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“Hansel & Gretel” to Tour OKC Schools

Oklahoma City Ballet’s Studio Company is touring to local schools with the ballet Hansel and Gretel, choreographed by OKC Ballet Soloist Walker Martin. Performances have been held for Seminole High School, Pierce Elementary, Arbor Grove Elementary, and Wheeler Elementary; the tour will end with the final performance at Britton Elementary.  The ballet was also performed at the Susan E. Brackett Dance Center for Positive Tomorrows, Oklahoma’s only school for homeless children and their families. provide performances for schools. These schools also participate in the BalletReach program, that brings ballet classes to schools to introduce ballet to students that may not otherwise be able to have the opportunity.  For many students participating in BalletReach, this is the only arts education they will receive during their primary and secondary education.

All of the performances are conducted at no cost to the schools through Oklahoma City Ballet’s Outreach program. For most of the children, this is their first exposure to the art of ballet. Early exposure to the arts has been proven to positively affect students academically. Oklahoma City Ballet’s Outreach programs serve over 5,000 students annually with free programs that teach the art of ballet, arts education, and provide performances for schools. Project Plié, ArtsReach, and Ballet Kids Club are also provided by OKC Ballet to the education community.  To learn more about these and other outreach initiatives, visit www.okcballet.org/outreach/.

To help support this and other outreach programs, contact Stephanie Pitts at 405-208-8881 or stephanie@okcballet.org. To donate, please visit www.okcballet.org/donate/

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