New Haven Ballet is introducing pointe class to its open division drop-in schedule. The class will be held on Friday mornings following the beginning technique class. Participation in the technique class is required. Click here for more information or contact New Haven Ballet at 203-782-9038 or email: administrator@newhavenballet.org
New Haven Ballet has announced that registration for its 2024 Children’s Division Fall Semester has opened. Classes are offered at studios in New Haven, Hamden, Bethany, and Branford starting on August 26, 2024.
The Gentle Syllabus
The Children’s Division is a special segment of the school that caters to young students ages 3 through 2nd grade. According to Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn, what sets the program apart is that “[w]e begin training by using our gentle approach syllabus, which introduces our youngest dancers to the joys of music and movement through a system that gradually adds structure as students mature.” Sanborn adds, “Classes are filled with laughter and held in spacious, sunny, state-of-the-art studios by the region’s best instructors. Dancers in Creative Ballet and higher are also invited to audition and perform in our large productions at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven.”
Sanborn refers to the carefully constructed syllabus she created, which was later supplemented by Children’s Division Director Timothy Fountain. The syllabus uses age-appropriate exercises and stretches while gently introducing students to classical dance and musical tenets. For example, in First Steps, students in 3-K pre-kindergarten use their creativity to learn the fundamentals of musicality, while in 4-K pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten, students participate in Creative Ballet, focusing on motor skill development and musical awareness. Pre-ballet students are in 1st grade, and Primary students are in 2nd grade. These students begin formalized classical ballet training and learn more advanced vocabulary and movement.
Students who successfully complete New Haven Ballet’s Children’s Division enter the Student Division ready to join Level 1, where they continue building a clean classical foundation. As the standard for classical ballet training for over thirty-five years throughout greater New Haven, the school is known for producing dancers with excellent technique and beautiful artistry.
But the journey doesn’t end with classes. Dancers in Creative Ballet and higher are not just learning; they perform. Dancers in 4-K pre-kindergarten and older are invited to audition and showcase their skills in New Haven Ballet’s large productions at the prestigious Shubert Theatre in New Haven. The next grand performance will be The Nutcracker, starring guest artists from New York City Ballet.
Parents often enroll children to participate in the arts because they wish to support better academic achievement and the gain of critical skills for their children. These skills might include discipline, fine motor skills, physical strength, critical thinking, coordination, and confidence. However, according to Sanborn, the best reason to join is because “New Haven Ballet’s trained instructors teach using our highly sought-after gentle approach, allowing children to build these skills without them knowing. Over time, students acquire the foundation for a beautiful classical technique and embrace discipline, learn to listen and follow instructions, and the rigors ballet presents. And they make friendships and memories that last a lifetime, too.”
New Haven Ballet is at www.newhavenballet.org. For more information about classes, call 203-782-9038 or email administrator@newhavenballet.org.
About New Haven Ballet
New Haven Ballet is led by Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn and Children’s Division Director Timothy Fountain. As a community-based ballet school in New Haven, Connecticut, it offers dance classes in state-of-the-art studios to dancers ages 3 to adult. Regarded as the standard for classical ballet training throughout Greater New Haven, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offers classes to the Children’s Division at studios in New Haven, Bethany, Hamden, and Branford. In addition to performances, New Haven Ballet’s outreach programs, including DanceAIR, which offers free training to New Haven Public School children in traditionally underserved communities, and Shared Ability, which provides weekly dance workshops to disabled artists, are made possible through the generosity of Stonesthrow Fund, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, City of New Haven Creative Arts Advancement Program, Anna Fitch Ardenghi Trust, State of Connecticut Office of the Arts, the Jordan Fund, NewAlliance Foundation, Ethel & Abe Lapides Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Bank of America, City of New Haven Creative Sector Relief Fund, the Zayas Law Fund, and the Branford Community Foundation.
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Photo: (c) 2024 Kelsey Paff Photography. If you want more information about New Haven Ballet, please call 203-782-9038 or email administrator@newhavenballet.org.
New Haven Ballet returns to ECA ACES Arts Hall on Friday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m. to celebrate young dancers participating in this year’s DanceAIR program.
New Haven Ballet’s DanceAIR program offers free in-school ballet classes to young children at New Haven public elementary schools. Through partnerships established with New Haven public schools and LEAP (Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership, Inc.), New Haven Ballet provides high-quality arts education, expands students’ understanding and appreciation of dance and the performing arts, teaches basic dance technique and choreography, and allows children to express themselves artistically by combining musicality and rhythm. Students experience the artistry and musicality of dance, which emphasizes self-discipline, athleticism, coordination, creativity, strength, balance, and flexibility.
