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The centerpiece of American Ballet Theatre’s education and outreach
initiatives is its award-winning JPMorgan Make a Ballet at American
Ballet Theatre program. Helping to meet the need for arts education
in underserved schools and communities, this model program also introduces
students to all aspects of the creative and administrative theatrical
experience.
JPMorgan Make a Ballet was first launched at The Frederick
Douglass Academy in central Harlem in 1997, and is currently a presence
in six area schools.
JPMorgan Make a Ballet
Schools |
| The Frederick Douglass Academy; Harlem, New York |
1997 - 2003 |
| Arts High School; Newark, New Jersey |
1999 - 2006 |
| Intermediate School 218; Washington Heights, New York |
1999 - 2004 |
| Casita Maria; Bronx, New York |
2002 - Present |
| Waterside School; Stamford, Connecticut |
2002 - Present |
| Long Island City High School; Queens, New York |
2002 - 2005 |
| Central High School in Valley Stream, New York |
2003 - 2006 |
| Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics; Harlem, New
York |
2004 - Present |
| Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School; Queens, New
York |
2006 - Present |
| Community Partnership charter School; Brooklyn, New York |
2007 - Present |
JPMorgan Make a Ballet offers students the opportunity to
design, choreograph, construct, produce, and perform their own original
performance piece. The students work under the tutelage of ABT teaching
artists – all of whom are professionals in their field -- and
school faculty. Students work in four teams—
Performance Team: chooses a theme and music; creates
choreography with an ABT choreographer; and performs the piece on
stage
Administration Team: creates a project budget;
develops a plan to market the ballet to the school, local community,
and the media; creates all tickets, invitations, and programs; and
raises funds for the production.
Production Team: designs light plots and sets up
theatrical lights; learns all necessary aspects of stage crewing
and front-of-house management; and learns how to call cues for a
show. This team will function as the stage crew for the performance.
Design Team: designs and construct sets and costumes
for the production.
At year’s end, students present multiple performances of
their original work. The first performance will take place at each
school for the members of both the school and local community. Students
will also perform excerpts of their final performance piece on the
stage of The Metropolitan Opera House as part of American Ballet
Theatre’s Young People’s Ballet
Workshop. Tickets are complimentary for schools in the
New York Metropolitan area.
In addition to exposing students to classical dance and building
future audiences, JPMorgan Make a Ballet emphasizes career
opportunities in the arts, onstage and backstage, as well as helping
the students develop valuable life skills.
Following the first year of participation, ABT and school staff
continue to cultivate students’ skills and career interests
by supervising independent projects, administrative internships
at ABT, and other after-school enrichment activities.
For more information about the ABT's JPMorgan Make a Ballet
program, please contact Dennis Walters at (212) 477-3030,
ext. 3264 or by e-mail at Dwalters@abt.org.
The Official Corporate Sponsor of the JPMorgan Make a Ballet
Program
at American Ballet Theatre
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Kevin
McKenzie: Artistic Director