 company | arb board members | support arb | corporate giving | contact arb about arbAshland Regional Ballet (ARB) steps into its 19th season with a wealth of accomplishments behind it. It treads in the footsteps of a legendary past as it takes dance into the future. Founded in 1989 on the rich traditions of classical ballet, ARB is a distinctly American company performing works in a wide range of choreographic styles. This accomplishes two objectives. It provides entertaining and artistically satisfying programs for our public, thereby increasing the audience for dance with each performance. It also prepares the dancers for a widely varied repertoire, which they will encounter if they move into the professional world of dance. ARB dancers study ballet daily, but also train in tap, jazz, and modern dance along with special workshops with guest teachers and choreographers. ARB dancers are also encouraged to explore the craft of choreography. Many of the choreographers who set dances on the company began as youngsters creating dances for the annual Choreography Showcase hosted by Opus II Dance Studio, where ARB makes its home. ARB's performing season regularly includes an outdoor concert at Brookside Park in Ashland, The Nutcracker at various locations including the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield with the accompaniment of the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, a Winter-Into-Spring Gala program of repertory pieces, and an annual Spring Ballet at Ashland University's Hugo Young Theatre. In addition to these major productions, ARB also offers an outreach program to area school children. Many ARB alumni have gone on to professional dance and dance related careers in companies including Augusta Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Arizona, Ballet Magnificat, Ballet Met, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Hartford Ballet, and Broadway shows. It takes a unique combination of natural talent, self-discipline, and artistic temperament, mixed with strong physical attributes to produce a dancer with viable professional abilities. Few of the students who undertake dance training will become professional dancers or choreographers, but for those who wish to explore their potential, ARB is proud to be here to offer them the opportunity to test their limits. |