State-of-the-art facilities, professional instruction move into convenient Sendik’s Town Centre

MILWAUKEE – February 5, 2008 – The Milwaukee Ballet School, the official school of the Milwaukee Ballet, announced today the opening of a new school location in Brookfield, Wis. The new school, located in the Sendik’s Towne Centre on the corner of Capitol Drive and Brookfield Road, is scheduled to open in September 2008.  The opening of the Brookfield location reflects recent growth and increased demand highlighted by the Ballet School’s enrollment increase of 40 percent in 2006-2007.

The expansion into the largest Milwaukee Ballet School branch location will combine the class offerings at the current Silvernail Village branch and at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts.  The Brookfield school location will provide greater flexibility to students and families and will provide the full range of dance classes.  The Milwaukee Ballet School maintains two additional locations – the School’s headquarters at the Jodi Peck Center south of downtown Milwaukee and its Riverpoint Village branch in Fox Point.

“The Milwaukee Ballet School’s new Brookfield location demonstrates our commitment to growth and expansion in Waukesha County and meeting the needs of its residents,” said Rolando Yanes, Director of the Milwaukee Ballet School.  “The new branch will feature ample studio space and high-quality facilities to fully accommodate both our current students west of Milwaukee as well as new students in the area.”

The Brookfield facility will feature three new state-of-the-art dance studios with sprung dance floors, regulation ballet barres and mirrors, abundant natural light and a large waiting area for families.  As with all Milwaukee Ballet School classes, students will find instruction by professionals with previous international performing and teaching experience or college degrees in the art of dance.  Students also benefit from live piano accompaniment with highly skilled musicians in class.  Outside of the studio, students and families will also find convenience in the abundant parking and many shops of the Sendik’s Towne Centre shopping area.

The Milwaukee Ballet School will continue its collaboration with the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for its advanced Master classes, Art Camps, Holiday Arts Festival, and other performances, further enhancing Waukesha County’s fine arts offerings.

“We’re looking forward to continuing our partnership with the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center and developing the artistic relationship even further,” said Michael Pink, Artistic Director for the Milwaukee Ballet.  “There are great opportunities for collaboration between our organizations and within the community.”

The Milwaukee Ballet School is also currently undergoing the process of becoming accredited by the National Association of School for Dance.  The process will be completed in the fall of 2008, and if accredited, the Milwaukee Ballet School will take the title as the only school in the Midwest that has met the high national standards of excellence in dance education.

Established in 1975, the Milwaukee Ballet School offers age-appropriate classes year-round for students three years of age to adult novices, including Creative Movement, Pre-Ballet, Classical Ballet, Modern Ballet, Pointe and Pilates.  As the only dance school in Wisconsin affiliated with a professional ballet company, Milwaukee Ballet School students are exposed to a variety of aspects of professional ballet such as professional dancers, live orchestra, professional costuming, guest artists, and medical staff.

School students regularly participate in Student Showcases and also have the opportunity to perform in Milwaukee Ballet Company productions, including The Nutcracker.

For more information about the Milwaukee Ballet School, call (414) 649-4077, or visit
www.milwaukeeballet.org.

Milwaukee Ballet

Founded in 1970, the Milwaukee Ballet strives to inspire its audiences to think within and beyond traditional ballet through the presentation of quality performances and the implementation of educational opportunities.  The Milwaukee Ballet and the Milwaukee Ballet School are recognized among the top companies in the nation.  With an annual operating budget of more than $5 million, the Milwaukee Ballet presents more than 40 performances to more than 50,000 people each year.  Its resident company includes
25 professional dancers along with 17 trainees in its Milwaukee Ballet II program and is one of the few dance companies in the country to maintain its own symphony orchestra.  The Milwaukee Ballet School, the official school of the Ballet, has an enrollment of nearly 900 students at four locations throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.

The Milwaukee Ballet’s next performance is A Midsummer Night’s Dream February 21–24.  This magical production features an entertaining mix of adventures and misadventures, mortals and fairies, love and mischief.  Tickets are still available for this family-friendly production at www.milwaukeeballet.org.