Festival Ballet Providence - Center for Dance Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2003

Festival Ballet Providence, 401-353-1129

Center for Dance Education student Mary Ellen Beaudreau receives full scholarship to San Francisco Ballet School

Providence, RI - While Rhode Island students head back to school, 18 year old Barrington native Mary Ellen Beaudreau will be heading off to San Francisco to take advantage of an offer she could not refuse, and a dream come true. This talented student has been offered a full scholarship to the prestigious San Francisco Ballet School for her full Senior year.

The young dancer came to the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education via the Spindle City Ballet School over 5 years ago as a 13 year old. In the five ensuing years, Mary Ellen gradually increased her abilities to become a stunning dancer. She has been a scholarship recipient at the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education since 200/2001 and a member of the Festival Ballet Providence Junior Company member for the last three years.

In the spring of 2001, after reaching the finals of the Youth American Grand Prix in New York, she was offered a full scholarship to attend Washington Ballet’s Summer Intensive Program. This past spring she placed first in classical ballet and 3rd in contemporary dance at the regional finals of the Youth American Grand Prix in Torrington, CT, winning her a chance to compete in the finals in New York City. There she survived three cuts to finish in the top twenty dancers out of 120 from around the world in the Senior Grand Prix division.

Her ambition to become a professional dancer led to auditioning and acceptance for San Francisco Ballet School’s renowned 5-week summer program. Being one of the great ballet schools in the country, the summer program boasted 53 young men and over 150 young women, and rigorous Balanchine training. It was during that time that the Company’s Artistic Director, Helgi Tomasson, observed her progress and invited her to become a full scholarship student for the upcoming year, with a partial stipend to cover some of her housing expenses.

Mary Ellen will leave Rhode Island August 29th to begin her studies in San Francisco. She will dance six days a week, starting at 12:30 pm and finishing sometimes not until 8:00 pm after rehearsals. She will be in Level 8, the highest level in the school. Her room mate in the student housing will be a student from the Kirov Academy of Washington, DC. She will continue her academic studies as a senior at the Independence High School. Ms. Beaudreau noted that she and the other 19 girls in her class are required to take all classes on pointe. Boys classes are offered separately, with the exception of partnering class, every other day, when they all work together.

During the academic year, she will have only 7 days off. The students gain experience dancing with the professional company in their 35-performance production of The Nutcracker. Performances take place in the ornate War Memorial Opera House, just across the street from the school. Mr. Thomasson will choose 4 girls from the school to join the company to tour with their production of Paquita. Mary Ellen hopes she could be one of those girls, but with true modesty realizes the chances are slim. She will perform with classmates in a final spring performance as the culmination of the year of study. It will be attended by scouts from many of the best professional dance companies in the world, looking for new talent. Her ultimate goal is to graduate and find a job dancing for a company, ideally one in another country, so she can be exposed to a new experiences and perspectives.

Through her years of study and maturity, Ms. Beaudreau has the confidence and determination to make it.

Mihailo Djuric, Festival Ballet Providence’s Artistic Director is not surpised, remembering how 4 years ago, on hearing that she might quit dancing, convinced Mary Ellen and her family that she should continue, offering scholarship assistance based on her potential. He has never been sorry for that investment of time an money, and is thrilled to have been a part of her success.

The Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education is currently registering students for fall classes. Partial scholarship is available to students at an intermediate level and above showing talent and financial need.

For information contact Festival Ballet Providence, 401.353.1129 or email info@festivalballet.com.

East Greenwich high school senior, Erin Gildea, also a part of the Festival Ballet Providence Junior Company, has been accepted to attend the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. After attending the Winnipeg Summer Intensive program, sh has returned to Providence and will leave at the end of the week to finish her training there. She was just covered by NBC10 as a student of the month. Contact Festival Ballet Providence for further details.

The Festival Ballet Providence and the Festival Ballet Providence Center for Dance Education are together a not-for-profit arts organization whose EIN is 05-0377245 and whose Rhode Island Corporate ID number is ND-27-137.