Jasmine Getz is one of the Ballet Austin II dancers. (Photo credit: Anne Marie Bloodgood)
March 6, 2020 - Ballet Austin II will perform at Panola College at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 6, in the Q.M. Martin Auditorium. Supported by a grant from the B.F. and Mary Payne Fund for the Preservation of Texas Culture, the event is free and open to the public.
Ballet Austin II was established in 1999 as a second company and apprentice program for Ballet Austin and is endowed by Sarah and Ernest Butler through the Ballet Austin Foundation. Dancers are selected through a nationwide audition process. They perform with Ballet Austin, and also perform in Austin and around the State as a second company.
Since its inception, 109 graduates of Ballet Austin II and the Butler Fellowship Program have secured contracts with more than 42 companies across the nation. Dancers range in age from 18 to 23 and are employed for a 32-week season, based in Austin. Apprentices are contracted for up to two years, receiving artistic guidance, career management counseling, and job placement assistance. Through a partnership with St. Edward’s University, Ballet Austin II members are eligible to receive 24 college credit hours for their second company experience. Auditions for the summer intensive are held in winter and spring. For more information, email Eugene Alvarez or call 512-476-9151.
Ballet Austin has a rich history spanning six decades. From its home at the Butler Dance Education Center in downtown Austin, the company engages the community, dancers, and audiences alike with vibrant and ambitious performances. Visit balletaustin.org for more information.
“We are excited to bring Ballet Austin to Panola College,” said Daron McDaniel, committee chair and professor of speech at Panola College. “The event wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Foster Murphy, who established the B.F. and Mary Payne Fund for the Preservation of Texas Culture.”
