OUTREACH & COMMUNITY
With a mission to enrich our community through ballet education and performance, Portland Ballet reaches people of all background throughout Maine. If you or your organization are interested in partnering with PB, contact us today! Please have a look at our current programs below.
Educational Performances — For Schools & Community Groups
Portland Ballet is proud to present a community show of a Victorian Nutcracker for local groups such as schools, senior centers, and other community-based organizations. Groups should be at least 10 people. Please contact office@portlandballet.org with any questions.
Our Educational Outreach performances connect the classroom, or everyday life, to the arts in our community and can be incredibly valuable for audience members of all ages — and are some of our favorite events of the year. We hope you can join us in the theater this season!
“The children gained a great appreciation of ballet as a performing art, and got to experience a stronger connection between their education and the world around them. This was an experience these first graders will never forget, as many were enthusiastic to try ballet in their future. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. ”
A Victorian Nutcracker
Educational Outreach Performance
Tuesday, December 17th at 10:00am | Featuring the Portland Ballet Orchestra
Merrill Auditorium (20 Myrtle Street, Portland, ME 04101)
A Victorian Nutcracker is a retelling of the classic story of a young girl’s Christmas Eve dream, brought on by a curious gift of a nutcracker, in which she travels to the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Land of the Sweets. This version is unique to Portland and its history, as the first act takes place in the Victoria Mansion with characters pulled directly from Portland’s past. Performances at Merrill Auditorium will feature the Portland Ballet Orchestra.
This performance is appropriate for audiences of all ages.
Ticket sales open Fall 2024 - Complete the interest form to be contacted when sales are live!
Reservations are made on a first come first serve basis. Seating begins at 9:30am and the show will begin at 10:00am and last approximately 2 hours with an intermission.
Building Ballets Series | Don Quixote (FREE!)
Educational Outreach Performance
Friday, March 14th at 10:00am
Westbrook Performing Arts Center (470 Stroudwater Street, Westbrook, ME 04092)
The classical and comedic story ballet Don Quixote follows the eccentric Don Quixote and his sidekick Sancho Panza as they come across Kitri, her love interest Basilio and her disapproving father Lorenzo. Filled with memorable music and rollicking choreography the fun unfolds as Kitri and Basilio try to outsmart her father as Don Quixote and the people of the town join in the merriment!
This innovative program mixes dance performance, lecture, and demonstration to educate children and adults alike about everything that goes into a performing arts production. Presented by Artistic Director Nell Shipman and the dancers of the Portland School of Ballet, Building Ballets will walk the audience through the process of creating and performing a ballet. This show will feature Act 1 of Don Quixote and include a behind-the-scenes look at choreography, set design, lighting, and more!
This performance aligns with Elementary School curriculum regarding storytelling, and would also be appropriate for community groups of all ages.
Reservations are made on a first come first serve basis. Seating is at 9:30am and the show will begin at 10:00am and last approximately 45 minutes.
Community Ballet
A Portland Ballet & Portland Youth Dance Collaboration
Community Ballet is a free group class for children ages 7-12. Portland Ballet and Portland Youth Dance have partnered to provide free beginner-level ballet classes to children in need in the Greater Portland area. Classes incorporate technique, stretching, musicality, and choreography.
Register today! Click the link HERE. Wednesdays 3:15pm-4:00pm.
Building Ballets Series
This innovative program mixes dance performance, lecture, and demonstration. Presented by Artistic Director Nell Shipman and the dancers of Portland School of Ballet, Building Ballets will walk the audience through the process of creating and performing a ballet. Building Ballets takes place annually in March - learn more!
Creative Movement in our Community
With dedicated teaching artists from Portland School of Ballet, we have offered free Creative Movement classes for 4-7 year olds at the Portland Public Library, South Portland Public Schools, the Boys and Girls Club, and at the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine.
Discover Dance On-Site Outreach
Portland Ballet comes to libraries, churches, and other community organizations for a 1-hour individualized program; This might be a showcase of excerpts from an upcoming production, a Q&A, a ballet class demonstration, a meet-and-greet with story ballet-characters, or a combination of the above. Contact us today for more information regarding outreach opportunities.