. Princeton Ballet School has studios in Cranbury, New Brunswick, and Princeton and offers classes in ballet, modern dance, jazz, hip-hop, CardioBallet, and CoMBo - Conditioning for the Mind and Body. 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 New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, Complexions, Mark Morris Dance Company, Twyla Tharp, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Ballet West and on Broadway.

The Access & Enrichment wing of American Repertory Ballet reaches out to the community not only through its DANCE POWER program and signature On Pointe series, but also with free programming, master classes, residencies, lecture demonstrations and School-Time Matinees throughout the state. In 1985, American Repertory Ballet partnered with the New Brunswick Board of Education to create DANCE POWER. Today, it's the longest-running uninterrupted arts/community partnership in New Jersey. The legendary Gregory Hines was DANCE POWER's Honorary Chair for 18 years before his untimely passing in 2003. In 2001, Mr. Hines endowed a scholarship at Rutgers University that earmarks annual funds for a DANCE POWER student to attend the university.

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