the cincinnati ballet is a professional ballet company founded in 1958 in cincinnati , ohio , united states and had its first performance in 1964 .

the current artistic director is victoria morgan .

cincinnati ballet

cincinnati ballet ' s anna reznik and alexei kremnev . photo : courtesy cincinnati ballet
take a bow . students at sf ballet school have joined sf ballet and such notable companies as new york city ballet , american ballet theatre , dutch national ballet , hamburg ballet , boston ballet , pacific northwest ballet , houston ballet , english national ballet , miami city ballet , national ballet of canada , joffrey ballet , pennsylvania ballet , ballet west , royal new zealand ballet , oregon ballet theatre , pittsburgh ballet theatre , atlanta ballet , ballet austin , ballet san jose , alberta ballet , ballet met columbus , cincinnati ballet , kansas city ballet , milwaukee ballet , north carolina dance theater , royal winnipeg ballet , vienna opera ballet , and the washington ballet .
a gift certificate to cincinnati ballet may be purchased through cincinnati ballet box office by calling 513 - 621 - 5282 .
cincinnati ballet will hold open auditions for all dancers interested in joining the professional company or cb2 ( cincinnati ballet second company ) .
this page features a ballet video titled cbii ( cincinnati ballet second company ) at kidpoint ! . the ballet company performing in this ballet video include cincinnati ballet . choreography featured in this video is by .
cincinnati ballet is recognized as a premier ballet company inspiring excellence through the power of dance .
graduates of the trainee program have found positions with professional dance companies dancing successfully with the joffrey ballet , american ballet theater , new york city ballet , staatsballett berlin , dresden semperoper , estonian national ballet , tulsa ballet , complexions , cincinnati ballet , dance theatre of harlem , atlanta ballet , milwaukee ballet , memphis ballet , kansas city ballet , texas ballet theatre , balletmet , north carolina dance theatre , pittsburg ballet theatre , polish national ballet , slovak national ballet , ballet west , royal new zealand ballet , alabama ballet , ballet austin , ballet nebraska , oklahoma city ballet , colorado ballet , and more .
1 . the company has had three names . it was known as cincinnati civic ballet until 1968 , until it was renamed the cincinnati ballet company . in 1982 , the name was shortened to simply cincinnati ballet .
hometown heroes over the rhine bring their patented brand of passion to cincinnati ballet’s 2013 - 2014 season finale , cincinnati ballet & over the rhine live .
grace choi , a new member of the cincinnati ballet’s corps de ballet , rehearses in a dance studio .
the aronoff center for the arts hosts many cincinnati ballet performances throughout the season .
peek into the studio as cincinnati ballet dancers rehearse jennifer archibald’s never . nest .
tobin del cuore rehearsing extremely close . cincinnati ballet / wcpo photo by peter kasprzycki
johanna bernstein wilt rehearsing extremely close . cincinnati ballet / wcpo photo by peter kasprzycki
when cincinnati ballet returns to work monday , name tags might be in order .
new dancers , new day at cincinnati ballet when cincinnati ballet returns to work monday , name tags might be in order . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
cincinnati ballet offers a variety of ticketing options including subscriptions , packages and single tickets .
more : 10 cincinnati ballet dancers who left . . . and what they’re up to
grace choi , a former apprentice with san francisco ballet , joins cincinnati ballet as a member of the corps de ballet for the 2017 - 18 season .
2 . cincinnati civic ballet was the brainchild of three local ballet teachers : myrl laurence , virginia garrett and nancy bauer .
8 who are new at the cincinnati ballet meet the ballet ' s freshest faces . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
training & experience : b . f . a . in ballet performance from the university of oklahoma , summa cum laude ; western arkansas ballet ; summer programs at joffrey midwest , ballet austin , tulsa ballet , and cincinnati ballet
3 . since its inception , cincinnati ballet has performed 317 different ballets by 105 choreographers .
daniel durrett , artist of the company from : cincinnati , ohio training : cincinnati ballet otto m . budig academy ; houston ballet ii ; houston ballet apprentice professional experience : houston ballet corps de ballet ( 2016 ) recognitions : awards at the indianapolis international ballet competition ( 2015 ) and youth america grand prix ( 2013 )
cincinnati’s music hall is one of the most beautiful performance spaces in the country . cincinnati ballet takes the stage for three performances in this historic building .
