N E W S ...&... R E V I E W S
Artistic Outreach

Since its inception, Metropolitan Classical Ballet (formerly Ballet Arlington) has followed its mission statement to bring the art of classical ballet to everyone regardless of his or her socioeconomic level. Through its Artistic Outreach Program the ballet provides special performances for children, the hospitalized, and the disadvantaged.

In 1998, the Children's Cultural Enrichment program was founded as a part of the Artistic Outreach Program. Along with students from its Academy of Ballet, the Company provides the patients of Cook's Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth with an annual condensed version of The Nutcracker.

Since 2001, as part of the Children's Cultural Enrichment Program, the Company has presented The Nutcracker to the third graders from the Arlington Independent School District for a very nominal fee. Additionally, the ballet has provided tickets to full evening productions to faculty, staff and students of The University of Texas at Arlington, Tarrant County Community College, the Dallas County Community College District, and other metropolitan area public, private, and home schooled students.

Economically disadvantaged groups have also been given the opportunity to attend the ballet's performances. Tickets to all productions are donated to such organizations as: United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County, Arlington's Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Arlington Boys Club / Girls Club, and the Arlington Night Shelter. In December of 2003 the ballet provided a special performance of The Nutcracker for Mission Arlington.

For the past several years, the Company has been privileged to participate in the Children's Education Program of Performing Arts Fort Worth by presenting two of Paul Mejia's ballets, Romeo and Juliet and Peter and the Wolf (together with the Fort Worth Symphony) for Fort Worth students at the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall.