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SBC Launches New Website
We are pleased to announce that we have launched a new and improved, mobile-friendly website: www.springfieldballetco.org
We have also added Beyond the Barre - The Official Blog of the SBC where we will be featuring varying topics of interest throughout the season!
Thank you to Chris Scheufele and Dave Hine of After Hours Development for working with us to launch the new site!
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SBC kicked off 40th Anniversary Season with Summer Outreach Tour
The Springfield Ballet Company kicked off its 40th Anniversary Season with our Summer Outreach Tour, June 9-13.
Dancers performed at facilities throughout the Springfield area, including senior centers, long-term care facilities, The Hope Institute, St. John's Breadline, and many more!
Click HERE to view a short video of Company dancers Stephanie Parrott, Alina Sinha and Kayla Wheeler performing the Irish Jig at The Hope Institute.
The Summer Outreach Tour allows the SBC to bring the art of dance to audiences who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend SBC productions. In addition to entertainment the SBC brings to these facilities and its residents, the tour is a valuable civic experience for the young dancers in the SBC.
Company dancer Anna Benoit says, "Having done the SBC's Summer Outreach Tour for several years, I now recognize faces; and it is wonderful and encouraging to see the continued excitement and enthusiasm of the residents."
Thank you to our sponsors: Staab Funeral Home and Mrs. Barbara Schwartz, in memory of Barbara C. Rawlings.
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Training Our Dancers
Springfield Ballet Company dancers and Trainees had two great master teachers this month!
Sara Semonis, head of the dance department at Illinois State University, taught a modern class to Company dancers on Saturday, June 7. Sara is also the artistic director of Illinois State Dance Theatre and holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Iowa and a BA from Western Illinois University. Her class really challenged our dancers, and she also held a Q&A session about pursuing a degree in dance from a university. Thank you, Sara!
Local legend Gary Shull taught tap to our Trainees on Sunday, June 8. A familiar face in the Springfield theater community, Gary has choreographed and directed countless local productions, including Chicago, A Chorus Line, A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine, CATS, Into the Woods, and many, many more! Gary taught dance at Millikin University for more than 20 years, and is a member of the International Tap Association and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
The SJR did a great article about Gary a few years ago, and you can still access that article HERE!Also, be sure to check out a short video of Gary teaching the SBC Trainees on June 8. We love you, Mr. Gary!
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SBC's Annual Pointe Shoe Fund
Help the Springfield Ballet Company provide some very special shoes to some very special . . .
Company Dancers ~
Our 30 Company dancers dedicate an average of 20 hours per week training to perform for audiences and provide dance education and performances to community groups. The delicate pointe shoes our dancers wear provide a rigid support that prevents injury. Each pair is made by hand and after only a few rehearsals, the shoes become unusable and must be replaced. Through the course of a season of three or more productions, each dancer can expect to wear through a minimum of six pairs of pointe shoes at a cost of $60 to $75 a pair. SBC would like to provide each dancer the pointe shoes necessary for our productions. Please help us continue this tradition.
Boys & Girls ~
In the fall of 2014, the SBC will again offer its Ballet Outreach Program. This program was established in 2001 as a way to provide dance education to young people from areas that are often underexposed to the fine arts. The Ballet Outreach Program is offered in collaboration with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois, and teaches basic ballet to students ages six to 18. In addition to six months of weekly classes conducted by SBC volunteer ballet instructors, the Company provides ballet shoes, tights, leotards, dance skirts, bags and a t-shirt -- all at no cost to each student dancer. At the end of each season, parents and friends are invited to attend a free ballet recital performed by the Boys & Girls Clubs Ballet Outreach Program dancers at The Legacy Theatre.
To donate, visit our website HERE or contact Sally Hamilton at 217-544-1967 or [email protected].
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SBC's 2014 Summer Intensive Workshop
Week 1: August 4 to August 8, 2014
Week 2: August 11 to August 15, 2014
9:00 a.m. to noon daily
$150 per week, or $15 per class
Hoogland Center for the Arts - Theatre II
Deadline for application - July 25, 2014
(Recommended age for dancers is 10 and up)
Click here for additional information and registration form
The Springfield Ballet Company's 2014 Summer Intensive Workshop is a great way for dancers to supplement their training and improve their skills, while working with outstanding master teachers in a positive, nurturing environment.
Classes are held daily from 9:00 a.m. to noon in Theatre II at the Hoogland Center for the Arts.
Only 20 dancers will be accepted to each week-long session; and admission is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Dancers must be at least 10 years of age and dancing at an intermediate level. Please dress professionally for each class and bring proper dance shoes.
Contact SBC Artistic Director Julie Ratz at 217.544.1967 with any questions. Deadline to apply is Friday, July 25, 2014, or when all spots have been filled.
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To the POINTE...
To the POINTE, the Springfield Ballet Company's e-newsletter, highlights what's happening throughout our season -- whether it be performances, dancer spotlights, community events, workshops, giving opportunities, special discounts or general announcements! We hope you enjoy receiving these updates.
And, if you love the information you are receiving, please forward our e-newsletter to a friend! All the best, Julie Ratz, SBC Artistic Director
Sally Hamilton, SBC Administrative Director
Gina DeCroix Russell, SBC Ballet Mistress |
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Our Mission
The Springfield Ballet Company provides dance education and performances to enrich our community through the beauty, energy and diversity of dance.
Springfield Ballet Company Hoogland Center for the Arts 420 S. Sixth Street Springfield, IL 62701 217-544-1967 217-544-1968 (fax) www.springfieldballetco.org
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Upcoming Events:
SBC Summer Intensive Workshops:
August 4 - 15, 2014
ALPLM Summer Series Performance:
TBA
Illinois State Fair Performance:
August 9, 2014
Boys & Girls Clubs Ballet Outreach:
Fridays, ongoing through Fall and Spring
Rockballet with live music by DOWNSTATE:
September 13 & 14, 2014
Auditions for SBC's 40th Anniversary production of The Nutcracker:
September 21, 2014
Festival of Trees Performance:
November 2014
SBC's 40th Anniversary production of
The Nutcracker with live accompaniment
by the Illinois Symphony Orchestra:
December 13 & 14, 2014
First Night Springfield Performance:
December 31, 2014
Leap into Lincoln at ALPLM:
February 17, 2015
SBC's Girl Scouts Workshop:
March 21, 2015
Trainee Recital:
March 22, 2015
Boys & Girls Clubs Recital:
March 27, 2015
Swan Lake:
April 18 & 19, 2015
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Photos:
Caryn Broomby
Shane Bumgarner
Tammy Bumgarner
Donna Lounsberry
John Muchow
Gina DeCroix Russell
Patrick Russell
Graphic Design:
Scott Richardson
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