training & experience : b . f . a . in ballet from the university of utah and scholarship member of utah ballet ; iowa ballet academy ; guest artist at iowa dance theatre ; summer programs at pacific northwest ballet , american ballet theatre , joffrey ballet on full scholarship , ballet west , nashville ballet and ballet met
gale , oliver m . they helped shape our city . cincinnati , oh : cincinnati oral history foundation , 1992 .
when organizing founders nancy bauer , virginia garrett and myrl laurence first chartered the company as “cincinnati civic ballet” in 1958 , it was a definite newcomer compared to the other major arts organizations in cincinnati , ohio . the cincinnati art museum was founded in 1886 , the cincinnati symphony orchestra in 1895 , and the cincinnati opera in 1920 .
13 . cincinnati civic ballet ' s premiere performance was on march 15 , 1964 , in wilson auditorium on the university of cincinnati ' s main campus .
with a medium size company like cincinnati ballet , they sometimes get their shot at starring roles .
several new dancers join cincinnati ballet from across the u . s . and abroad , including two individuals promoted through cincinnati ballet’s second company : michael mengden and naomi tanioka , joining as apprentices .
colorado ballet’s new corps de ballet dancers include : mackenzie dessens , formerly with cincinnati ballet’s second company ; megan dillon , who previously danced charlotte ballet 2 and ballet met 2 ; sarah tryon , formerly with sarasota ballet ; and bryce lee , who danced in colorado ballet’s studio company before his promotion into the company .
she has had a hand in the beginning of a lot of things in cincinnati ,
ms . hughes says .
before there was cincinnati ballet , there was cincinnati civic ballet , which she helped establish . she recommended oleg sabline to ( the university of cincinnati college - conservatory of music ) .
training & experience : b . f . a . in ballet performance from the university of utah and member of utah ballet ; corvallis academy of ballet ; summer programs at atlanta ballet , american ballet theatre , and ballet west
ballet toybox february 18 , 2012 | aronoff center for the arts for one performance only , cincinnati ballet offers a diverse program of classical and contemporary ballet selections designed to delight families and introduce children to ballet . at 50 minutes and $ 25 per ticket , ballet toybox is an easy and affordable way to experience cincinnati ballet with the whole family .
also serving as an apprentice , william britt hillard joins cincinnati ballet for the upcoming season . a native of florida , hillard has previously danced with richmond ballet and carolina ballet .
other new principal soloists are eric leedom , longtime principal of the oakland ballet company , and charles flachs , who has danced with cincinnati ballet since 1982 . joseph woeffel from the houston ballet joins ballet west as soloist artist , and several new corps members come from nevada dance theatre , the school of american ballet , pittsburgh ballet , cincinnati and elsewhere .
. katherine spent summers training with pacific northwest ballet , american ballet theatre , joffrey ballet , ballet west , nashville ballet , ballet met , and korean ballet theatre . with ballet vero beach , ms . eppink has been featured in works by samuel kurkjian , adam schnell , and camilo a . rodriguez .
johanna bernstein wilt and tobin del cuore rehearsing extremely close . cincinnati ballet / wcpo photo by peter kasprzycki
cincinnati ballet’s dynamic new logo and brand identity is the most significant change to the organization’s visual identity in more than 15 years . it is the product of a partnership with cincinnati - based , global brand design agency , lpk . the lpk team drew its inspiration from insights shared by key cincinnati ballet stakeholders and community members , creating a representation as to how cincinnati ballet fits into both the global dance sphere and the cincinnati community .
training & experience : b . f . a in ballet performance from friends university ; rogers ballet ; summer programs at next generation ballet and oklahoma city ballet
van dyck agrees . she may have been surprised that morgan came to cincinnati . but she totally understands why cincinnati adores her .
imagine it’s 1998 . cincinnati ballet is performing val caniparoli’s choreography for a full - length story ballet — the exquisite 1995 lady of the camellias .
the piece was originally choreographed by alejandro cerrudo of hubbard street dance company . here in cincinnati the dance is repeated by tobin del cuore with soloists of the cincinnati ballet .
