New York City Ballet Dancers Unite with Art Without Borders during COVID-19

Anthony Nadeau
Aug 10, 2020
3 min read

Updated: Sep 19, 2020

Megan Fairchild 'The Sleeping Beauty - Act I' New York City Ballet | Choreography by Peter Martins | Photo (c) Paul Kolnik

I am excited to share this news with you, the reader that I received from Jeremy Westby and 2911 Media. Read the release below:

NEW YORK, New York -Art Without Borders New York, a nonprofit organization with goals to inspire and expand imagination through the arts, is offering an exclusive Mentorship Program for students pursuing a career in the performing arts. The program provides a unique experience connecting students with world-renowned industry professionals in the United States, including current and former company members from the New York City Ballet and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Broadway.

Students registered to attend five or more virtual classes during Summer and Fall 2020 will have the opportunity to apply for the AWB Mentorship Program. As part of this rare opportunity, each teaching artist will select one student as a mentee based on their work during the virtual program. The mentees will be offered: private coaching, guidance on academic and career goals, tickets to selected performances with a personalized backstage tour, and access to all AWB classes and events in 2021.

AWB Virtual Program

is currently open for registrations and offered at $25 for a single class, $112.50 package of five classes, $225 package of ten classes, and $350 subscription package of twenty classes at 90 minutes per session. There are flexible subscription packages available and valid during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interested individuals can book any subscription package mentioned above and combine any class until the end of 2020.

Art Without Borders, Inc. is a nonprofit organization with a mission to lift and broaden the horizon for students’ and educators’ creative visions regarding the arts through cultural experiences. AWB aims to provide opportunities for engagement with the arts on multiple platforms to diverse audiences, both domestically and internationally.

Visit AWB Educational Programs and the Art Without Borders NYC website to learn more. Follow Art Without Borders Instagram page to stay up to date on dancers and upcoming events. Here is the link to register for any of the programs: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35014

What teachers and students are saying about Art Without Borders New York:

“For me, teaching has given me so much joy and motivation. I get the motivation from passing down the knowledge and seeing my student get it, apply the correction and really understand. It makes me want to work even harder!” - Emilie Gerrity, Soloist Ballerina with the New York City Ballet and AWB Teaching Artist

“When I’m creating educational programs for our students at Art Without Borders NY, my goal is to get them to learn from the best professionals, respect the others, and have a memorable experience. I always remind them to be prepared and be on time, because like George Balanchine said “There is only now. Right now.” - Iskritsa Ognianova, Founder of Art Without Borders New York

“The amount that my daughter has been able to learn and improve in the past few weeks of online classes has been astounding. This “virtual” method has provided concrete advantages that will benefit my child far beyond this pandemic.” - Emily Burke, Parent

“I thank you and all the dancers who are working with you from the bottom of my heart. If ballet does not die, it will be because of such efforts.” - Kenneth Gordon, New York Based Attorney and AWB Adult Student

AWB Teaching Artists:

Jacqueline Bologna

, Ballerina with the New York City Ballet

Antonio Carmena

, Former Soloist with the New York City Ballet

Ask la Cour

, Principal Dancer with the New York City Ballet

Megan Fairchild

, Principal Dancer with the New York City Ballet

Emilie Gerrity