SUPPORTING BALLET VIRGINIA
Ballet Virginia is proud to be a regional dance company in Hampton Roads. BV brings both excellent and affordable dance training and performances to the area. In order to provide these opportunities to young artists, we must seek funding beyond tuition and ticket sales. As a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, BV relies on its generous contributors for their financial support and its devoted volunteers for their countless hours of time and expertise.
Here are some ways a family or business can support and continue to grow Ballet Virginia.
Performances
Performances require many caring hands and hearts to provide our dancers with the most positive experience possible while rehearsing and getting ready backstage. The Performance Coordinator will provide each family with a performance schedule and a volunteer form with identified needs. While it is understood that each family wishes to attend a performance that their dancer will be in, family assistance is always needed for the other performances when there are a series of them, such as during the annual Nutcracker performances and the spring story ballet performances. Volunteers may offer to assist with sewing costumes and headpieces in the months leading up to a performance, either at home or in the studio. Volunteers may also offer to assist during rehearsals and performances backstage in any number of capacities, such as check-in/check-out, dressing rooms, and runners. With over 300 students currently enrolled in the academy, we have many dancers to look after and return safely to their families following each performance. Please consider how you can help when asked and don’t assume someone else is taking care of it.
Ballet Guild and Community Outreach
The Ballet Virginia’s Ballet Guild is a group of dedicated parents, friends and family members of BV dancers who want to be involved with the exciting growth of BV. The Ballet Guild helps with community outreach, assists in the distribution of marketing materials, completes tasks and projects in and around the studio, as well as sets and props, and organizes and sells merchandise at BV performances. Time commitment is as little or as much time as one is able to give. The group is not about meetings but instead about getting things done and having fun. If interested please call 757-446-1401 or email information@balletvirginia.org for more information.
Playbill Ad Sales/Sponsorships
With over 4,500 attendees for the BV performance season, professionally designed playbills for these performances give local businesses an outstanding opportunity for exposure at reasonable rates. Businesses will also be listed as a sponsor in our final production of the year, Concert Classique, and on our website, at no extra cost. Ad support also allows BV to offer the youth of Hampton Roads the unparalleled experience of being a part of a dance organization committed to excellence in dance arts education. Local advertising support is a great investment in the continuation of this non-profit organization.
You can assist by being a BV ambassador to a local business seeking their support for the arts and our academy year programs through purchasing a program ad. A personal touch always helps when soliciting support! Design for the Nutcracker playbill begins in August, and two to three months prior for the subsequent academy year performances.
Advertising packages are available on the BV website and are posted in the lobby. Contact Lisa McCarty, BV marketing director, for more information.
Volunteer Opportunities
Please contact Suzanne Lownsbury for general volunteer opportunity information or questions.
Wardrobe
BV is proud to own its own costumes and we continue to grow our wardrobe collection. Help with maintaining and adding details to our collection is always needed. Varying degrees of crafting and sewing skills are welcomed. Please contact Janina Michalski for information and volunteer opportunities.
General Upkeep Building and Grounds
BV is located in the Ghent area of Norfolk, Virginia in a historical building. As always with a historical building, upkeep and general maintenance is needed on an ongoing basis. As a non-profit business, painting, changing light bulbs, fixing a ballet barre, repairing a toilet, or assisting with general clean-up is needed and appreciated. Please contact Janina Michalski for more information and volunteer opportunities.
Prop and Set Project Help
When BV performs we are always in need of making the props and sets stage ready before we leave the studio for the theatre. After the props and sets are theatre ready, we need to load them into large truck and transport them to and from the theatre during BV performance weeks. BV is grateful for help in all the areas mentioned above. Please contact Janina Michalski for more information and volunteer opportunities.
Donate Goods/Services
From time to time BV will have a request for goods and services. Past goods and service donations can be seen throughout our studio. While our barre, mirror, and floor supplies were purchased, they were all were installed by volunteers. The lobby tables and chairs were donated. Hair spray, bobby pins, and band aids are on hand for students and have been donated by parents. Some of our props and sets have been hand-made, painted, and donated by parents and families of our dancers. If you think you have goods or a service you would like to donate, please contact Janina Michalski.
Financial Support
The continued success of BV is greatly due to the generosity of our many contributors with their monetary and in-kind donations. So many families and friends have generously and faithfully donated. We thank you all!
Corporate Sponsorships
Please contact Suzanne Lownsbury or Janina Michalski to discuss how your company can help support Ballet Virginia International through a corporate sponsorship.
Endowment
This fund will provide long term financial strength that will enable Ballet Virginia to continue through the inevitable downturns of the business cycle. You can help us achieve this stability by designating a gift for our Endowment. Please contact Suzanne Lownsbury or Janina Michalski for more information regarding Endowment.