5 . contrary to popular belief , famed ballerina suzanne farrell , who left cincinnati in 1960 and became george balanchine ' s muse at the new york city ballet , was never a member of cincinnati civic ballet . she visited cincinnati and performed on the same bill as ccb on more than one occasion . and in 2007 , her own company – suzanne farrell ballet – engaged in a few joint performances with cincinnati ballet .
. she also performed with milwaukee ballet ii , houston ballet , nevada ballet theater , ballet tucson , earthen vessels , and hopestone dance company . her repertoire includes
explore the new cincinnati ballet in our latest video as maizyalet velázquez ( senior soloist ) and taylor carrasco ( corps de ballet ) use their bodies as brushes , blending paint and ballet .
courtney connor jones is a fanciful eaglet is cincinnati ballet ' s
alice ( in wonderland ) .
photo : cincinnati ballet ' s chisako oga as sugar plum fairy and cervilio miguel amaso as her cavalier .
marisa anne keller , originally from pennsylvania , joins cincinnati ballet from pacific northwest ballet . she has trained at pacific northwest ballet school and school of american ballet . keller will serve as an apprentice for the 2004 - 05 season .
boston ballet in balanchine’s coppélia , with jonathan mcphee and the boston ballet orchestra . photo by ernesto galan , courtesy boston ballet
adiarys almeida joins cincinnati ballet from havana , cuba where she was a member of ballet nacional de cuba ( national ballet of cuba ) . almeida received her dance training from the national school of
featuring internationally renowned guest faculty , cincinnati ballet has two summer intensive programs designed to take your dancing to new levels of excellence . cincinnati ballet faculty tour the nation to audition promising students . click below to learn more !
how nuts ? consider this . as part of their current subscription seasons , the four largest ballet companies in this region – cincinnati ballet , balletmet columbus , louisville ballet and pittsburgh ballet theatre – have announced a total of 41 ballets .
the cincinnati ballet’s academy staff works to ensure the professional and artistic growth of otto m . budig academy students .
cincinnati ballet ' s kaplan new works series runs september 14 - 24 at the aronoff center for the arts .
franklin restaged the two remaining extant movements from seventh symphony two seasons later , aided by cincinnati ballet’s principal ballet mistress and former cincinnati ballet dancer johanna bernstein wilt , who researched and recreated all three seventh symphony movements from the original 16 mm film with coaching from franklin .
victoria morgan , artistic director and ceo , cincinnati ballet , center , works with corps de ballet dancer joshua bodden as she teaches a class to dancers .
finally , cincinnati and ballet west are teaming up to present a world premiere this season , a new production of carmina burana . this groundbreaking collaboration marks the first of its kind in cincinnati ballet history . choreographed by nicolo fonte , carmina burana will premiere at ballet west in salt lake city on november 3 , and with cincinnati ballet on february 8 , performed with the cincinnati symphony orchestra and the may festival chorus at music hall . fonte is known for his daring and original approach to choreography , and has worked with esteemed companies such as the dutch national ballet , houston ballet , royal danish ballet , and pacific northwest ballet .
cincinnati ballet hires vsa of ohio , the state organization on arts and disability , to provide their services to those with impaired sight during specific performances . please contact cincinnati ballet box office for information on when services will be available .
training & experience : b . f . a . in dance from university of cincinnati’s college - conservatory of music ; columbus city ballet school , merit scholarship at orlando ballet school ; summer program at american ballet theater ; member of rochester city ballet
cincinnati ballet is looking for talented young performers to be a part of this timeless holiday tradition . auditions for the nutcracker will be held at 1555 central parkway , cincinnati , ohio 45214 .
thank you for the correction , milosr . aaron robison also danced with the birmingham royal ballet and corella ballet before joining houston ballet .
20 . carmon deleone has been cincinnati ballet ' s music director for 45 of the company ' s 50 years .
you could forgive people if they were skeptical when victoria morgan was named artistic director of cincinnati ballet in february 1997 .
better than sundbeck , who ' s in her 11th year as a professional , the last three with cincinnati ballet .
