Events

FREE Gyrokinesis Class

New Haven Ballet is pleased to introduce Dorothea Garland who will be offering Gyrokinesis class FREE to NHB students on Wednesday, April 29, at 4:30 p.m. via Zoom. This live online class is open to all Level 5-8 students. If you are interested please email: administrator@newhavenballet.org.

About Dorothea Garland

Dorothea Garland is from Framingham, MA and trained at New England Ballet, Boston Ballet Center for Dance Education, and later Mercyhurst College. She danced with Columbia Classical Ballet in South Carolina and Jose Mateo’s Ballet Theater of Boston before moving to New York City, where she has lived and danced for the last 15 years. She currently dances for Ballets with a Twist, Continuum Contemporary Ballet, East Coast Contemporary Ballet and Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance. In addition to dancing Ms. Garland teaches ballet and the Gyrotonic Method.

About Gyrokinesis

The Gyrotonic Method is a movement system that allows the body to experience and expand its full range of motion, by increasing strength and flexibility within muscles and joints through a structured series of exercises which are performed in circular pathways. Gyrokinesis is the foundation of this movement system and requires minimal to no equipment. It is a wonderful tool for anyone of any age, and has a particular benefit to dancers. This method stimulates and connects muscles, allowing for greater control and knowledge of the body and spine. It increases extension, improves alignment and strength and ultimately creates a greater physical prowess through an overall wider range of motion. It is an unmatched supplement and complement to a dancers training.

FREE Meditation Classes

New Haven Ballet is pleased to offer a new FREE online class: Mindfulness/Meditation (Corbin), Tuesday/Thursday, 2:00-2:30 p.m.

Come experience FREE live Meditation classes participants describe as, “an essential restorative,” and “de-stressing experience” that allows you to “recharge and recalibrate!”

Mindfulness/Meditation Class Description:

During this especially stressful time, this non-movement class (though there may be gentle body movement that is stationary) will use brief, guided sessions to concentrate on helping you make connections between the mind, body and spirit. 

Through grounding techniques that bring you back to the moment, mindfulness utilizes ideas that will help to recenter you in times of stress. Taking time to breathe and visualize can help to alleviate pressures that everyone faces at this difficult time. Because you will be asked to lower your gaze or close your eyes, seeing Gail is not as important as hearing her voice.

About the Instructor:

Gail Corbin has practiced Ideokinesis (a technique of imagery to promote alignment and posture) for many years with dancers of all levels. She is also certified in Mental Health First Aid and QPR (suicide prevention) Technique and has practiced mindfulness and meditative disciplines. 

Mindfulness/Meditation is open to students ages 12+ years. No prior experience necessary. Non-dancers welcome!

NHB Special: FREE offerings every Tuesday and Thursday! Click Here to register and participate for FREE Mindfulness/Meditation sessions with Gail Corbin from the comfort of your home on Tuesdays and Thursday from 2:00-2:30 p.m.

NHB Cancels Classes

March 12, 2020

Out of an abundance of caution and in light of our commitment to protect your health and the health of our faculty and staff, we will be canceling classes and rehearsals effective immediately due to COVID-19 concerns. Please closely monitor emails to learn the most up to date information. 

Summer Flash Sale

25% off summer classes

Students who register for July classes before February 16 will receive 25% off summer class fees.

Widely regarded as the standard for classical ballet training throughout the Greater New Haven Region, New Haven Ballet offers students an opportunity to improve their technical skills and artistry through a premiere ballet intensive experience during July. Students who participate for the full 4-week program can achieve marked improvement in strength, flexibility and technical ability.

Children’s Division (Ages 3 to 8 years):

For students ages 3 to 8 years old classes are offered in the late afternoons, and on Friday and Saturday mornings.

Student Division (Ages 8 to 19 years):

For students ages 8 to 19 years ballet intensive workshops offer a wide range of classes designed to maximize technical and artistic skills, while offering an opportunity to experience different modalities of movement in addition to learning how to take excellent care of their bodies. Classes range from ballet technique and pointe, to Pilates, stretch & conditioning, dance history, contemporary, injury prevention for dancers, nutrition, salsa and other forms of dance, and repertory. There is a weekly lecture demonstration on Fridays for friends and families to observe the progress students make during the week.

