Buoyed by the support of the community, and with a sharpened sense of the need for a sustainable model, Ballet Kelowna’s new Board of Directors has decided to move ahead with the 2013-14 artistic season.
“Tomorrow’s benefit concert is a sign of that support and the tangible efforts people are willing to make to help us overcome the hurdles,” says the Board’s new President, Deborah Ward. “We realize there is a place in Kelowna – in fact in the Okanagan and in B.C. – for the cultural contribution our company can make. Others clearly see it too, and we must give credit to those who have put heart and soul into Ballet Kelowna over the past decade, from the board to our dancers to our many sponsors, supporters and our staff. Without what has been accomplished already, and without the positive expression of community support, there would be no reason for the optimism that fuels our decision to press on.”
While concerns about the financial future led the previous board to a decision to not proceed with the next season, it is exactly the stable financial position (no debt) that the company was left in that made the new Board’s decision possible, recognizing that community support and a new model of operations will be needed.
The company is still working on details for the 2013-14 Season and its fundraising campaign. “We don’t have all the answers, but Friday’s performance, supported by so many in the cultural community in the Okanagan, is a great place to launch the efforts. We hope that residents will pick up on the theme and ‘Be Moved’ to be a part of the future of Ballet Kelowna.”
Tickets are still available for the benefit concert Dancing with Friends on Friday, April 26. They can be purchased online at www.BalletKelowna.ca, in person at Actors Studio Box Office, 1379 Ellis Street, or by telephone 250-862-2867.
For details on the great performances that comprise the event and for more information on how you can support Ballet Kelowna or to keep up with the most current news, visit www.balletkelowna.ca
