We’re in this together!
Steve Russell, the Head of Integrated Arts in Peterborough’s Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School had Prologue’s Ballet Creole over in October. We want to share two great ideas for building community outreach which took place during this event.

Reaching out to feeder schools
In order to encourage Intermediate students from feeder schools to sign up for the ART program next year (when they get into high school), Steve had the good idea to invite 750 of them to enjoy the dance performance in their big auditorium. 

Everyone was beaming with joy, says Stephanie Filippi, Prologue’s Outreach & Touring Sales Manager, who attended the event. What a great idea to help students make the transition and get a taste of a show in a proper space.

Reaching out to presenters
Stephanie thought it would be a great idea to also invite Ray Marshall, the General Manager of Peterborough’s Showplace Performance Centre for the occasion.

It would seem counter-intuitive, wouldn’t it? We can assume that the manager would rather see students in his venue than in the school’s auditorium, right?

Well, it turns out Ray (whom you can see in action in this short clip filmed on the premises) saw how a Prologue school show tailored to the students needs can initiate them to the whole fun of a live performance and help to engage students and build a future audience for his venue.

This weekend, at the Ontario Contact, Ray Marshall, still glowing from his experience with Ballet Creole, shared his findings with the audience during Inga Petri’s panel on “The value of presenting”.