Exceeding Expectations!
A campaign for Tulsa Ballet
Donor Listing | Pledge Form
The story of Tulsa Ballet began in 1956. Husband and wife Roman Jasinski
and Moscelyne Larkin, and musician Rosalie Talbot founded Tulsa Ballet Theatre,
blending classical dance with dramatic theatre. Internationally known dancers
in the Ballet Russe tradition, Jasinski and Larkin set the tone for artistic
excellence – a foundation that has been preserved and built upon for
decades.
In 1992, under Artistic Director Roman L. Jasinski, Tulsa Ballet moved to
its current 38,000-square-foot facility. The New York Times listed this move
as one of 10 memorable dance events in the world for the year, citing it
a “reason to rejoice.”
- In 1995, Marcello Angelini – a graduate of the Kiev Institute of Dance, and principal dancer and guest artist with some of the most renowned troupes in the world – stepped onto the stage as the Company’s Artistic Director, leading the organization to a new level of success.
- In 2002, Tulsa Ballet marked its international debut in Sintra, Portugal, as part of the Sintra Festival, one of the most famous dance festivals in Europe. Tulsa Ballet was the only Company asked to perform two separate productions over six days.
- Shortly thereafter, we opened the doors to the Tulsa Ballet Center for Dance Education (CDE), offering professional training designed to urge every young dancer toward the harmony of body, mind and spirit that is the art of dance. Our comprehensive programs promote personal growth and proper physical development of the student and are instructed by top professionals with international credentials in the Ballet field.
Today - Now in its 50th year, Tulsa Ballet is ready and willing to expand upon its commitment to the art of dance and to the Tulsa community. With your help we can rise to the occasion. Moving as one toward a dynamic future, we are poised to “exceed expectations” – on stage, in the studio, in the community, and in the world – for another 50 years.
Tulsa Ballet owns a fabulous, but too small, facility providing state-of-the-art studios for the company’s professional dancers. The facility also houses the Center for Dance Education (CDE) where students ages 3 through adult from 15 states are educated and trained in the art of dance; where educational outreach programs are developed for public schools in Tulsa and surrounding communities, many of which are at-risk and low-income; and where the new Junior Company of pre-professional dancers has been formed.
Driven by the strong support and expectations of our leading donors, we are moving forward to expand our role as a major force in the field of dance, both nationally and internationally, while becoming a worldwide arts and arts education ambassador of our great state of Oklahoma. Our donors aren’t satisfied with mere stability; they expect growth, artistic excellence, leadership in arts and arts education, and an expanded role in the dissemination of our art form at a regional level. Tulsa Ballet is committed to exceeding the expectations of our donors, and we’re proudly promoting Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma wherever we go.
Continuing to offer quality artistic and educational programming requires financial support. One way that Tulsa Ballet is securing its financial future is with a $12.5 million integrated campaign called Exceeding Expectations! The components of the campaign are:
$4.5 MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDS
Money raised for the capital portion of Exceeding Expectations! will
be used for converting storage space into new studios to support the growing
number of CDE students, building a Black Box Theatre, and for required maintenance
and improvements to our wonderful facility. The expanded studio space will
enable us to increase educational outreach capabilities to public schools
and surrounding venues, and triple the number of in-studio hours of dance
instruction. The Black Box Theatre will provide a venue for outreach and
student performances, Junior Company performances and showcasing new choreographic
works.
$4.2 MILLION ENDOWMENT FUNDS
Our goal is to continue to preserve the classical dance foundation laid by
the Jasinskis and build upon the new foundation created by Mr. Angelini.
To do this we must continue to perform classical and contemporary works,
provide live music, and expand upon our education programs. All of this
requires an endowment large enough to help support these fundamental components
of Tulsa Ballet.
$2.5 MILLION IN OPERATING FUNDS
Raising $4.2 million in endowments takes time. In the meantime,
Tulsa Ballet would like to continue providing Tulsa with the excellence in
productions it has come to enjoy. The $2.5 million annual component provides
a financial bridge between where we are currently and where we will be when
the endowments begin generating spendable income.
$1.3 MILLION IN EXPANDED PROGRAMS
The community is placing more demand than ever on our outreach programs for
disadvantaged schools, enrollment in our Center for Dance Education continues
to rise and we’re being invited for touring performances in the U.S.
and Europe. Funds designated to help us meet these emerging needs are satisfying
our donors’ expectations of leadership in arts and arts education.
Tulsa Ballet is so important to our community and our entire region of the country – important for the arts, for the children served in our school, for our wide outreach capabilities, and important for business. As of September 30, 2006, our donors have committed $10,719,555. To make your commitment, download the pledge form and mail it to 4512 S. Peoria, Tulsa, OK 74105 or fax it to (918) 749-0532. With your help, Tulsa Ballet will be Exceeding Expectations for another 50 years.
EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS! CAMPAIGN
Capital Funds................. $4.5 Million
Endowment Funds.......... $4.2 Million
Operating Funds............. $2.5 Million
Expanded Programs....... $1.3 Million
Total Campaign Goal ... $12.5 Million