Community Collaborations
with Ballet Arts Ensemble
At Ballet Arts Ensemble, we are passionate about making classical ballet accessible to the youth of greater Kalamazoo. We believe in the power of the arts to bring people together and strengthen the cultural fabric of our community. By collaborating with local organizations, we create unique performance opportunities that showcase the beauty and discipline of ballet while enriching the arts scene.
This season, we are excited to partner with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra for a performance at Miller Auditorium, as well as grace the stage once again at the Gull Lake Center for the Fine Arts in Richland. These collaborations are just the beginning of our vision to foster deep connections within Kalamazoo’s arts community, ensuring that exceptional cultural experiences remain at the heart of our shared future.
​Ballet Arts Ensemble is privileged to perform in collaboration with various individual artists and groups:
Dr. Barry Ross
Kirk Newman
​Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus
Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra
John Chamberlin Trio
Silvia Roederer
The Bog Road
​
Enrichment
Enrichment activities are an important part of our history. In 2002, the BAE Board established a scholarship program that was named for Ms. Huling's parents, the late W. Dale and Geraldine Crooks. This program provides financial assistance for serious dancers, enrolled at Ballet Arts School of Dance (BASD), who wish to pursue studies in dance-related summer programs outside BASD.
In the past 22 years, 204 girls have received awards totaling $48,796 for summer studies at American Ballet Theatre (Michigan), Atlanta Ballet Summer Intensive, Bayview Association, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Butler University, Cecchetti Council, Children’s Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Indiana University Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Dance Lab, Minnesota Ballet, Point Park University International, Syracuse University, Texas Ballet Theatre, Texas Christian University, Turning Pointe School of Dance, and Wellspring Dance Academy.
The board also funds annual field trips by providing tickets and making arrangements for Ensemble members to attend professional dance-related productions within and outside of the state, including performances by American Ballet Theatre, Ballet 5:8, Ballet Quad Cities, Dayton Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, MOMIX, Russian National Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and WMU Department of Dance.
Scholarships
More information on applications for the W. Dale and Geraldine Crooks Scholarship will be available in February 2025.