Marin Ballet Outreach: Ballet Extensions Program

Ballet Extensions is a community outreach concept that Marin Ballet hopes to initiate to further the impact of our Nutcracker Surprise program. This program would provide contextual information about the Nutcracker performances for our nearly 1,200 Nutcracker Surprise participants.

In the weeks prior to the performances, Marin Ballet would work with our partner agencies to distribute educational packets about the show that would include:

• A short history of Nutcracker and the storyline
• Scene and setting descriptions
• Photos of the characters
• A brief overview of the artistic intent and choreography
• Costume sketches

We would then offer pre-performance presentations and discussions led by Marin Ballet faculty and staff, not only at Marin Ballet, but in the community and in the theater as well. These presentations would expand on the material offered in the packets, and could include demonstrations of sections of the choreography. The presentations would be designed to be informal and fun, and would create a relaxed and safe environment for questions from audience members.

Armed with this increased level of background information, audiences who may never have attended a ballet performance before, and even those who have attended in the past, are allowed a greater degree of engagement in the experience, and are better able to appreciate what they see on stage.