News & Events

The wait is finally over – #GivingTuesday is here!

Community members like you are the reason we’re so excited! If you’re as passionate as we are about making classical ballet accessible to Greater New Haven, we hope you’ll consider supporting New Haven Ballet today.

In case you’re wondering about the importance of your gift, here’s how New Haven Ballet will make the MOST of your generous contribution: 

  • Studio Classes: We know the importance of maintaining access to the studio, especially during these challenging times. Regrettably, tuition does not cover increased and fixed expenses, nor small class size restrictions due to COVID 
  • Performances: Even without a theater, we are hard at work partnering with talented musicians and creating new choreography to accommodate small groups of dancers who will present a Winter Showcase series, to be shared virtually with the community at no cost
  • Virtual classes: We understand that home spaces are not the same as studio space. Our virtual classes are designed to cater to students who are working at home
  • Community programs: We know that everyone in the community benefits from high quality arts programming and look forward to continuing Shared Ability, DanceAIR and other community programming 

You know the scope of our work stretches beyond providing the finest classical ballet instruction and performances. And, it’s through the generous support of community members like you that we are able to provide so much access to the magic of ballet to so many.  

Thank you for being part of our community and for giving so generously! 

New Haven Ballet

Damien Johnson to offer class to NHB students

NHB Zoom Class: Levels 5-8

Monday, November 30

4:00-5:45 p.m. 

Pilates/Technique

For Zoom Link Contact: Administrator@newhavenballet.org

Damien Johnson is originally from Dallas, Texas. He received his early dance training from Kitty Carter, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and The Etkin-Atkinson School of Ballet. Johnson went on to study at The Rock School and The School of American Ballet, the official school of The New York City Ballet.

As a professional dancer, Johnson has been a member of American Repertory Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, New Chamber Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, and London based Ballet Black where he was a principal dancer for 10 seasons. Since returning to the states in 2017, Johnson has performed with Madison Ballet, The Ashley Bouder Project, and The Suzanne Farrell Ballet.

Johnson is a sought-after teacher who is certified in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum in Pre-Primary-Level 3 as well as classical Pilates through Power Pilates. He has also served as a National Visiting Fellow with the School of American Ballet and taught for many companies and dance institutions including The Central School of Ballet, Rambert School, Bermuda Civic Ballet, Lake Tahoe Dance Collective, Ballet Black, and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures.

November 13, 2020

There has been a surge in COVID cases in Connecticut. If a student or anyone with whom a student has had contact is not feeling well we ask that you stay home and consult your physician. In an effort to ensure the health and safety of the New Haven Ballet community, the COVID Task Force has recommended that NHB suspend studio classes for one week following the Thanksgiving Holiday. 

Additionally, the COVID Task Force has recommended protocols for those who are traveling or hosting guests over Thanksgiving. Click here for the Thanksgiving Holiday Protocols. Please review them carefully and let me know if you have any questions.

NHB’s Thanksgiving break is Wednesday, November 25 through Sunday, November 29, 2020. NHB will be closed November 25-29. 

If you attend studio classes, you will be sent Zoom links to attend those classes remotely November 30-December 6. 

Studio classes resume December 7.

We are so grateful for your commitment to keeping the NHB community safe and healthy!

Weekly dance workshops for differently abled artists begins Saturday, October 3!

New Haven Ballet will once again offer studio and Zoom dance workshops facilitated by NHB faculty member, Kerry Kincy. Call Tel. 203-782-9038 or Email: administrator@newhavenballet.org for more information. Free trial class available.

Artistic Director, Lisa Sanborn, is pleased to announce auditions for New Haven Ballet Company will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2020, from 2:30-6:00 p.m. Level 6 through 8 students are invited to audition. The Company will present a professionally filmed performance in December 2020.

To register for the audition email: administrator@newhavenballet.org or Tel. 203-782-9038

New Haven Ballet Company provides intermediate and advanced level students with enhanced training through exposure to celebrated guest choreographers, musicians, works and teachers, and offers additional performing opportunities. This year’s New Haven Ballet Company audition is September 26-27. New Haven Ballet is thrilled to share this video performance of Corelli Adagio, which allowed New Haven Ballet Company members an opportunity to collaborate with the incredible Videri String Quartet.

