Princeton Ballet School lands on its feet

Princeton Ballet School, the educational arm of American Repertory Ballet, has found a permanent home on the fourth floor of Crossroads Theatre, a home that is perfect for an institution with deep roots in the city. The school has two other studios, in the Princeton Shopping Center and in Cranbury, but its New Brunswick location has changed several times recently. It was located at 80 Albany Street for almost eighteen years, and then moved briefly to New Brunswick High School before settling at Crossroads, in the heart of New Brunswick's theatre district.

For 25 years the ballet school has been providing a free dance program to all New Brunswick third graders through their Dance Power Program. According to Christine Chen, the ballet company's marketing director, many of the third graders continue on a dance track with scholarships to the Princeton Ballet School and to study in college and graduate with BFAs.

The Princeton Ballet School itself has 1500 students that range in age from three years old to senior citizens. The non-profit school benefits from being connected to a dance company and becoming involved in some of its performances, including the perennially popular Nutcracker Suite choreographed by Graham Lustig, the artistic director of ARB.

Mary Pat Robinson, director of the dance school, insists on making sure that the classes for children have professional pianists accompaning their sessions and pays attention to details so that even the floors where they practice are designed not to hurt the developing feet of young dancers.

The school, which was founded in 1954 by Audree Estey, has grown to be one of the largest non-profit dance schools in the country. ARB has been a member of the New Brunswick Cultural Center since 1982; other members of the umbrella group include the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Crossroads Theatre and George Street Playhouse. The professional company rehearses at the State Theatre, and the ballet school's children often participate in programs staged there.

Each year the dance school puts on complete performances and this year the production is Sleeping Beauty. Adults are also invited to dance and open enrollment allows them to take Zumba, pilates, jazz and Spanish dancing.

"This is not another competitive dance school, this program gives you a great opportunity to explore the arts and dance," Chen says. "The emphasis is not to conform to rigid expectations of technique, it's known for its nuturing qualities."

Chen should know. She attended dance classes at the Princeton Ballet School through her childhood and went on to perform professionally in dance companies in San Francisco and New York City before returning to ARB.

According to Chen, being in the heart of New Brunswick, taking classes alongside an active repertory dance company, allows children to be immersed in the arts. An experience that will probably keep them involved in the arts for the rest of their lives.

"With professionals teaching the classes, live music, the children's experiences have a lasting consequence,' Chen said. "The nurturing keeps them coming back."

Drop in to visit the Princeton Ballet School studio in person at 7 Livingston Avenue (on Monument Square), or online at: www.arballet.org.