Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida receives grant from Target for 2012-2013 Program: Arts Ballet Goes to School

Today, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida announced that its 2012-2013 Arts Ballet Goes To School program was awarded a grant from Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) in recognition of the efforts of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida in offering free outreach educational cultural programs to children of Elementary public schools in Miami Dade County, engaging them in ballet and music experiences, increasing their knowledge of and interest in both types of artistic expression. The grant will support Arts Ballet Theatre’s program “Arts Ballet Goes to School”, an in-school curriculum for elementary schools in Miami Dade County and at the Arts Ballet studios in North Miami Beach. The program runs for four weeks prior to each of Arts Ballet’s professional productions of the season.

Schools are visited to provide a wellrounded presentation designed to increase knowledge, appreciation, and participation in classical ballet and music, engaging students of all ages. The children participate by interacting with the dancers, learning steps on stage and participating in musical exercises. A supplementary guide is given to the children to encourage them to read about the activity they just experienced, giving them a better understanding of ballet and music. For the after school programs, Arts Ballet provides one hour-long activity per week for four weeks at their studios, introducing the children to classical ballet appreciation. Since last season, Arts Ballet has added a music appreciation component, as both art expressions are fundamental in the development of youth.

Vladimir Issaev, Artistic Director and Ballet Maestro states “We are thrilled to have the support of outstanding organizations like Target to continue our educational programs which have been in existence for 14 years. We have already benefitted more than 8,000 students since the creation of the program, and thanks to the generosity of Target, as well as the local resources from Miami Dade Department of Cultural Affairs and the Miami Children’s Trust, we will continue to bring the classics to new generations.”

The grant is part of Target’s ongoing efforts to build strong, safe and healthy communities across the country. These efforts include Target’s long history of giving 5 percent of its income to communities, which today equals more than $3 million every week. As part of this commitment, Target is on track to give $1 billion for education by the end of 2015 to help kids learn, schools teach and parents and caring adults engage.

“At Target, we are committed to serving local communities where we do business,” said Laysha Ward, President, Community Relations,Target. “That’s why we are proud to partner with Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida as we work to strengthen communities and enrich the lives of our guests and team members.”

In addition to the grant received by Arts Ballet Theatre, Target also gives through signature programs such as:

• Take Charge of Education, a school fundraising initiative that provides undesignated funds to local schools for whatever they need most, from books and school supplies to classroom technology.

• Arts Accessibility, free or reduced-price admission to arts and cultural events nationwide.

• Target School Library Makeovers, a program that leverages Target’s worldclass design expertise to transform school libraries across the country with new construction, furniture, and technology, as well as 2,000 new books.

• Education Grants and Awards, including Books for Schools Awards, Target Field Trip Grants and Early Childhood Reading Grants, that provide schools, libraries, teachers and nonprofit organizations the resources they need to bring learning to life and put more kids on the path to graduation.

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, under the artistic direction of Ballet Master and choreographer Vladimir Issaev, is a vibrant and exciting ballet company founded in 1997 offering a very unique repertoire and outreach programs to the South Florida community.

The company’s repertoire includes works by such Classical Ballet Masters as Petipa, Bournonville and Fokine, as well as guest choreographers such as Josee Garant, Edgar Anido, Yanis Pikieris and original choreographic works by its director, Vladimir Issaev. As the ballet company is growing and becoming a force in the ballet community of South Florida, it is also expanding its performances to perform in the most important venues such as the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, the Julius Littman North Miami Beach Performing Arts Theatre, The Parker Playhouse of Fort Lauderdale, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the Willow Theater in Boca Raton and the Sunrise Civic Center.

In addition to these main productions, Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida also makes educational appearances in various schools in both Broward and Miami-Dade counties, as they continue to excite young children about the importance and enjoyment of the classical art of ballet in the education outreach program.

For more information on the performance schedule or educational opportunities of Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, please visit www.artsballettheatre.org , or call 305-948- 4777.

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at more than 1,763 stores across the United States and at Target.com. The company plans to open its first stores in Canada in 2013. In addition, the company operates a credit card segment that offers branded proprietary credit card products. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week. For more information about Target’s commitment to corporate responsibility, visit www.Target.com /hereforgood.


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