The Staten Island Ballet’s operating principle is that an arts organization is truly worthwhile only to the extent that it charitably shares its gifts of talent to the greater community. In our effort to serve the broadest possible audience, SIB upholds elements fundamental to our mission in several ways.
Free tickets and subsidized tickets to the season's four paid-admissions shows, or about 20 percent of the total, are distributed as a community service to approximately 900 individuals a year. About 450 free tickets for the holiday "Nutcracker" show are given to disadvantaged schools, shut-ins, homeless families, and the developmentally disabled. At a summer production, the Family Series, free tickets are given to children with a subsidized $10 ticket provided to adults. At other shows, up to 100 free tickets go to needy cases.
All tickets are distributed to worthy causes through SIB's community service network. Among not-for-profit groups receiving ticket grants are:
- Project Hospitality
- American Cancer Society of Staten Island
- Staten Island AIDS Taskforce
- Geller House, Staten Island Council on Aging
- St. Francis School for the Deaf
- Elam Christian Assembly, Community Resources
- A Very Special Place (developmentally challenged) Deborah Hospital
- SI Multiple Sclerosis Society
- The Seamen's Society for Children and Families (rehab patients and their children)
- Sephardic Nursing Home
- Clove Lakes Nursing Home
- St. Elizabeth's Nursing Home
- Anna Erika Home
Children and Seniors Together is an inter-generational program for helping both young and old. The program showcases young students to perform ballet, singing, and musicianship each month for nursing home audiences. Students mingle and talk with patients, and distribute personalized hand-made gifts and cards to them. As many as 800 seniors are served; youths develop greater understanding through exposure to the issues of aging.
Partnering with Diversity
SIB's free dance training program - Dancing Over Walls™ - promotes diversity in the arts, and continues to win an enthusiastic response from children and families in economically challenged areas. The program awards full scholarships – along with travel and free dancewear – to 15 talented youths each year. This past year, two of our original Dancing Over Walls™ students who had studied free with us for a decade won college scholarships in dance.
Outreach to locate candidates for Dancing Over Walls™ is done through a volunteer network as well as dance company demonstrations at public libraries and schools in economically challenged areas. Students accepted into the program aren't publicly identified as such, enabling freer participation as peers.
More than 100 talented and deserving students over the years have benefited from the free training program, while improving academic performance and gaining self esteem with peer status. Selected students have performed with the professional company in original children's roles in works created to expose them to legitimate theater.