What’s New
Summer Program Extended!
Join us online this summer! Our virtual zoom program has been going so well, that we've extended it for two more weeks.
Let's Keep Dancing! Extended Schedule
AUGUST 10 - AUGUST 21
Pre-Ballet (Ages 3 - 4) - no experience required
Fridays 9:30-10:15am
Elementary Ballet (Ages 5-7) - no experience required
Mondays and Wednesdays 9:30-10:30am
Ballet I (Ages 8-11) - no experience required
Mondays • 10:45-12:15pm
Ballet I + Jazz
Wednesdays • 10:45am-12:15pm
Ballet I + Modern
Fridays • 10:45-12:15pm
Ballet I + Hip Hop
Ballet II/III (Ages 12-15) - at least 2 years of dance experience required
Mondays • 1:15-3:15pm
Ballet II/III + Jazz
Wednesdays • 1:15-3:15pm
Ballet II/III + Modern
Fridays • 1:15-3:15
Ballet II/III + Hip Hop
Questions about our extended summer program? Email info@brooklynballet.org.
In Memory of Nakotah LaRance
Nakota LaRance was one of the greatest dancers I’ve ever seen. It was an honor and a pleasure to work with him. His art was utterly unique, a seamless weaving of native hoop dancing with hip hop. Nakotah danced his Hip Hop Hoop dance for four consecutive years as part of The Brooklyn Nutcracker. He was seen and wildly applauded by over 14,000 audiences members here in New York. Nakotah was always learning, integrating, leaning into and incorporating new hip hop moves he picked up from Brooklyn’s streets and its dancers. Each year he came back to Brooklyn with added elements and new twists to his dance, new transitions, dynamic changes, faster, quicker, tossing a hoop to the ceiling, while another two hoops twirled by his feet, then a slow body wave, catch the hoop, dime stop. Magical.
He was loved by us all, he was a friend and we miss him. Our deepest sympathies go to the LaRance family. Brooklyn Ballet’s programs will continue to honor his legacy and Native Culture.
Lynn Parkerson
Founding Artistic Director
Brooklyn Ballet
If you would like to make a contribution in Nakotah's s honor, his family is accepting donations through the nonprofit Lightning Boy Foundation.
Read his full obituary in The New York Times.
In Case You Missed It
In honor of national poetry month, we thought it would be a nice time to remember our participation in the Schamrock Poetry Festival of 2018. The festival, based in Munich, Germany, launched a collaborative work between Brooklyn Ballet founding artistic director Lynn Parkerson with Augusta Laar (poet / electro-accoustic / mixed media) and Kalle Laar (sound artist).
The piece then took on a new iteration in New York at The Mark O'Donnell Theater in June of last year, with trombonist Abbie Conant and Brooklyn Ballet dancers Michael "Big Mike" Fields and Christine Emi Sawyer.
Watch excerpts of the piece here (scroll down to the very last video on the page). Thank you to our friends and collaborators at Schamrock for sharing!
Virtual Classes!
In preparation make sure you have a little bit of space in your home and find a sturdy chair or table to use as a barre. If you are taking the Ballet Conditioning, grab your Thera band, yoga strap.or small towel. Get dressed in your ballet clothes, shoes, fix your neat ballet hair and join us! Don't forget to tag @brooklynballet and send photos and videos of yourself!
Pre-Ballet with Ms. Christine
Pre-Ballet with Ms. Elisabet
Pre-Ballet Floor Warmup with Ms. Wendy
Pre-Ballet Center Exercises with Ms. Wendy
Pre-Ballet with Ms. Jessica - Saturday 9:15am, LIVE ZOOM class, link will be sent out on Friday.
Pre-Ballet & Elementary Ballet Warmup with Mr. David
Elementary Ballet with Ms. Christine
Elementary Ballet with Ms. Rachel
Elementary Ballet with Ms. Elisabet
Elementary Ballet with Ms. Wendy
Ballet I/IA with Ms. Elisabet
Ballet I/IA with Ms. Wendy
Jazz I with Ms. Jessica - Saturday 10am, LIVE ZOOM class, link will be sent out on Friday.
Ballet II with Ms. Christine
Ballet III/IV with Ms. Inna
Ballet III/IV warmup with Ms. Yana
Introduction to Language of Dance, Elevate Outreach Program, Week 2 with Ms. Tiffany
Introduction to Language of Dance, Elevate Outreach Program, Beginner Ballet with Ms.Tiffany
All videos are unlisted and must be accessed through the links above.
