Ballet Bridges Middle School
Students at Columbus Academy in Manhattan perform their own original choreography with sets designed and created by their classmates in the culminating performance for Ballet Bridges Intermediate. Photo © Judy Bernstein Bunzi. |
Lighting Director Mark Stanley demonstrates his work for students from Columbus Academy in Manhattan during a backstage tour at the New York State Theatre. Photo © Judy Bernstein Bunzi. |
New York City public schools that are highly committed to a collaborative, integrated process of dance education may apply to participate in the NYCB Education Department’s comprehensive curriculum program,
New York City Ballet Bridges Middle School. This program aims to provide students (grades 6 to 8) with the tools to make dance a lifelong activity – they may become dancers, backstage designers, participants in dance classes for exercise and enjoyment, or simply informed audience members who appreciate the intellectual and aesthetic experience of dance. The program is also designed to provide teachers with an opportunity to use dance in achieving literacy standards and to learn skills to facilitate dance activities in their own classrooms.
The five-month Ballet Bridges Middle School program includes the following:
For Students:
Movement workshops taught by a visiting teaching artist;
Classroom lessons about dance and New York City Ballet;
A Lecture-Demonstration performed by School of American Ballet students;
A NYCB Student Matinee performance at the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center;
A tour of the New York State Theater and observation of a NYCB working rehearsal;
A culminating dance performance choreographed and presented by participating students involving a subject area whose guidelines are developed in collaboration with the classroom teacher; and
Tours of museums and architectural sites.
For Teachers:
Participation with students in movement workshops;
Classroom lesson plans;
Professional development sessions at New York City Ballet;
Professional development and planning sessions at participating school; and
Assessment and evaluation of the program.
| Where: |
All workshops and student performances are held at participating schools. NYCB Student Matinee performance, theater tour, and rehearsal visit at New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. Lecture-Demonstration at Clark Studio Theater, Rose Building at Lincoln Center. Museum and architecture tours at various sites in NYC. |
| When: |
November - March |
| Cost: |
$600 per class |
| How to Participate: |
Participating schools are chosen through an application process. Call the NYCB Education Department at 212-870-4076, Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm, or email us at education@nycballet.com for application materials and details. |
Major support for Ballet Bridges is provided by Citi Foundation.