New Haven Ballet Artistic Director Lisa Sanborn notes, “New Haven Ballet offers students an opportunity to work with phenomenal professional faculty, who are comprised of highly experienced teachers, as well as professional dancers. This enables students to reach their full potential. Whether attending NHB year round or simply wishing to spend the summer with us, NHB welcomes and is thrilled to have you!”

New Haven Ballet is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which offers classes to students, ages 3 years to adult in Bethany, Branford and New Haven. New Haven Ballet’s programs are made possible in part by the generosity of New Haven Ballet’s devoted patrons and supporters, including: State of Connecticut Department of Economic Community Development, Office of the Arts, City of New Haven Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism, National Endowment for the Arts, Ethel & Abe Lapides Foundation, Theresa Foundation, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, United Illuminating, Lighting Up the Arts, The Frankel Foundation, and Bank of America.

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For more information about New Haven Ballet contact Ruth Barker at tel. 203-782-9038 or email: administrator@newhavenballet.org.

Teen/Adult Holiday Open Division Class Schedule

2019 Open Division Holiday Schedule:

• NHB’s Thanksgiving vacation is Wednesday, November 27 through Saturday, November 30, 2019. We will hold Open Division class in New Haven (Danspace/Spielberger) on Sunday, December 1 from 10:00-11:30 am.
• The week of December 9-15, 2019 is Tech Week for The Nutcracker at the Shubert Theatre. We will hold the following Open Division classes during Tech Week:

Monday, December 9 – 7:00-8:30 pm (Studio 70/Vendetto)

Tuesday, December 10 – 10:00-11:30 am (Danspace/Barker)

Thursday, December 12 – 10:00-11:30 am (Danspace/Barker)

• After The Nutcracker performances, we will hold classes per our regular class schedule from Monday, December 16 through Sunday, December 22, 2019.
• No classes will be held during Winter Recess, December 23, 2019 through January 4, 2020.
• Classes resume on Monday, January 6, 2020.
• Contact NHB’s Office at Tel. 203-782-9038 or email: administrator@newhavenballet.org if you have any questions.

NEW HAVEN 

Monday, 9:30-10:45 a.m., Modern (Corbin/Studio 70)

Monday, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Beginning Ballet (Vendetto/Studio 70)

Tuesday, 10:00-11:30 a.m., Intermediate Ballet (Barker/Danspace)

Tuesday, 6:15-7:45 p.m., Beginning/Intermediate Ballet (DeNofrio/Branford)

Thursday, 10:00-11:30 a.m., Intermediate Ballet (Barker/Danspace)

Thursday, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Intermediate Ballet (Vendetto/Whitney)

Friday, 10:00-11:30 a.m., Intermediate Ballet (Barker/Danspace)

Saturday, 8:00-9:30 a.m., Intermediate Ballet (Barker/Danspace)

Sunday, 10:00-11:30 a.m., Intermediate Ballet (Spielberger/Danspace)

STUDIO LOCATIONS —

Danspace and Studio 70: Community Foundation Building, 70 Audubon Street, New Haven

Branford: 9 Business Park Drive, Branford

Thanksgiving Break

Classes are canceled in honor of Thanksgiving Break Wednesday through Saturday, November 27-30.

Rehearsals for The Nutcracker will be held Saturday, November 30.

FREE Branford Performance

Artistic Director Lisa Sanborn is excited to announce that New Haven Ballet is partnering with the Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance (with special thanks to the Pine Orchard Club) to present a FREE community performance of excerpts from New Haven Ballet’s The Nutcracker at Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club in Branford on Friday, November 22, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. 

The venue is intimate and seating is limited. We encourage you to arrive early. Refreshments will be available to purchase. All welcome. We hope you will join us!

Annual Appeal Challenge

New Haven Ballet Is Starting the Fall with a Challenge!

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Suddenly it’s fall. The leaves are turning color, the air has a new crispness, Nutcracker rehearsals are in full swing—and New Haven Ballet has a challenge for you.

As we launch our annual appeal, a generous donor has offered a $5,000 matching challenge grant. For every dollar that is donated between now and October 31 up to $5,000, NHB will receive two dollars. Your gift of $20, $25, $50, $100—any amount—will be doubled.