The recently established offerings at the Dixwell Community House (Q House) grew out of interest when New Haven Ballet offered a free performance of Nutcracker excerpts at the Q House, which serves families in the Dixwell and Newhallville neighborhoods of New Haven. “The performance attracted a standing-room-only audience, which led New Haven Ballet and Q House to develop a long-term partnership with free weekly dance classes at Q House,” notes Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn.
Sanborn states, “We began last spring, and the program has now expanded to three classes held each Friday evening, with sixty-seven students enrolled.”
A testament to the program’s growing popularity and the joy it brings, twenty-seven DanceAIR and Q House students performed with New Haven Ballet’s student Company last December to showcase their talent in the Q House holiday dance concert, once again attracting a full house. According to Sanborn, “Seven DanceAIR students had the opportunity to perform in our public performances of The Nutcracker on stage at New Haven’s historic Shubert Theatre, where over 4,000 audience members shared in nurturing our young talented dancers, witnessing their excitement and passion for dance. New Haven Ballet is proud of the success of DanceAIR, which is a testament to the support and involvement of our community. This year, we are offering free in-school ballet classes to over forty-five young children at five New Haven public elementary schools,” which Sanborn continues is “a significant increase from last year,” where ninety percent of the students are children of color and approximately seventy percent are eligible for free/reduced-price meals.
New Haven Schools offering DanceAIR training include Fair Haven School, Truman School, Edgewood Creative Thinking through STEAM Magnet School, Lincoln-Bassett Community School, and Barack H. Obama Magnet University School. These students will be joined by Q House students and New Haven Ballet Company dancers for a one-hour performance at ECA ACES Arts Hall, 55 Audubon Street, New Haven, on Friday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. The performance is one hour long and FREE admission.
New Haven Ballet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This performance is made possible through the generosity and support of our partners, ECA ACES, the City of New Haven Department of Arts, Culture, and Tourism, the Anna Fitch Ardenghi Trust, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, and our valued partnership with the Dixwell Community House. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and belief in our mission to provide high-quality arts education to young children in New Haven.
New Haven Ballet invites advanced-level students ages 11+ years to audition for our 2024 immersive, 2-week sleep-away summer intensive program. This program is designed to facilitate dancers reaching their full potential by strengthening ballet technique and artistry. During the intensive offered at Choate Rosemary Hall’s beautifully appointed facilities in Wallingford, Connecticut, dancers are offered daily classes that may include ballet technique, pointe, variations, men’s class, partnering, Pilates and conditioning, and more. We also provide coaching in classical repertory, and the program concludes with a free, open-to-the-public performance on the last day of the intensive at the Paul Mellon Arts Center.
Space is limited to ensure every student receives the individualized attention they need. Admittance is competitive. To schedule an audition, contact New Haven Ballet at tel. 203-782-9038 or administrator@newhavenballet.org.
New Haven Ballet wishes to congratulate the cast and crew of The Nutcracker! We are so proud of the over 150 dancers, guest artists, and singers who performed at the Shubert Theatre New Haven last weekend; it was a spectacular show. We wish to extend a special thank you to our guest artists, Sara Adams and Harrison Coll, courtesy of New York City Ballet, Alejandro Ulloa, and Michael Requena, in addition to the Shubert, our faculty and staff, our volunteers, and everyone who worked so hard to make our performances incredible. We wish you a fantastic holiday season and winter break. New Haven Ballet looks forward to seeing everyone back in the studio soon!
The lights…the scenery…the music…the dancing!
Don’t miss New Haven Ballet’s The Nutcracker at the Shubert Theatre New Haven this weekend, December 15-17. New York City Ballet’s Sara Adams and Harrison Coll lead the talented cast as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier, with Alejandro Ulloa performing the role of the Snow King and Michael Requena performing as the Trepak and Coffee Principal Dancer. New this year is a spectacular, larger-than-life Land of Sweets set, costumes designed by Kimberly Salsbury, and choreography by Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn. Kick off the holidays with New Haven Ballet’s The Nutcracker. Tickets start at $29 at the Shubert.com box office, or Click Here to purchase tickets.
The Shubert Theatre New Haven is located at 247 College Street in downtown New Haven, in the heart of the city’s restaurant and shopping district.
New Haven Ballet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community ballet school setting the standard for classical training throughout Greater New Haven.
New Haven Ballet continues to kick off the holiday season by returning to the Dixwell Community House (“Q House”) to present a free Holiday Dance Concert on Sunday, December 3, at 3:00 p.m.