Photo: Thomas Giroir Photography (c) 2020

New Haven Ballet’s Studio Protocols describe requirements, which you must adhere to in order to participate in studio classes. These requirements include staying home if you or someone to whom you have had close contact is sick, wearing masks, social distancing, and adhering to travel restrictions.

Domestic Travel —

The Connecticut Travel Advisory places restrictions on visitors from dozens of states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The most recent Executive Order from the Governor has led to a major change for many in our community: 

If you are coming from one of the restricted states or locations, you will have to quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in Connecticut.

Under State regulations, a negative test taken prior to coming to Connecticut is no longer a substitute for quarantining. 

You must also fill out the Connecticut Travel Health Form. Please visit CT.gov for a list of restricted states, and keep in mind that this list is subject to change due to health conditions across the country. 

International students should follow the guidance outlined on the CDC website, but in most cases will also quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in Connecticut.

Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in keeping our studios safe. We are excited to see you on August 31!

Arts for Anti Racism Pledge

In order to become more anti-racist, New Haven Ballet pledges to make these changes:

CULTURE: To change our internal culture to one that actively amplifies BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) voices, encourages open and productive discourse on race and racism, and is aware of and addresses racism when it happens.
POLICY & PRACTICE: To review our policies to identify and dismantle any unjust policies and practices that create barriers for BIPOC; this involves recruiting, promoting, and empowering BIPOC for leadership roles in the body responsible for organizational oversight (i.e. board of directors), and committing to a JEDI statement (Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) around which to build policy and programming.
ART: To acknowledge the barriers that have led to BIPOC artists being vastly underrepresented in the arts; and to actively counter this by employing and presenting work(s) by more BIPOC artists.
SOCIAL JUSTICE: To acknowledge that there are diverse communities which have been untapped by our organization; and to actively counter this by seeking out and providing a space for art focused on cultural pride, racial justice, civil rights, and other issues which are important and relevant to BIPOC communities.
ACCESSIBILITY: To offer programming that is more accessible to BIPOC, which may include adjusting ticket and/or admission price, format, schedule, and/or venue, in addition to content.
PARTICIPATE: To change our mentality from doing for the community to partnering with the community; this involves offering more “participatory” programming that directly involves diverse community members and allows them an interactive role in artistic and cultural activities.
HISTORY: To research and be aware of the historical and social context of the programming and the impact it may have on BIPOC communities; and to let this research and awareness inform programmatic decision-making.

New Haven Ballet encourages our community members to join us. For information on ways we are working to meet this pledge Click Here.

Workshop: Kaitlyn Gilliland teaches Twyla Tharp’s The One Hundreds

Fall 2020 Zoom Class for Levels 5+
Fridays, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Kaitlyn Gilliland teaches a movement workshop developed from Twyla Tharp’s seminal The One Hundreds (1970), a dance composed of 100 eleven-second movement phrases performed by two dancers in unison without music. Featuring a uniquely engaging curriculum designed to challenge the dancer’s technique, stamina, concentration, and attention to timing and meter, this workshop offers a rare opportunity to unpack the remarkable density of Tharp’s myriad choreographic inspirations – from ballet to baseball – while extending the reach of classical training through the exploration of contemporary and modern dance aesthetics, structured improvisation, and characterization and pedestrian gesture.

This workshop is suitable for both a studio and virtual setting and can accommodate dancers working with limited space. It will conclude with an opportunity for all participating students to share their progress.

