A partnership with the Arts Council through the years with the the school’s performance of the Nutcracker Ballet and the “tea party with Clara” event every December prompted the expansion. Their was just a great interest in the December event that the school decided to bring their faculty to Holland. The classes will give kids ages 3-9 years old a chance to learn ballet. The school will also hold classes for those with Down Syndrome and Parkinson’s disease as well.
Attila Mosolygo is the Director and Principal of Grand Rapids School of Ballet (GRBS) and says he believes strongly that dance plays an important role in the healthy development of your child’s focus, coordination, discipline, and etiquette. Mosolygo starting training in Hungary and by the time he was 12-year-old knew he would be dancing. After moving to America he studied at the Joffrey Ballet and an audition with the Grand Rapids Ballet led him to Michigan.
Mosolygo says the classes for Down Syndrome students first started in Grand Rapids and the results were fantastic.
“To be able to offer a dance class to every child you know regardless of their ability, age or body type is fantastic and to be able to enrich lives of young kids.The first thing I thought was if we’re going to try to bring this program out to the Holland community, I want to make sure people are aware of it. We connected with the director of The Commons of Evergreen. It’s been long proven that dance is one of the best things you can do when you have Parkinson’s. The class is very physical and active. but we can adapt the class to everyone’s need.”
In an effort to make sure they can fill the classes, you are asked to register as soon as possible so that the school has an idea of how nany students they will be training.
Classes start on Monday September 11 and will run until Monday, May 7, 2018. Ballet classes are available for children 3-4 and 7-9 and children with Down syndrome age 5 and up, and do not require prior dance or ballet experience.
Creative Dance
- Ages: 3-5
- Day/time: Monday 4:15-5pm
- Cost: $380 per school year, $205 per semester ($410 total), $49 per month ($441 total)
- Dress code Girls: soft pink leotard, soft pink tights, and pink ballet shoes. Boys: black ballet tights or black leggings, black ballet shoes, plain white fitted t-shirt.
Beginner Ballet
- Ages:6-9
- Day/time: Monday 5-6pm
- Cost: $435 per school year, $235 per semester ($470 total), $58 per month ($504 total)
- Dress code: Girls: lavender leotard, soft pink tights, and pink ballet shoes. Boys: black ballet tights or black leggings, black ballet shoes, plain white fitted t-shirt.
Explorer Dance for Down Syndrome
- Ages: 5 and up
- Day/time: Wednesday 5:30-6:15pm
- Cost: $162 per school year, $90 per semester ($180 total), $22 per month ($198 total)
Moving with Parkinson’s
- Ages: 50 and up and their care partners of any age
- Day/time: Monday 11:15am-12pm
- Cost: $3 for Evergreen Commons members / $5 for non-members.
- Dress code: loose, comfortable clothing
Holland Area Arts Council is located at in downtown at 150 East 8th Street, Holland, Michigan 49423. Evergreen Commons is located at 480 State Street, Holland, Michigan 49423. For more information on all the GRBS classes offered in Holland, including schedules, costs, directions, enrollment, and financial aid, please visit grballet.com/holland, email school@grballet.com, or call 616.454.4771 x17.
Celebrating its 47th anniversary, Grand Rapids Ballet will kick off the 2017-2018 seasons with From Russia with Love. Performances are October 6-8 & 13, 2017 at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre.
The GRBS remains committed to lifting the human spirit through the art of dance under the leadership of Patricia Barker as artistic director, Glenn Del Vecchio as executive director, and Attila Mosolygo as school director. A proud recipient of the ArtServe Michigan Governor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Cultural Organization, Michigan’s only professional ballet company has a rich history marked by steady growth, a commitment to excellence, and strong community support. In addition,
Grand Rapids Ballet School provides over 200 students with the highest quality dance instruction in a nurturing and encouraging environment and the opportunity to perform in productions by Grand Rapids Junior Company. Keep up with the ballet on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
