For Information/Interviews Contact: Christine Chen, Managing Director, American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School 732-249-1254, ext. 16. Additional Photos/images available upon request FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRINCETON, N.J. – American Repertory Ballet (ARB) has reinvented community engagement with the world of dance through a free monthly enrichment series entitled On Pointe. This enrichment series brings guest speakers, lecture demonstrations, company performance previews and panel discussions to seasoned dance enthusiasts and new students alike, giving the community a behind-the-scenes look at the dance world and the artists of ARB.

American Repertory Ballet’s On Pointe program is held at the Princeton Ballet School, located at 301 N. Harrison Street in Princeton, NJ (right above McCaffrey’s Market). ARB will open this season’s monthly series on Friday, Sept. 23 at 5:15pm with an introductory “Meet the Company” program. As New Jersey’s premiere classical and contemporary ballet company, ARB’s first On Pointe discussion will serve to welcome back returning dancers, and introduce the company’s newest members.
Led by ARB Company Director, Douglas Martin, this free event will include a showing of the company’s first week of work, discussions of the upcoming season and plenty of time to meet dancers, choreographers and staff.
ARB launched the On Pointe series in October 2010 as part of the organization’s larger strategy to make ballet more accessible to the community. Through the On Pointe series, company blogs, online resources, and other “Access and Enrichment” initiatives, ARB aims to build dance enthusiasts and nurture appreciation for the art form as a whole. Past On Pointe events have packed the school’s largest studio with students, parents and community members.
American Repertory Ballet will open its fall season on Saturday, Oct. 22, at Raritan Valley Community College. The program will feature new works by ARB Resident Choreographers Mary Barton and Matthew Keefe, as well as a revival of the acclaimed Eyes That Gently Touch, choreographed by Kirk Peterson.
For more information regarding American Repertory Ballet’s upcoming performances, events or On Pointe series, please visit www.arballet.org.
About American Repertory Ballet
American Repertory Ballet's mission is to bring the joy, beauty, artistry and discipline of classical and contemporary dance to New Jersey and nationwide audiences and to dance students through artistic and educational programs. The organization is comprised of: American Repertory Ballet, the preeminent contemporary ballet company in the state; Princeton Ballet School, one of the largest and most respected non-profit dance schools in the nation; and the Access and Enrichment initiatives, ranging from the long-running and acclaimed DANCE POWER program to the newly launched On Pointe series. The professional company is a classical and contemporary ballet company committed to presenting ballets from the 19th and 20th century alongside new and existing works by choreographers from today. The company is now in its 37th Season and is currently under the artistic leadership of Douglas Martin, former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet. The company's rich history of repertory includes established masterpieces by distinguished American choreographers such as George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp; cutting edge works by choreographers such as Val Caniparoli, Kirk Peterson, Dominique Dumais, Harrison McEldowney, Amy Seiwert, Susan Shields and Melissa Barak; and former Artistic Directors Dermot Burke, Marjorie Mussman, Septime Webre and Graham Lustig.
ARB has been designated a "Major Arts Institution" by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts consistently for the past two decades, and has repeatedly been awarded a Citation of Excellence by the Council. ARB was voted People's Choice for Best Dance Company in 2008.