17 . several cincinnati ballet dancers have gone on to distinguished careers as artistic directors of ballet companies . among them : marcelo angelini ( tulsa ballet ) , stephen mills ( austin ballet ) , kevin ward ( dayton contemporary dance company ) and christophe maraval ( naples ballet ) . former dancer john nelson is now executive director of houston ballet .
31 . dance classes at cincinnati ballet aren ' t limited to ballet . in fact , the most popular single class the ballet offers is rhythm & motion , an enormously engaging combination of dance and exercise .
• patric palkens is joining the boston ballet as a member of the corps de ballet .
choreographer william soleau and richmond ballet apprentice whitley saffron work on his newly - commissioned ballet .
gelfin began her ballet training with lisa collins vidnovic at metropolitan ballet academy . gelfin joined cincinnati ballet as new dancer for the 2014 and in february was promoted to corps de ballet . gelfin was promoted to senior soloist in 2017 , and principal in 2018 .
training & experience : b . f . a . in dance from the university of cincinnati college - conservatory of music ; akjun ballet theatre ; central pennsylvania youth ballet
bring a group to the ballet and save money ! cincinnati ballet offers you the unique opportunity to bring your group to a performance . ( minimum of 10 people )
rich with history , cincinnati ballet continues to thrill audiences with unparalleled performances . the company is a major part of cincinnati’s growing metropolis . from excellence on stage to outreach in local schools and community , cincinnati ballet takes pride in the fact that it is an integral part of the culture of the city . read more
12 . cincinnati civic ballet was officially chartered by the state of ohio in 1958 , five years before that first audition .
once a year cincinnati ballet holds an audition tour around the united states to find the best new talent for company contracts .
all body defined equipment is provided onsite at the cincinnati ballet center . students are encouraged to bring their own water bottle .
happy 4th of july from your friends at cincinnati ballet ! wishing you a wonderful , safe and fun - filled holiday .
cincinnati ballet artistic director and ceo victoria morgan leads a rehearsal of “frisch’s presents the nutcracker” at the aronoff center in 2008 .
amador danced with the national ballet of cuba as a corps de ballet dancer and corifeo ( demi - soloist ) before joining cincinnati ballet in 2004 as a soloist . he was promoted to senior soloist in 2005 and principal dancer in 2006 , and has danced numerous lead roles in full - length ballets throughout his extensive career at cincinnati ballet .
10 . in 1974 , the year that cincinnati ballet performed its first production of
the nutcracker ,
a 12 - year - old named victoria morgan was performing the leading role of clara with salt lake city ' s ballet west . today , morgan is artistic director and ceo of cincinnati ballet .
two years ago , he accepted an apprenticeship with houston ballet . he liked cincinnati . but houston has twice as many dancers and a larger budget that enables it to offer 44 weeks of annual employment as opposed to the 34 weeks offered by cincinnati ballet .
this isn’t dahlhoff’s first time with cincinnati ballet . the former trainee with san francisco ballet spent the 2012 - 13 season as a cincinnati ballet apprentice before heading off to new york city . there , she danced as part of the alvin ailey american dance theater’s professional division and graduated cum laude from fordham university .
great dancers require great teachers . students at sf ballet school are taught by dancers who held illustrious careers performing with american ballet theatre , new york city ballet , boston ballet , joffrey ballet , english national ballet , and sf ballet , among others . our prestigious faculty is joined from time to time by current sf ballet company members and artistic staff , as well as renowned guest teaching artists .
other than cincinnati ballet , where seven of the 15 ballets have been choreographed by women , there was just one other female - choreographed ballet announced ; twyla tharp’s “in the upper room , ” to be performed by louisville ballet .
pakharev has danced with the rebecca davis dance company in philadelphia and continues guest performing for ballet tech of ohio , lafeyette ballet theatre , miami valley dance company , northern cincinnati youth ballet ( ncyb ) and more . he is also a founding member of show ballet castalia , a cincinnati - based company providing dance entertainment for parties , holidays , and special events .
view the nutcracker 2017 kids cast cincinnati ballet is looking for talented young performers to be a part of this timeless holiday tradition . auditions for the nutcracker will be held at 1555 central parkway , cincinnati , ohio 45214 . download young performers auditions information sheet . currently enrolled cincinnati ballet otto m . budig academy students only a $ 20 [ … ]
cincinnati ballet’s james gilmer and abigail morwood at a dress rehearsal of “cinderella” in february 2016 . they have both since left the company .