NY Times Review:
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/arts/dance/review-twyla-tharps-the-one-hundreds-math-thats-easy-on-the-eyes.html

Kaitlyn Gilliland Bio:
Kaitlyn Gilliland began her dance training at the Minnesota Dance Theatre and continued her studies at the School of American Ballet, where she received the Mae L. Wien Award for outstanding promise in 2004. From 2006 to 2011, Ms. Gilliland performed corps, soloist, and principal roles with the company and was named the New York City Ballet’s Janice Levin Dancer Honoree for 2009-­‐2010. Following her departure from New York City Ballet, Ms. Gilliland appeared with several New York City-­‐based dance companies, joining Twyla Tharp for her 2015 50th Anniversary National Tour and two subsequent performance seasons and Benjamin Millepied’s L.A. Dance Project for their 2017-­‐ 2018 season. Ms. Gilliland served on the faculty of the School of American Ballet and as an instructor for The New York City Public School for Dance (The Ballet Tech School). In May of 2015, she graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Columbia University with a degree in Psychology. She is currently an MBA candidate at the Yale School of Management and Program Director for Minnesota Dance Theatre’s CAN Dance Education Program. Ms. Gilliland joined the faculty of New Haven Ballet in 2019.

New Haven Ballet is excited to announce that Week 1’s Ballet Talk guest speaker is John Clifford.

John Clifford, Artistic Advisor and Choreographer, is best known as founder and artistic director of the original Los Angeles Ballet, and as a principal dancer and choreographer with New York City Ballet. He is widely considered to be Balanchine’s choreographic protégé.

Trained in Los Angeles, John Clifford produced his early work for the Western Ballet Association, where he was a principal dancer and choreographer. After viewing rehearsals of Mr. Clifford’s ballets, George Balanchine invited Clifford to move to New York and choreograph for his School of American Ballet. In 1966, at the age of 19, Clifford joined the New York City Ballet, where he quickly became a principal dancer and resident choreographer. During his tenure there he choreographed numerous ballets and danced leading roles. Mr. Clifford became the first American male guest artist in history to dance with the Paris Opera Ballet.

Mr. Clifford also has a book, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: From Hollywood to Balanchine and Back,” that will coming out soon!

New Haven Ballet is​ reopening the school in a limited fashion for students in Levels 4-8 during July 2020. Levels 4-8 may enjoy morning Zoom only offerings. For those who are ready to resume studio work, New Haven Ballet is accepting a select number of students who are committed to their summer training by attending Zoom classes in the mornings followed by small studio classes one or two afternoons/evenings each week.

Students enrolled in morning Zoom classes will be prioritized for access to studio classes as afternoon/evening offerings are extremely limited at this time.

All levels (ages 4-Adult) will be offered online Zoom classes during July 2020. Private/duet lessons by our incredible faculty are also available to enrolled students in Levels 2-8.

Our top priority remains ensuring the health and safety of our students, faculty and administrators. Health and safety protocols have been established for studio classes, with students who wish to participate in studio classes being required to complete a medical questionnaire and waiver in addition to strict adherence to new protocols.

Click Here for Schedules, Tuition & Protocols

We are compiling a video yearbook of our Level 1-8 students. We have eight questions we would like you to answer.

You must submit your unlisted YouTube video link by Friday, June 12, 2020 to: video@newhavenballet.org

To help you with the process please click on the following links to see the pdf video yearbook guide and a YouTube video that describes how to create an unlisted video.

Once your unlisted video has been uploaded you will receive an email that will allow you to delete the unlisted video if you wish.

If you have any questions please email: video@newhavenballet.org

We look forward to seeing your videos!

OUR MISSION

To provide the greater New Haven Community with exceptional classical ballet training, performances, and outreach programs, that nurture appreciation of ballet and foster the joy of dance.

On October 31, 2020, NHB’s Board of Directors adopted the following Diversity and Inclusion Statement:

New Haven Ballet celebrates those who aspire to excellence in classical ballet. A culture of creativity is the core of our work and diversity promotes innovation. The arts can provide powerful life-changing experiences that prepare students and impact audiences to lead more successful, meaningful and culturally rich lives. The arts can also prove to be an important platform for social change. At New Haven Ballet we are passionate about creating an inclusive dance environment and performances that promote and value diversity and inclusion. We will continue to strive to increase diversity in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective, which will improve and strengthen our work.

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