Though the classes are leveled - feel free to try any - you'll find a challenge, whichever you choose!
We will continue to expand our online programing and look forward to having you join us!
Take care and be well!
School Closure Update
We are writing to provide an update on Brooklyn Ballet during this unprecedented time. We hope you are well. We hope you are moving, and finding ways to creatively infuse your lives. We miss the energy our students bring to Brooklyn Ballet studio each day.
At this time, our school closure has been extended until further notice. We will continue to take our cues from the City/State Government, the Dept. of Health, the CDC, and our trusted partner organizations.
In the meantime, we are getting virtual programing up and running. Our faculty is working hard and exercising immense creativity in filming content that we can disperse to you - we hope to have options for every age from Pre-Ballet I to Ballet III/IV in the next week. Stay tuned for these classes which will be shared via email.
And if you missed our company performing Revisionist History in February, join us for a virtual performance this weekend. More info here.
We are here for your questions, your concerns, and anything you might need. We will continually keep you updated. If you need us for anything at all please reach out at info@brooklynballet.org.
Virtual Performance - Revisionist History 2
Brooklyn Ballet Family,
As we are all taking the appropriate measures to stay safe and healthy, we wanted to offer our friends and supporters a chance to view our Winter 2020 Season performance of Revisionist History 2. Featured in The New York Times, NBC, ABC, Fox 5 NY and others, Revisionist History 2 bridges diversity to classicism in a profound way, while exploring movement and its history.
"The work realizes a refined creative vision while avoiding any sense of elitism. I'm sure that the dancers, their friends and family will be proud to view this well- crafted documentation for years to come. I'm happy to be a Brooklyn Ballet supporter."
--Nicholas Croft, audience member and Kickstarter backer
Your purchase of a ticket to view the performance helps us continue to bring audiences what we are so passionate about here at Brooklyn Ballet.
HOW IT WORKS
1. Purchase your ticket HERE to view either Saturday 3/28 or Sunday 3/29.
2. We will send you a private link to view the performance via Vimeo. The link will be active for the entire day, so watch whenever and as many times as you'd like!
3. Sit back and enjoy the show!
And PLEASE consider supporting our COVID relief effort by donating to our Take Back Dance Fund. Our school, company and outreach programs depend on funding from generous supporters, like you.
Wishing you all health, safety and wellness.
-Brooklyn Ballet Team
COVID-19 UPDATE
Beginning Saturday, March 14th Brooklyn Ballet will be suspending all classes and programing for 2 weeks, resuming March 28th. This is a precautionary measure based on the recommendations of the CDC, Dept. of Health and many other cultural institutions in Brooklyn. It is important to note there are no known cases of Covid-19 in our Brooklyn Ballet community at this time.
This decision has not been made lightly. Our organization has weighed extensively the pros and the cons and believe it is in the best interest of our community of students, families, teaching artists, and staff as well as the broader community to orchestrate a closure. We understand that in moments of crisis, dance and art are more important than ever — we are preparing ways in which we can offer aspects of Ballet remotely. Please expect to hear from us over the coming days.
We will be offering make-up classes and likely extending our semester through June. Our Next Step Summer Intensive audition on March 21st will be postponed.
If you have purchased or reserved adult classes they will be credited to your account and we will extend expirations as needed.
May you be well in body and spirit.
We're on Kickstarter!
This February, Brooklyn Ballet presents an unprecedented evening of dance that bridges diversity to classicism in a profound way, while exploring movement and its history. The program includes a re-staging of the classic work Pas de Quatre with a cast of 4 diverse and nuanced ballerinas, and the premiere of Intersection - an innovative mixed movement piece choreographed by artistic director Lynn Parkerson.
To help us bring these great works to the stage, we have launched a Kickstarter campaign. We have less than 30 days to raise $3,000 and we hope you can chip in!
We have many rewards to offer as a thank you for giving, including t-shirts, adult ballet classes, access to behind the scene rehearsals, and more. Thank you for our support!
Join us for Giving Tuesday!
This year, Brooklyn Ballet has joined forces with the Brooklyn Community Foundation's #BrooklynGives campaign. From now through December 3rd you have the opportunity to give locally and invest in your neighborhood ballet company. Check out our campaign page here!
Why give? Because Brooklyn Ballet honors world-wide dance traditions and provides accessibility to the art of dance in the heart of Brooklyn. Your gift brings The Brooklyn Nutcracker - a multi-cultural, multi-genre production to life and allows us to offer free and reduced priced tickets to the community, as well as scholarships to students in need. Click here to learn more!
