Raising the Barre

Drawn by the artistry, athleticism, and precision of ballet, students flock to the Cincinnati Ballet Academy. While their annual production of The Nutcracker has increased their renown, their new home matches their vision for the future of dance.  Programs like Ballet Moves have deepened the organization’s impact on the community by providing inclusive opportunities for students with Down’s Syndrome or adults with Parkinson’s Disease to experience the joy of dance. Add to that the fact that the Ballet’s corps is a global company of professionals, and it’s clear that Cincinnati Ballet is all about breaking down barriers to dance. “This art form is changing, it’s evolving…we’re going to help fuel the changes in this art form for the next 10 years,” says Victoria Morgan, the Sue & Bill Friedlander Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Ballet.

GBBN worked with Cincinnati Ballet to design the new Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance, an inspiring combination of academy, community, and professional studio space for dancers who give everything to their craft.

The center breathes new life into an arts district that includes longstanding civic arts institutions such as the Cincinnati Art Museum and its new “Art Climb,” as well as Playhouse in the Park. Visible from every direction–the expressway, city streets, and pedestrians routes–its prominent site helps convey the value Cincinnati places in arts organizations.

The building’s design is influenced by Cincinnati Ballet’s mission to break down the stereotype that ballet is only for a certain group of people; it embraces their vision that dance is for everyone. Read more about Cincinnati Ballet’s Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance in the Cincinnati Enquirer.