Dance company Brooklyn Ballet celebrates 20th anniversary

The company celebrated their milestone anniversary with a series of performances that featured its students at the Mark O’Donnell Theater.

News 12 Staff

Apr 23, 2023, 10:07 PM

Updated 460 days ago

Share:

Local dance company Brooklyn Ballet celebrated its 20th anniversary on Sunday.
The nonprofit dance company in Downtown Brooklyn has provided free access to arts education for over 20,000 children across the borough.
The company celebrated its milestone anniversary with a series of performances that featured its students at the Mark O’Donnell Theater.
Brooklyn Ballet named the theme of the celebration “Rejoice! The Village Dances.” The show was comprised of several storytelling-based dances that blended ballet and hip-hop styles.
Through a mixture of ballet and hip-hop, Brooklyn Ballet tells its audiences stories through movement.
"I want them to feel lighter, to feel inspired, to feel more human," said Lynn Parkerson, who first founded the nonprofit in 2003. She runs the organization with help from associate director Alison Mixon.
"We are where Brooklyn comes to dance. We are a professional ballet company. We also have a pre-professional ballet conservatory, we have our educational outreach programming, and we also go directly into community with our 'Take Ballet to the Streets' program," Mixon elaborated.
Parkerson said the performances at the theater on Sunday pulled inspiration from both the past and present.
"And so all of those pieces are about human beings in town squares, in spaces, in restaurants, in church, just human beings being amongst each other," she said.
As dozens of people packed the theater all weekend long, dancers got to showcase their hard work with the hope that the audience left more fulfilled then when they first arrived.
Parkerson said she has big plans for the company’s future, which include opening a studio in Flatbush a few years from now.


More from News 12
0:32
Police arrest man in connection to shooting murders in Clinton Hill

Police arrest man in connection to shooting murders in Clinton Hill

1:40
Nearly 300 probationary firefighters join the ranks of FDNY

Nearly 300 probationary firefighters join the ranks of FDNY

1:46
Sunny and warm weather with lower humidity for the weekend in Brooklyn

Sunny and warm weather with lower humidity for the weekend in Brooklyn

1:54
East Flatbush residents 'Occupy the Corner' for a safe summer

East Flatbush residents 'Occupy the Corner' for a safe summer

1:24
G train shutdown impacting Bed-Stuy commuters negatively

G train shutdown impacting Bed-Stuy commuters negatively

1:44
Gun detectors could arrive in NYC subway stations today as NYPD prepares pilot program

Gun detectors could arrive in NYC subway stations today as NYPD prepares pilot program

1:43
Welder Underground unveils ‘Rappin' Max Robot’ through apprenticeship program

Welder Underground unveils ‘Rappin' Max Robot’ through apprenticeship program

0:47
Attorney General James releases body camera footage of fatal officer-involved shooting in East Flatbush

Attorney General James releases body camera footage of fatal officer-involved shooting in East Flatbush

0:24
Police: Suspect wanted for punching 72-year-old man at 25th Street subway station

Police: Suspect wanted for punching 72-year-old man at 25th Street subway station

1:54
Boar’s Head deli meat recalled for potential listeria contamination

Boar’s Head deli meat recalled for potential listeria contamination

1:44
The Real Deal: How to save on expenses amid rising costs in New York

The Real Deal: How to save on expenses amid rising costs in New York

1:36
Students set to receive OMNY cards with more rides and less restrictions

Students set to receive OMNY cards with more rides and less restrictions

1:31
Tenants in Flatbush building say they are living with broken floors, mold, leaks and holes

Tenants in Flatbush building say they are living with broken floors, mold, leaks and holes

1:41
Neighbors describe MTA bus crashing into Burger King in Kensington

Neighbors describe MTA bus crashing into Burger King in Kensington

1:46
YMCA promotes swim safety services on World Drowning Prevention Day

YMCA promotes swim safety services on World Drowning Prevention Day

0:37
Brooklyn DA: Former teacher accused of enticing teenagers to send him explicit images

Brooklyn DA: Former teacher accused of enticing teenagers to send him explicit images

1:14
New lawsuits filed against Gov. Hochul's congestion pricing plan pause

New lawsuits filed against Gov. Hochul's congestion pricing plan pause

1:35
Rally outside Brooklyn Public Library calls for end to alleged 'power grab' from Mayor Adams

Rally outside Brooklyn Public Library calls for end to alleged 'power grab' from Mayor Adams

1:55
Residents say rats are taking over Sheepshead Bay street

Residents say rats are taking over Sheepshead Bay street

0:29
Southwest breaks 50-year tradition and will assign seats; profit falls at Southwest, American

Southwest breaks 50-year tradition and will assign seats; profit falls at Southwest, American