Whether you give $5, $50, $500, or more - any amount makes a difference and celebrates the power of dance to inspire audiences of all backgrounds.
Thank you for your support! Please tweet, post, share and spread the word on how you'll be spending your #GivingTuesday (and don't forget to tag us @brooklynballet)!
Dancer Miku Kawamura
Photographer: Brian Stanton
The Brooklyn Nutcracker Community Matinee
The Brooklyn Nutcracker transforms familiar Nutcracker characters and scenes to represent the diverse traditions and vibrant culture of melting pot Brooklyn. Starting from the point of view of old Dutch Brooklyn and leading to our iconic Flatbush Avenue, the production is fresh and full of virtuosity—in essence, a love letter to the borough we call home.
The Brooklyn Nutcracker works together with Brooklyn’s diverse communities on a Nutcracker we can call our own. We’re thrilled to offer this special performance for students, senior citizens and other community members to enjoy this magical performance at a steeply discounted rate. The performance is appropriate for all ages.
Friday, December 13, 2019 at 11:30am
Kings Theatre
1027 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11226
If you are a director, teacher, principal or parent who is interested in more information, email cassandraweibel@brooklynballet.org.
Brooklyn Ballet thanks Con Edison for sponsoring our community matinee.
Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival Performance
October 5th at 2pm, we will be perfoming one of the company's signature mixed movement pieces 'Pas de Deux'. See you there!
Discover the epicenter of Brooklyn’s art and culture.
Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival is an annual weekend celebration of Downtown Brooklyn’s cultural community—and the artists, writers and performers who inspire the borough’s creative spirit. Throughout the weekend, acclaimed local arts organizations across the Brooklyn Cultural District will open their doors with exciting performances, talks, and tours, and present a host of free programming at The Plaza at 300 Ashland, including theater, poetry, dance, music, and other performances. This year’s Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival will take place Friday, October 4 through Sunday, October 6.
Brooklyn Ballet Welcomes Three New Board Members!
Guy Dorsainvil is an experienced investment banking, capital markets, and strategic advisory professional with substantial expertise in the real estate, lodging and hospitality sectors. Guy has spearheaded several capital markets offerings and served as a critical advisor on buy-side, sell-side and corporate strategic transactions exceeding $50 billion in aggregate deal value. Guy joined Citi's investment banking franchise in 2010, where he began execution and coverage efforts for corporate clients in various subsectors of real estate and lodging. Prior to Citi, Guy was a generalist mergers and acquisitions professional at an independent investment bank in New York. Guy earned his MBA from Columbia Business School and his Bachelor of Science from New York Institute of Technology.
Anne Glusker is a native New Yorker, proud Brooklynite, and longtime journalist. Her passion for the arts began when she began her career at theSoho Weekly News in the 1970s and has continued through positions as an editor, a writer, and an on-air radio host at art, fashion, and legal magazines, the Washington Post, a European radio station, and now Forbes, where she is deputy editor of the Leadership section. Her interests include food, feminism and France (where she lived in a small town for four years), and she is thrilled to be involved with Brooklyn Ballet, which so perfectly combines social justice and dance.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48637627413_676f120fbe_q.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Dave.jpg)
David M Paragamian has almost 30 years in branding, advertising working for both the largest marketers (Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson) as well as the largest global advertising holding companies (Havas and Publicis Groupe). Currently, Dave serves as the President of Razorfish Health, a Publicis Groupe agency, leading one of the largest health and wellness agencies in the world, with offices in NY, Chicago, Philadelphia, and London. He is a published author and speaker on the subject of branding, and is a member of the adjunct faculty at St Joseph’s University Haub School of Business where he teaches product management and marketing in the MBA program. He and his wife Bashi live in New York; he serves on the board of the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame and the Brooklyn Ballet.
FREE Classes! Open House 2019
Brooklyn Ballet welcomes students ages 3 to adult to our Open House, Saturday September 7! Join us to learn more about Brooklyn Ballet. All classes free!
- 10:00-10:30 - Pre-Ballet I (Age 3 by September 1st)
- 10:45-11:15 - Pre-Ballet II (Age 4 by September 1st)
- 11:30-12:30 - Elementary Ballet I & II (ages 5-7)
- 1:00- 3:00 - Ballet Conservatory Placement (Ages 8-18)
- 3:15-4:15 - Modern (Ages 8-18)
- 5:15-6:30 - Adult Beginning Ballet
Mark your calendars SEPTEMBER 19 Capezio will bring a pop-up shop to Brooklyn Ballet Studio for a 10% discount on all dancewear and shoes. Look here for Brooklyn Ballet dress code information.
