ABTKids: Schools
Through lectures/demonstrations, ABTKids: Schools (formerly Young People’s Ballet Workshop) addresses the need for arts education in schools and communities. With specially designed narrated performances, ABT aims to:
- Introduce ballet to young people who might not be exposed to classical dance
- Foster an appreciation for the performing arts
- Develop and educate future audiences
Each year over 5,000 students from the New York metropolitan area attend ABTKids: Schools at the Metropolitan Opera House and the Tony Bennett Concert Hall at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. As in past years, Company members perform excerpts of ABT repertory with narration by ABT’s artistic staff.
The commentary for ABTKids: Schools covers the repertory presented as well as dance technique, the cultural significance of dance, the history of ballet, and technical aspects of dance production. Along with the performance tickets, ABT also distributes a study guide to help teachers prepare their students for the presentation.