Dayton, OH – July 31, 2012 – Dayton Ballet School -- one of the first dance schools in the U.S --celebrates 85 years of excellence in dance training with an Open House at both school locations, six Master Classes and a call to audition for the Dayton Ballet II, Dayton Ballet’s pre-professional training company.
”We feel so fortunate to have been able to follow in Miss Jo’s footsteps in making our school such an important part of dance education in Dayton,” said Carol Jean Heller, director of the Dayton Ballet School. The school was founded by Josephine and Hermene Schwarz in 1927.
Dayton Ballet events for August and September are:
Open House & Registration – August 25 & 26
Open Houses and fall registration for Dayton Ballet School will be held at both school locations on August 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Downtown Dayton Studio on the 4th floor of the Victoria Theatre and August 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at SSK South Studio, 894 S. Main St. in Centerville. The event will include performances by members of DBII Junior and Senior companies. Fall classes begin Sept. 5 for students age 3 and up and include Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Ballet, Pointe, Lyrical Jazz and Tap. Adult Ballet, Tap and Zumba classes are also available. For additional information and class schedule, call (937) 223-1542.
Master Classes for Dancers Age 14 and Up – August 27, 28 & 29
Dayton Ballet School is celebrating 85 years as the only ballet school in the Miami Valley affiliated with a professional dance company with six Master Classes taught by former directors, teachers and dancers of Dayton Ballet.
The classes will be held in the Downtown Dayton studio at the Victoria Theatre on August 27, 28 and 29. This is an opportunity for advanced dancers to experience classes taught by an outstanding faculty including Dayton Ballet Artistic Director Karen Russo Burke and former Director Dermot Burke. Also leading master classes are Gregory Robinson, Laura Frock Hinders, Susie Payne and Suzanne Walker.
Advanced dance students 14 years and older may participate for $20.00 per class or $85.00 for all six classes. Pointe students must have been on pointe at least 3 years. Teachers may audit the classes for $10.00 per class. To register, call Dayton Ballet School at (937) 223-1542.
Dayton Ballet II Auditions – September 7
Dayton Ballet II, Dayton Ballet’s pre-professional training company, will hold open auditions on Friday, Sept. 7, 2012, at the Dayton Ballet School, Downtown Studios located on the 4th floor of the Victoria Theatre, 140 N. Main St., Dayton, Ohio 45402. Boys and girls ages 10 to 14 audition at 4:30 PM. Young men and women ages 14 and older audition at 6:00 PM. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to the audition time. Young women auditioning for DBII Senior should bring pointe shoes. There is no fee to audition or to participate. If selected, the only cost involved will be the cost of classes.
DBII consists of a Junior Company (ages 10-14) and a Senior Company (ages 14 and older). DBII Junior students are expected to take three ballet classes each week as well as one weekly scholarship conditioning/fitness class.
DBII Senior students take three ballet classes and two pointe classes per week as well as scholarship classes which include but are not limited to two ballet classes with the professional company per week and two conditioning/fitness classes per week. Many DBII Senior members have been fortunate enough to be accepted into summer programs at the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Virginia School of the Arts. DB II alumni have been accepted into prestigious ballet companies such as San Francisco Ballet, Washington Ballet, BalletMet and Montgomery Ballet.
Members of DBII receive opportunities for performances throughout the school year. Performances have included the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Program; the annual Wright State University Dance Concert series; lecture demonstrations for the Dayton Foundation; and Dayton Ballet School’s annual performances. Additionally, DBII company members may have the chance to participate in Dayton Ballet’s professional productions of The Nutcracker at the Benjamin and Marian Performing Arts Center, as well as other Dayton Ballet productions throughout the season.
For additional information about Dayton Ballet II auditions, please contact the official school of Dayton Ballet, the Dayton Ballet School, at (937) 223-1542.
