CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Joffrey Ballet is launching a new dance program it hopes will help the company be more inclusive.
The Contemporary Ballet Trainee Program will begin this fall at the Joffrey Academy of Dance, which is the official school of the Joffrey Ballet.
One of the goals of the program is to attract a broader spectrum of dancers from all backgrounds. Raymond Rodriguez is the Abbott Academy Director of the Joffrey Academy of Dance.
"There are certainly beautiful dancers who don’t want to dance the traditional Swan Lake or sleeping beauty, but they still want that foundation of classical ballet in a different genre," he said.
To address that, in addition to classical ballet training, the new program will also incorporate other genres of dance including choreography, improv, West African and hip-hop.
"We have to stay up with the evolution of dance and ballet," Rodriguez said.
The program is open to those 17 and older, and requires an audition.
Related
