With a motto of quality education, individual attention and working with people to reach their goals, seasoned dancers, avocational and up-and-coming dancers of all ages — children, teenagers, and adults — will find a range of opportunities available to meet their interests at this dance oasis on the North Shore. The MSB provides weekly classes in ballet, pointe, and variations; pre-ballet and creative movement; modern and jazz; repertory; pilates, stretch and strength; and partner dancing with ballroom, fox trot, swing, Latin, Argentine Tango and salsa. A special feature is the new adult ballet class added to the fall schedule on Thursday morning from 10:30 a.m. until noon taught by director Paula K. Shiff.
The MSB’s 45th year is a milestone anniversary for the studio. “This is a time to celebrate. This season, we provide experienced and aspiring dancers of all ages — children, teenagers, adults, and seniors — with professional, quality training emphasizing the internal mechanics of the body and proper technique, such as correct alignment, body mechanics and musicality. The Marblehead School of Ballet looks to the future to introduce and develop ballet in a new generation of artists, who will perpetuate this art form and the disciplines related to it,” said Shiff, recipient of Salem State University’s 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts, who trained at the Boston Ballet, continued her studies in New York City at the American Ballet Theatre and the Martha Graham Studio, and performed with the Boston Ballet Company.
Students may register any time. Private lessons are also available for dancers preparing for a special event, college auditions, or seeking additional instruction. For the new class schedule and further information, visit www.havetodance.com/marblehead, call 781-631-6262, or send an e-mail to msb@havetodance.com.
The MSB graduates have continued their dance studies at some of the most prestigious ballet companies worldwide, including Eliot Field, Alvin Ailey, Houston Ballet, Metropolitan Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and Ballet de Lorraine in France, among others. Alumni have graduated from leading postsecondary institutions, such as the Boston Conservatory of Music, New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Johns Hopkins University, University North Carolina School for the Arts, and University of Utah, and pursued careers in a range of fields globally.
Dancers come from near and far to study at the school. Students attending the MSB are drawn from the surrounding cities and towns of Beverly, Boston, Boxford, Danvers, East Gloucester, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lynn, Manchester by the Sea, Marblehead, Melrose, Nahant, Reading, Revere, Rockport, Salem, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wakefield Wenham and Winthrop. Others come from out-of-state, including Maine, Florida, Texas, New Hampshire, Vermont, and countries such as France and Italy.