Boys & Girls Clubs Ballet Outreach Program

2012-2013 Season
Fall Session: September 28 through November 30, 2012
Spring Session: January 11 through March 15, 2013
Recital Performance: March 15, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. at The Legacy Theatre, 101 East Lawrence Ave.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECITAL PERFORMANCE!

The Springfield Ballet Company is proud to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois to offer weekly ballet lessons on Fridays, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., at the Boys & Girls Clubs. The program is open to Boys & Girls Clubs members, age 6 to 18 (K-12).

Since its first lesson in March of 2003, the Springfield Ballet Company’s Boys & Girls Clubs Ballet Outreach program has been very successful. Through this partnership, children who otherwise may not have the opportunity to experience dance are learning about and appreciating the fine arts – all while boosting self-esteem, individual strength and creativity.

The partnership between the Springfield Ballet Company and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois offers members a unique opportunity to learn classical ballet technique at no cost to the participants. Ballet provides children with poise, grace, discipline, coordination, confidence and a strong sense of self-worth. These qualities will positively affect all aspects of their lives and their future educational pursuits.

Classes are held at the Boys & Girls Clubs facility on Fridays, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Our season begins with an eight-week session in the fall, which concludes with an opportunity to attend our annual production of The Nutcracker free of charge.

We then have an eight-week session in the spring, which concludes with a recital performance that features the Boys & Girls Clubs Ballet Outreach Program dancers and members of the Springfield Ballet Company. The participants also then have the opportunity to attend SBC's production of The Sleeping Beauty at Sangamon Auditorium free of charge.

SBC Ballet Mistress Gina DeCroix Russell oversees the Boys & Girls Clubs Ballet Outreach Program; SBC dancer Tiffany Riech serves as the program's lead instructor; and Company dancers Alana Aragon, Jaclyn Conway, Kaitlin Fear, Jaelin Heavisides, Taylor Krech, Genie Melamed, Caragan Phillips, Allison Rainford, Emily Standley and Rachel Woerner serve as assistant ballet instructors for the 2012-2013 season.

Our 2012-2013 Boys & Girls Clubs Ballet Outreach Program is proudly sponsored by Marine Bank, Scheels and Velo Mine, Inc. Through their sponsorship, the SBC is able to provide leotards, tights, ballet shoes, dance bags and "dancer" t-shirts to all of our Boys & Girls Clubs Ballet Outreach Program participants free of charge.

Photos: Jim Mrosko