The nonprofit Santa Clarita Ballet has been forced to close its doors, making its spring fundraiser more important than ever to ensure that the organization can continue to provide entertainment and education to the community, officials said.
The nonprofit Santa Clarita Ballet Company, along with its associated business, the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy, has been forced to cancel not only all in-person classes, but rehearsals and training for the students involved in the dance troupe, according to officials.
“The company is a nonprofit, and with the closing of the studio for in-person classes, we are not able to get the tuition and funds needed to continue,” said Maria Barraza, a parent of one of Santa Clarita Ballet’s dancers. “Our teachers have generously donated their time to teach online classes, but for all intents and purposes, are unemployed at this time.”
Santa Clarita Ballet Academy trains and teaches students from the age of three in the Royal Academy of Dance Certified ballet programs, according to officials.
“The bottom line is this: because of the shutdown, we’re closed. Our students are unable to take their regular daily class,” said Corinne Glover, the founder and director of the Santa Clarita Ballet. “We are unable to complete choreography and rehearse for what would have been our June production of Cinderella.”
All the members of the performing ballet troupe are high school-aged students, according to Barraza. Many students stay with the Santa Clarita Ballet Academy for over a decade, spending their formative years shaped by the people and performances.
“To keep students engaged and connected, and to give them some normalcy, we have created an online program, and some teachers are donating their time, but they are essentially unemployed,” Glover said. “Fortunately, thanks to the generosity of the parents of my students, they have pitched in enough money to cover overhead, but there’s no other money coming in.”
The impact on the nonprofit, which normally is able to raise at least $25,000 each spring for costumes, rehearsals and other performance costs, is “huge.” Ticket sales for the nonprofit would usually go to support the company’s budget. However, with the loss of rehearsals and economic uncertainty, this funding has been lost, according to Glover.
In order to help recover funding for the nonprofit, Santa Clarita Ballet has adjusted the GoFundMe campaign for the 2020 spring season. While the fundraiser already existed to make donations easier through an online option, since the shutdown of the company, the focus has instead switched to the ongoing survival of the Santa Clarita Ballet.
“We’ve launched the careers of professional dancers all over the world,” Glover said. “The company not only provides the community with high-level dance performances, but it also provides children and students with high-quality dance instruction.”
To donate to the Santa Clarita Ballet Company, click here.
Sponsored Articles
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
You have no expenses, since there are no performances. Consider yourself lucky.Many people are out of work and are without income.They have expenses needed to live.