The professional standard of instruction at the Civic Ballet is focused on achieving a disciplined technique centered on strength, flexibility, coordination, grace, musicality, body alignment and poise. We believe our role is to guide your dancer through the increasingly disciplined levels of dance in a friendly, caring atmosphere. It is our priority to teach students responsibility and respect fo
r their art, their teachers, themselves and each other.
Founded in 1978 by Miss Helen Gaus, the Scranton Civic Ballet Company focuses on the objectives of educating its students and the public in the art and appreciation of dance. Our two annual major performances are full-scale theatrical productions showcasing all aspects of the performing arts and the creations of local artists as represented in our costumes and sets. All of our dancers are invited and encouraged to participate in both of our annual productions. We at Scranton Civic Ballet Company are truly as much “Civic” as we are “Ballet”. By joining our community, dancers will be proud to be a part of our annual programming that includes:
•Annual “In Concert” performances in which we showcase Miss Helen Gaus’ original choreography and the Scranton Civic Ballet Company’s talent.
•”Arts Engage” day camp, Poetry in Motion, a partnership with Lackawanna County Children and Youth and NEIU where children can express the imagery of their words through movement.
•”Eye on Dance” the Civic Ballet’s Friday morning school performance of The Nutcracker offers 1,700 tickets to area school children and senior citizens for the cost of facility fees.
•”Arts on the Square” the Lackawanna County Arts fair in July where Civic offers a “barre” experience for ballet newbies and a chance for the community to get to know everything available at the Civic Ballet Company.
•Ballet Master Class where members of the Ballet Company and other ballet students are invited to attend a master class taught by a distinguished guest instructor.
•You will also find the Scranton Civic Ballet Company “around town” at the Santa Parade, Mostly Opera’s annual fundraising performance, and the UNICO annual fundraiser. The resume of the Scranton Civic Ballet includes the first modern ballet performed and presented in Scranton by a resident dance company and the first to offer modern and contemporary dance. The Company has performed the works of such distinguished and prominent choreographers as Joseph Levinoff (Dance Educators), Jim Snyder (director of Joffrey Concert Group), Ron Altman (Joffrey Ballet), Scott Hunt (NYC teacher and choreographer) and Ellen Cornfield (NYC Company and choreographer). Workshops have been offered by Dorothy Lister of Joffrey Ballet, Laura Alonso of National Ballet of Cuba, Dan May from New York City, Trinette Singleton of Joffrey, Cherie Noble, principal dancer with Pennsylvania Ballet Company, former Rockette Jennifer Sagan, and Ellen Cornfield of NYC Cornfield Dance Company.
Our treasure and our greatest accomplishment are our dancers! Their smiling faces reflect their joy of working hard while having fun, learning to persevere through challenges, and becoming prepared for their lives ahead.
The Scranton Civic Ballet Company has students training every summer at various professional ballet companies and schools across America which include: American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet School, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, Ballet Austin, Boston Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Rock School for Dance Education, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and many more.
