Greenwich Ballet Academy Hosts its 10th Anniversary Graduation Gala

GREENWICH, Conn. - June 9, 2016 - PRLog -- The Greenwich Ballet Academy is celebrating its tenth year with a Graduation Gala, presented by GBA artistic director Yuri Vodolaga. Performing excerpts from Sleeping Beauty and Divertissements, the ballet will offer two performances on Saturday, June 11, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the beautiful Massey Theater at the Wallace Performing Arts Center of Greenwich Academy, 200 N. Maple Ave., in Greenwich.

GBA graduates include Olivia Thurman, of Mamaroneck, New York, who has been with the Academy for nine years. She was salutatorian at Sacred Heart Greenwich, and plans to attend Harvard University in the fall. Emma Kelly of Easton, Connecticut, is a graduate of Joel Barlow High School in Redding, Connecticut and will be pursuing a professional career in ballet, moving on to the Washington Ballet School in Washington DC this summer.

"We're honored to share this great event and showcase the remarkable talents of our faculty and dancers," said Marisol Rivera Thurman, Chairman of the board of the not for profit Academy whose mission is to help preserve the art of classical ballet by providing pre-professional training to young dancers. "This year, we celebrate that during our ten years, we have grown and become a real part of Westchester and Fairfield County's arts community with our training programs, Nutcracker and Spring Gala performances."

The talent and notable accomplishments of GBA's students and faculty continues to make the news, making this year's Gala an exceptional celebration. In March, GBA was chosen as the featured school in Dance Magazine's March 2016 issue. In addition, GBA took top honors at the Youth America Grand Prix Boston Regionals this spring, including the "Most Outstanding Teacher" award for Mr. Vodolaga, and GBA's own Olivia Thurman was recognized in Teacher Magazine for her role in the Adaptive Ballet program she created at GBA.

One of the most anticipated ballet events of the year, the Gala serves as a showcase for the progressive Vaganova ballet education that GBA provides, starting at age four.  Attendees can enjoy sweets and a silent auction during intermissions; the evening performance will begin with a 6 p.m. champagne reception and silent auction. Donations to the auction were provided from several local and national businesses and brands, including J. House Greenwich, Lexus and Grishko.

Greenwich Ballet is still taking students for the summer intensive, and fall registration is now open. Placement auditions can be scheduled by emailing info@greenwichballetacademy.org.

Tickets are now available online (http://greenwichballetacademy.org/gba-annual-june-2016-ga...).

About Greenwich Ballet Academy

Greenwich Ballet Academy is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) institution that nurtures talented dancers, ages 4-21, toward careers in classical ballet and contemporary dance with a unique emphasis on the Russian Vaganova method of instruction. GBA is the only school in the lower Fairfield and Westchester County area to offer this specialized type of training. The professional faculty also provides classes in modern and character dance, and contemporary ballet. GBA students have earned accolades at international ballet competitions and have joined professional ballet companies. For more information on performances and training, please visit the GBA website: www.greenwichballetacademy.org