See you there!
Photo: Jennifer Davidson
CALLING YOUNG DANCERS
September 28 1:30pm
Brooklyn Ballet is looking for young dancers (ages 8-16) to perform in The Brooklyn Nutcracker December 14, 2018 at the Kings Theater.
The Brooklyn Nutcracker transforms familiar Nutcracker characters and scenes to represent the diverse traditions and vibrant culture of melting pot Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Nutcracker fulfills Brooklyn Ballet’s mission by providing the borough’s youth with opportunities to dance, by expanding the annual performance season for the professional artists in our company, by injecting contemporary ideas into a classic art form, and by working together with Brooklyn’s diverse communities on a Nutcracker we can call our own.
Audition fee:
$20- Non Brooklyn Ballet Students
$10- Brooklyn Ballet Students.
Click here to register or call 718-246-0146
“Kunst oder Unfall”
A cross-disciplinary improvising ensemble “Kunst oder Unfall” shares the work created with Brooklyn Ballet’s founding artistic director at a summer residency in Munich, Germany. Featuring Abbie Conant (trombone), Augusta Laar (poet / electro-accoustic / mixed media), Kalle Laar (sound artist), and Lynn Parkerson (dance). With a special guest appearance by Brooklyn Ballet dancers.
Complimentary beer and pretzels donated by Randolph Beer and Sigmund’s pretzels!
“Kunst oder Unfall”
June 20 at 7:30PM
The Mark O'Donnell Theater at The Actors Fund Arts Center
160 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, NY
PERFORMER BIOS:
Abbie Conant received her musical education at the Juilliard School, and the Cologne Hochschule für Musik. The International Trombone Journal puts Abbie Conant "in the first row of the world's leading trombone players". In 1980, in a blind audition, she gained first trombone chair at the Munich Philharmonic. However, then conductor-in-chief, Sergiu Celibidache, let her know shortly afterwards that "we need a man for solo trombone". Conant was downgraded on dubious grounds, but did not accept the designation, went to court and won, after years of legal dispute. Since 1992 she is Professor for trombone at the at the renowned music academy in Trossingen, Germany. She recorded an internationally well-received CD with music for Trombone and organ, and is a founding member of the performance group 'The Wasteland Company'. Conant was featured in Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. Read more here.
Augusta Laar is the Founding director of the Schamrock-Festival of Women Poets. She studied music in Munich at the Richard-Strauss-Conservatory. As an artist she focuses on poetry, electro-acoustic, mixed-media. Since 2009 she’s directed and curated the poetry series Reihe Schamrock-Salon. In 2016, she was ambassador of the Vienna poetry school at the Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín, Colombia. She’s created and performed in many exhibitions, concerts and reading events. Latest publications: Planet 9, Poetry, Fragments, Instructions, 2017, summt dem fall, 2016.
Kalle Laar is a sound artist, composer, dj, author of radioplays, vinyl researcher and festival manager. He has presented work at exhibitions and performances such as art biennials in Venice and Havana, Ars Electronica Linz, Transmediale Berlin. Interdisciplinary project development for artcircolo.de (currently in Morocco, Czech Republik and Eritrea). Founder of The Temporary Soundmuseum, an archive of vinyl record documents on contemporary history. Lectures on Perception, Sound and Art, with assignments at the UdK Berlin and Nanjang University Singapore. Latest: Radio-Essay Castle Bravo, Heidegger, Godzilla and all of the rest, SWR 2018.
Lynn Parkerson, dance, began her career as a choreographer while living in Munich, Germany. Her works have been presented at many prominent international events and venues, including the Munich Theater Festival, Florence International Festival of Dance, Moers New Jazz Festival, Jazz Festival Baden-Baden. In New York City, she presented annual dance programs as Director of Dance at Holy Trinity from 1991-2001. In 2002 Lynn Parkerson founded Brooklyn Ballet and currently serves as its Artistic Director. In recognition of her exceptional leadership contributions to Brooklyn’s cultural community, Ms. Parkerson received the Betty Smith Arts Award in 2007. Brooklyn Ballet is a multidisciplinary, multicultural dance Company that is rooted in the ballet form, while collaborating across disciplines, mixing movement genres and decoding cultural stereotypes. Ms. Parkerson was a 2018 Artist in Residence at the Villa Waldberta, international artists house of the City of Munich.
