MYB Stages Studio Company Performance in New Black Box Theatre
October 27 Performance Spotlight’s MYB’s Studio Company, New Space and Community Support
By Courtney Shirley
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At 7p.m. on October 27 the curtain will be going up a little closer to home for the Maryland Youth Ballet (MYB).
MYB now has a new performance space located inside its Silver Spring studio: MYB’s Black Box Theatre.
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For six years, since moving to its downtown Silver Spring location, the Maryland Youth Ballet – a non-profit award-winning dance school currently training more than 1,600 students age 2 to 80+ – has been dreaming of its own performance space.
Now, that dream has become a reality as one of MYB’s state-of-the-art studios becomes a professional performance space complete with new state-of-the-art stage lighting.
The lighting and drapes are thanks to recent funding from MYB’s successful “Shining In The Spotlight” 2013 Gala, held this past March at the Silver Spring Civic Center.
MYB’s eight-member Studio Company is taking center stage in the Black Box Theatre, performing two pieces: Swan Lake Pas de deux from Act II and a brand new piece by MYB senior faculty member and Studio Company Director, Christopher Doyle. The Studio Company is comprised of four men and four women who are students in MYB’s Professional Division, receiving training to go on to a professional career.
“It is exceedingly important for MYB to have this affordable space to showcase our new Studio Company and other small MYB performances,” says MYB’s Principal, Michelle Lees. “Performing skills are one of the trademarks of MYB's training.”
MYB has even more plans for the new Black Box Theatre, including risers to provide even better visibility for the audience and black-out shades for the picture windows.
MYB is currently at 78% of its goal – less than $1,000 left to bring the risers and shades to the Black Box. MYB received the majority of the funding for the risers and shades through donations from the power2give program, an online fundraising platform administered by Montgomery County’s Arts & Humanities Council.
Donations to complete the Black Box Theatre are currently being accepted at MYB’s “Donate” page: http://www.marylandyouthballet.org/support-2/individual-giving
BLACK BOX PRIMERE PERFORMANCE DETAILS:
Date & Time: Sunday October 27 at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Maryland Youth Ballet, 926 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Limited Seating: Only 60 tickets are being sold for this event. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at MYB or put on hold by calling MYB before the show at: 301-608-2232.
ABOUT MARYLAND YOUTH BALLET
Since 1971, the mission of MYB has been to provide the highest caliber of training and performance opportunities to prepare young dancers for a career in the performing arts as well as to provide classes to dancers of all ages and levels in the community.
The MYB academy program puts deliberate emphasis on pre-professional achievement with each level carefully crafted to provide the most comprehensive training and coaching in order to produce the high quality dancer that MYB is known for. MYB alumni are currently performing with such notable companies as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Oregon Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, and Orlando Ballet, among others.
The MYB adult program, spanning levels from basic beginner through advanced, enjoys the same faculty as the children’s program, offering our adults the finest teachers of ballet, stretch, and classical core conditioning in the region.
MYB currently has more than 850 children and youth enrolled in its programs plus more than 700 adults taking classes weekly.
For more information about MYB visit: www.marylandyouthballet.org
To make a charitable donation please contact MYB’s Executive Director Alyce Jenkins at the Maryland Youth Ballet, 926 Ellsworth DriveSilver Spring, MD 20910or call 301.608.2232.