That’s twice as much support for the programs that are so important to you. Twice as much to help NHB offer the finest pre-professional ballet training in the Greater New Haven area and beyond. Twice as much to enable students of every age, ability, and level of interest to experience the joy of dance with superb teachers. Twice as much to allow NHB to reach out to our community with programs such as DanceAir, which offers ballet training and scholarships to underserved elementary-school children in Greater New Haven, and Shared Ability, which pairs differently abled students with core NHB students for an experience that enriches both.Tuition covers only a fraction of the costs of these programs, so NHB relies on the support of its generous donors. This year, your support can go twice as far.

Won’t you please rise to the challenge?

Thank you for your generous support!

My very best wishes,

Lisa Sanborn, Artistic Director

Nutcracker Auditions

NEW HAVEN, CT, September 12, 2019 – New Haven Ballet is looking for boys and girls ages 5 to 19 years (Kindergarten through High School Senior) who wish to enroll in classes and perform in The Nutcracker at the Shubert Theatre New Haven. To audition for The Nutcracker boys and girls must be registered for classes at New Haven Ballet.

Auditions are scheduled for September 21-22, 2019. This is an amazing performance opportunity. New Haven Ballet’s The Nutcracker will perform at the historic Shubert Theatre New Haven on Saturday and Sunday, December 14-15, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Eligibility: To audition students must be enrolled in CB2 or higher at New Haven Ballet and have submitted an audition registration form and applicable fee.

Audition Dates/Times (Please arrive on time):

Saturday, September 21, 2019 —

Boys Primary-Level 6: 1:45-2:30 p.m.

Girls (en pointe) Level 6/7/8: 2:00-4:30 p.m.

Girls Level 5: 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 22, 2019 —

Girls Level 3/4: 12:00-1:15 p.m.

Girls Level 1/2: 12:45-1:45 p.m.

Boys & Girls CB2/Primary: 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Girls Primary: 1:15-2:15 p.m.

Widely regarded as the standard for classical ballet training throughout the greater New Haven region, New Haven Ballet is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which offers classes to students, ages 3 years to adult in Bethany, Branford and New Haven. New Haven Ballet’s programs are made possible in part by the generosity of New Haven Ballet’s devoted patrons and supporters, including: State of Connecticut Department of Economic Community Development, Office of the Arts, City of New Haven Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism, National Endowment for the Arts, Ethel & Abe Lapides Foundation, Theresa Foundation, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, United Illuminating, Lighting Up the Arts, The Frankel Foundation, and Bank of America.

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If you would like more information about registering for classes at New Haven Ballet and auditioning for The Nutcracker please call Ruth Barker at tel. 203-782-9038 or email: administrator@newhavenballet.org.

Laura Manzella Joins Faculty

Laura Manzella received her MFA in Choreography from Sarah Lawrence College and her BFA from The Boston Conservatory. Originally from Connecticut, she began her formal training at The School of Hartford Ballet. She danced with Jose Mateo’s Ballet Theatre, Ken Pierce Baroque Dance Co, Ballet New England, and Kathy Westwater, among others. Her choreographic, film, and collaborative work has been presented at several venues throughout NYC and beyond. In October 2019 she will co-present at the 2019 NDEO conference, The Creative Process: Choreography, Choice-Making, and Communication. Ms. Manzella is currently a faculty member at ACES/Educational Center of the Arts in New Haven and will join the faculty of New Haven Ballet in September 2019.

Kaitlyn Gilliland Joins Faculty

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 NYCB, 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 will join the faculty of New Haven Ballet in September 2019.

NHB in Bethany

Artistic Director Lisa Sanborn is thrilled to announce New Haven Ballet (NHB) will offer classes in the Town of Bethany at Willow Tree Montessori School. Located at 171 Amity Road in Bethany, the new studio will feature a large dance space with marley-type vinyl flooring, natural light, and ample parking. Classes in Bethany begin September 4. 

Artistic Director Lisa Sanborn notes, “As new members of Bethany’s community, we are excited to partner with Willow Tree Montessori School. This new studio will enable NHB to better serve New Haven, Orange, Woodbridge, Bethany and surrounding communities. We look forward to this wonderful opportunity and meeting our neighbors. We hope this partnership leads to additional classes, performances and other occasions to support high quality arts education and offerings in the community. We invite and hope you will join us!”

Through September 30 new students ages 3-18 may take a FREE class at any of our studio locations in Bethany, Branford or New Haven; fall registration is open (www.newhavenballet.org).