News release
The Santa Clarita Ballet Company has received $44,400 from the L.A. County COVID-19 Arts Relief Fund administered by the L.A. County Department of Arts and Culture. This dollar amount was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Hilda Solis, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Sheila Kuehl, Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger.
Eight months ago, the Santa Clarita Ballet Company closed its doors after 25 years, due to COVID-19.
“We had no inkling of what was ahead of us,” read a prepared statement from the ballet company. “As it became clear life was not returning to normal for at least a year, our June production of ‘Cinderella’ was cancelled along with our annual ‘Nutcracker.’ It wasn’t certain our organization would survive. Thankfully, the desire to dance pushed us to employ a new technology in teaching ballet.”
Through ZOOM the company was able to keep its dancers actively taking class, and teachers donated their time for this purpose.
The grant funds will provide much-needed salary relief as well as give the company the ability to continue virtual programming for “Nutcracker 2020” and “Cinderella spring 2021.” This allows the company to maintain relationships with its patrons as well as the community at large.
The company hopes to be back at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Centre at College of the Canyons in December 2021.