Brooklyn Ballet Presents First Look
CALLING CHOREOGRAPHERS
First Look is an annual curated festival of work by emerging and established dance artists presented by Brooklyn Ballet. The First Look series is a choreographic showcase giving Brooklyn audiences a “first look” at a dance work - either a new piece, an updated work, or a work not yet seen in Brooklyn.
2019 PERFORMANCE DATES
Friday, July 19
Saturday, July 20
We welcome applications from emerging and established choreographers exploring new work. Works of any genre will be considered, and works in progress are welcome. Performances will take place at The Mark O’Donnell Theater at The Actors Fund Arts Center in Downtown Brooklyn.
Benefits to the artists include fully produced dance work with stage lighting and technical staff, $5/hour rehearsal space at Brooklyn Ballet studio (pending availability), and marketing support.
Application deadline is May 10, 2019 at 6:00pm.
Celebrating 15 Years of Elevate!
Elevate, Brooklyn Ballet's outreach program is celebrating its 15th year bringing ballet into Brooklyn public schools. Keep reading to hear from current and former students on how Elevate has impacted their lives.
"Studying at Brooklyn Ballet has enriched my life. I believe Brooklyn Ballet will set me up for studying dance at a performing arts high school and in college. Dance motivates me to work hard and do my best in school. Brooklyn Ballet has helped me improve my technique and increased my love for dance. My experience and participation in The Brooklyn Nutcracker was amazing. It was my first big production. It made me want to dance more than ever. It showed me that if you work at dance you can do anything."
-Danielle Martinez, Current Elevate Student at MS 8
Twins Naazir and Shaakir Muhammad, Elevate alumni from PS 251, now dance professionally with Houston Ballet and Norwegian National Ballet. From Naazir: "I wouldn't be where I am without you!"
"Brooklyn Ballet impacted my life in so many ways. They are the reason I am dancing today and the reason I live day by day passionately doing what I love. Brooklyn ballet is a family that cares about their dancers. They have changed my life forever by opening my eyes to the classical world, and I know they will change many more."
- John Michael Abenanty, PS 207 Elevate alumni & current professional dancer with Sofia National Opera and Ballet
"Our family will forever be grateful to you, Lynn Parkerson, Caridad Martínez and the Brooklyn Ballet Elevate Program. Congratulations on 15 wonderful years. Thank you for adding ballet to our vocabulary. We wish you all continued success."
-Christine Williams, mom to Bhajhan Williams, Elevate alumni from PS 312
Photos (from top to bottom): Danielle Martinez, Naazir and Shaakir Muhammad, John Michael Abenanty, Bhajhan Williams
Kickstarter success!
Our heartfelt thanks goes out to all of our supporters who backed the latest iteration of our Nutcracker at the Kings Theatre, a production that showcases a diverse cast of dancers in movement styles that span the globe. Thank you!
If you're interested in reading more about The Brooklyn Nutcracker check out these recent clips from Dance Enthusiast, Dance Informa, News 12, and Broadway World.
And, make sure to stay tuned for what we have in store for our Spring Season!
Thank You for Coming + A Matching Gift!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for The Brooklyn Nutcracker at the Kings. Wow! For the very first time...
- Flamenco dancer Aleisha Bryan premiered the Spanish Hot Chocolate
- the Red Silk Dancers animated the Chinese dance with tasteful artistry
- the limited edition Brooklyn Ballet x Adidas sneaker graced the stage
- 1,600 children, seniors, and other community members attended our matinee performance
And now, to make our post-show glow even brighter, Board Member emeriti Geri & Cynthia Armine-Klein will match all Kickstarter contributions dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000 through December 24.
Thank you to everyone who has backed us on Kickstarter this year. If you haven't become a backer yet, now is the time!
Give now and your $1 becomes $2!
Please give and share!
Give us a Kick!
The Brooklyn Nutcracker is an updated take on a holiday classic, fusing ballet, hip-hop, an array of world dance genres, and motion sensor technology to create a new tradition for today’s audience. Help us make history by supporting our newly launched Kickstarter campaign!
For the first time, The Brooklyn Nutcracker...
- Graces the stage of the historic Kings Theatre
- Combines all new Classical Chinese dance artists and an Africa-originating Flamenco dancer with the diverse Brooklyn Ballet dancers
- Marries pop & lock party scene moves with 18th century French court dances ... 300+ years in the making!
- Invites hundreds of Brooklyn foster children to experience the excitement for free
Click here to learn more about The Brooklyn Nutcracker, and check out the exciting rewards we have to offer in exchange for becoming a backer.
Whether you give $5, $50, $500, or more - every donation makes a difference.
