Boston Ballet : BOSTON BALLET II AND BOSTON BALLET Opens New School on North Shore

Boston Ballet opens new school
on North Shore

January, 2007

Boston Ballet School, already the largest professional ballet school in the country, is poised to bring another community into its fold. A new studio is being built in partnership with the North Shore YMCA thanks to a generous gift from Boston Ballet board members and North Shore residents, Henri and Belinda Termeer. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Leggs Hill Road site in Salem on Tuesday, September 26, 2006. The School's newest space, currently scheduled to open in the summer of 2008, will cover 10,000 square feet and feature four state-of-the-art studios. As social entrepreneurs, the Termeers recognized that both non-profit organizations share common goals of promoting health, well-being, and community building, and that a partnership could provide all inclusive arts and recreation programming for North Shore families at one convenient location. "Boston Ballet and Boston Ballet School are thrilled to have a presence on the North Shore and we are excited about our partnership with the North Shore Y," said Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. "Our mission is to bring high quality dance education to broader and more diverse segments of the community, to increase arts literacy, and to develop a new generation of artists. We believe that the North Shore Branch of Boston Ballet School will enrich the cultural life of this community." Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education, currently operates studios in Boston's South End, Newton and Norwell. Over 3,000 students, ranging from pre-schoolers to adults, participate in its year-round programs. Programs planned for the North Shore Studio will include: Rhythm and Movement, Creative Dance, and Pre-Ballet for ages 3 – 7 Standard and intensive classical ballet training for ages 8-15 Teen Classes and Adult Classes Summer programs Performance opportunities Special YMCA partnership programs Outreach programs in the form of workshops in area public schools Amenities at the Leggs Hill YMCA will include indoor and outdoor pools, cafeteria, gymnasium, aerobic studios, a playing field, ample parking and a day care center. Boston Ballet and the North Shore YMCA will undertake a joint fundraising campaign to generate support for the facilities and to fund planned community outreach programs.