New ballet company to fill artistic void

Two ballet enthusiasts, Virginia Byron ’10 and Liz Rosen ’10, are planning to fill the missing link by founding the Princeton University Ballet (PUB).

“Ballet is a fundamental practice in the world of dance,” Byron said. “We feel it is a vital piece that is missing from the Princeton dance sphere.”

Byron and Rosen are not alone, and an informational meeting April 2 showed that at least three dozen students also yearn for a place to practice their art.

Many of those who expressed interest were dancers in existing campus dance groups who were previously trained in ballet and are looking for classes to get back into shape, Byron said. Though many other dance companies incorporate elements of ballet into their repertoires, none designates ballet as its primary focus, she explained.

Hannah Rich ’11, an experienced dancer who has trained for 11 years at the Miami City Ballet School, said in an e-mail that the need for a ballet group is a result of students’ desires to dance.

“I feel like it was natural for us to come together and form a ballet company,” she said, adding that she is “most excited to have more performance opportunities that are specifically ballet oriented.”

Alexis Branagan ’11 agreed that there was a need for Princeton to have a ballet group. “If the University is trying to expand its arts program, it cannot overlook ballet,” she said. “There is a lot of ballet talent on campus that currently has nowhere to turn because the University does not yet provide an outlet for professional ballet training and performance.”

For seasoned performers like Branagan, getting back on stage is an exciting prospect. “I miss the stage,” she said.

PUB is also working to get funding for professional staff to train club members, Branagan and Byron added.

Branagan, who turned down a selective ballet program at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University to come to Princeton, said that though she felt that Princeton was the right choice for her, “serious on-campus ballet training would make Princeton even more perfect for me.”

Though individuals can only participate in performances through auditions with the choreographer, even those with no ballet experience can still be a part of PUB. Byron and Rosen are planning lessons for beginners. Likewise, they plan to spark more interest in their art by organizing outings to ballet performances and on and off campus.