Ballet Tennessee’s efforts to bring high caliber dance to the community have been rewarded by two national level grants. National Endowment for the Arts Touring Grant was awarded by the Southern Arts Federation in partnership with Tennessee Arts Commission. A second grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was allocated by Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The grants enable Ballet Tennessee to host the historic and nationally esteemed ballet company, Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, in a public performance at the Tivoli Theater, community dance classes for children, and master classes for intermediate through advanced dancers.

‘We are delighted to host Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble,’ says Ballet Tennessee Artistic Director Anna Baker VanCura, ‘as a way of inspiring the public and the children of our city to experience high quality dance in meaningful and life-changing ways.’

Forty years ago, Dance Theatre of Harlem was founded by Arthur Mitchell to show the world that African-American and minority dancers could aspire to, achieve, and surpass the standards of ballet companies of the time. Since then the company has evolved into a national treasure that continues to set the standard for artistic excellence in the performing arts.

The Dance Theatre of Harlem residency is scheduled to take place February 26-27, 2010. For more information, visit www.BalletTennessee.org.

Info via Kathryn Dunn, Brewer Media Group. Photo via ballettennessee.org.