CRANBURY, N.J. – Princeton Ballet School, the official School of American Repertory Ballet, will continue its annual tradition of performances and fun at Cranbury Day this year on Saturday, September 10, 2011.   As they have every year, community members will crowd the School’s spacious Cranbury studio at 29 North Main Street to watch advanced students perform classical and contemporary repertoire.

Performances will begin at 2:00pm and 3:30pm.  After each show, Princeton Ballet School will host a fun 10-minute sample ballet lesson for those who are inspired to give it a try.

Cranbury Day performers are members of Princeton Ballet School’s American Repertory Ballet Workshop.  These advanced students will be performing: the Polichinelles and Flowers variations from ARB’s Nutcracker, choreographed by ARB Company Director Douglas Martin and original choreography by ARB Workshop Juniors Ballet Mistress Sherry Alban. 

On the street outside the studio, ARB and Princeton Ballet School staff and faculty will be offering information about the School’s and the Company’s programs along with some giveaways, activities, and surprises for children.

Cranbury Day will be an exciting chance to catch previews of ARB’s Nutcracker and to connect with the artists and students of Princeton Ballet School and American Repertory Ballet.

For more information about Princeton Ballet School, PBS at Cranbury Day, and American Repertory Ballet, 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, SeptimeWebre 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.