New Haven Ballet will perform excerpts from Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn’s The Nutcracker, which premiered at the Shubert Theatre New Haven in 2013. Also presented will be excerpts from the ballets Cavaliere Allegro and Vivaldi Concerto.
Located at 197 Dixwell Avenue in the heart of New Haven, the performance will feature beautiful costumes, professional sound and lighting, and the quintessential holiday music by Tchaikovsky. Parking is available. Admission is free. Audience members are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a holiday afternoon of ballet.
This performance is made possible through the generosity of the City of New Haven Department of Arts, Culture, and Tourism and in partnership with the Dixwell Community House.
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If you want more information about this event or New Haven Ballet, please call Ruth Barker at tel. 203-782-9038 or email: administrator@newhavenballet.org.
Kick off the holiday season when New Haven Ballet performs a free Holiday Dance Concert at the Guilford Community Center. The concert will be presented Saturday, November 25, at 3:00 p.m.
New Haven Ballet will perform excerpts from Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn’s The Nutcracker, which premiered at the Shubert Theatre New Haven in 2013. Guest Artist Michael Requena will join students from New Haven Ballet to perform as the Coffee Prince and Trepak Principal Dancer. Also presented will be excerpts from the ballets Cavaliere Allegro and Vivaldi Concerto.
Located at 32 Church Street in downtown Guilford, the performance will feature beautiful costumes, professional sound and lighting, and the familiar holiday music by Tchaikovsky, Haydn, and Vivaldi. The Community Center is near the Town Green’s shopping and dining district. Limited parking is available. Admission is free. Audience members are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a holiday afternoon of ballet.
This performance is made possible through the partnership between New Haven Ballet and the Guilford Department of Parks and Recreation.
If you would like more information about this event or New Haven Ballet, please call Tel. 203-782-9038 or email: administrator@newhavenballet.org.
September 2, 2023
Dear New Haven Ballet Families,
I hope you enjoyed a fantastic summer and are ready to begin the fall. All of us at New Haven Ballet are excited to welcome new and returning students to the studio.
This is an exciting time to be part of New Haven Ballet and I feel privileged to be part of this community. Our first summer residency at Choate was incredible and I look forward to sharing news about expanding the program next summer.
You may see some new faces as Heidi Yu returns to the faculty to teach Levels 2, 3 and 4, and we welcome Julien Kanor who will be working with Mr. Tim and students in the Children’s Division.
During the month of September, I encourage students in Levels 3-8 to try something new by attending one or more of the nine weekly enrichment classes for FREE. Enrichment classes support and maximize a student’s progress and potential. Students in levels 3-8 should participate in at least one weekly conditioning class. Broadway and Contemporary dance classes build physical strength, flexibility, musicality, and broaden a dancer’s overall technical skills and artistry.
Finally, I understand many of us are focused on The Nutcracker. Auditions will be held September 23-24 and are open to students enrolled at New Haven Ballet in Creative Ballet 1 through Level 8. For those who have questions about the process I invite you to attend a meeting on Saturday, September 9.
If you have a general question please do not hesitate to ask Ruth Barker at Tel. 203-782-9038 or email: administrator@
As the Artistic Director I will continue to dedicate myself to this organization, and feel confident that together we will make great things happen at New Haven Ballet!
Click Here to See What’s Happening this Fall!
Yours sincerely,
Lisa Kim Sanborn
Artistic Director
New Haven Ballet offers classes to students ages 3 years to adult and Fall 2023 Class Registration is open. New students to the school should contact NHB School Administrator, Ruth Barker, at Tel. 203-782-9038 or Email: administrator@newhavenballet.org to set up a placement class. Students are encouraged to register early to ensure their preferred class selections are available. Once classes are full waitlists will form.
Celebrate the art of dance al fresco when New Haven Ballet returns to the Branford Green for a free outdoor Summer Dance Concert in downtown Branford. The concert will be presented Friday, June 9, at 6:00 p.m.
New Haven Ballet will perform excerpts from Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn’s Coppélia, which premiered at the Shubert Theatre New Haven on May 27. Also planned for the night’s performance are David Parson’s Étude and the ballets Vivaldi Concerto and Cavaliere Allegro. A school student demonstration inviting young audience members is also planned. Guest Artist Michael Requena will join the cast, and Children’s Division Director Timothy Fountain will reprise his role as Dr. Coppélius.
Located at 1011 Main Street in downtown Branford, the performance is presented on the Town Green in Branford’s open-air shopping and dining district. On-street parking is available. Admission is free for lawn seating. Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to enjoy an evening of ballet under the stars.
This performance is sponsored by the Branford Community Foundation and the Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance.
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