on aug . 1 , hairston and grubbs stepped into new roles as the dean and principal , respectively , of cincinnati ballet’s academy .
alexandra hoffman is a native of cleveland , ohio . she was trained by ana lobe and attended summer programs at central pennsylvania youth ballet , nashville ballet , and louisville ballet . before joining ballet vero beach , ms . hoffman was a trainee at louisville ballet .
why the students ? well , that’s related to the other good news , likely to have a significant and lasting impact on cincinnati ballet .
the title piece of cincinnati ballet’s march 18 - 19 performances at the aronoff center is the company premiere of “wild sweet love , ” choreographed by trey mcintyre . seen here is a scene from a performance of the work by sacramento ballet , featuring ( from left ) ava chatterson , stefan calka and former cincinnati ballet dancer lauryn winterhalder . also on cincinnati ballet’s program are george balanchine’s “who cares ? ” and edwaard liang’s “age of innocence , ” performed by balletmet columbus .
cincinnati ballet ' s biography : 50 facts to know our ballet has graced stages for 50 years . look back on the building blocks of its history . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
in honor of # worldballetday , we took on the challenge to dance anywhere ! cincinnati ballet dancers james gilmer and christina laforgia took to the streets of cincinnati to perform gabriel gaffney smith’s “untitled” in some of our favorite neighborhood spots .
christian griggs - drane performs gerald arpino’s “light rain” with demi trezona as part of a 2016 performance by the grand rapids ballet . griggs - drane joins cincinnati ballet this season as a new dancer .
when cincinnati ballet artistic director victoria morgan announced the casting for “lady of the camellias , ” which opens friday , it raised a few eyebrows .
john david back shares his unique ( and hilarious ) perspective on experiencing cincinnati ballet for the first time . this article contains some strong language .
retired cincinnati ballet soloist dawn kelley will join hairston and grubbs in the academy’s leadership as she is promoted from academy teacher to assistant academy principal .
matthew griffin is joining the cincinnati ballet as an apprentice . he is seen during a photo shoot when he was a student at butler university .
oga trained at san francisco ballet school on a full scholarship and was named a san francisco ballet company apprentice before joining cincinnati ballet for the 2016 - 2017 season . she was promoted to soloist in september 2016 and principal for the 2017 - 2018 season .
étoile founding member kay geiger , president of pnc bank for greater cincinnati and northern kentucky .
yeatmans cove park , on the ohio river , cincinnati , ohio , u . s .
began her ballet training at omaha theater ballet school of dance . she spent summers training with the renowned pacific northwest ballet and ballet austin . she also trained in banff , canada . ms . goodwillie appeared in numerous omaha theater ballet productions as both a student and apprentice , including
anders southerland is from seattle , washington . his ballet training began as the result of a public school outreach class and was recruited into the prestigious school at pacific northwest ballet . prior to joining ballet vero beach he was a member of houston ballet ii and milwaukee ballet ii .
39 . cincinnati ballet ' s costumes are stored in a series of cavern - like storage areas in the basement of the cincinnati ballet center at 1555 central parkway . built by windisch - muhlhauser brewing co . , the rooms were later home to the lion brewery and the burger brewing co .
corp de ballet dancer jake casey choreographed his new work , “recursus” on the cincinnati ballet second company for the 2015 inaugural choreography workshop . the piece has been accepted into the reverb dance festival taking place november 6 - 8 at the baruch performing arts center in new york city . casey , along with cincinnati ballet dancers taylor carrasco , james [ … ]
rich with history , cincinnati ballet continues to thrill audiences with unparalleled performances . the company is a major part of cincinnati ' s growing metropolis . from excellence on stage to outreach in local schools and community , the cincinnati ballet takes pride in the fact that it is an integral part of the culture of the city . classical , modern and children ' s productions run september through april .
35 . during each run of
frisch ' s presents the nutcracker ,
cincinnati ballet uses approximately 100 pounds of
snow
per show .
she was surprised that although ballet west is larger ( total of 40 dancers to cincinnati ' s 34 ) her local group proved to be stronger .
carter , alfred george washington . t he old court house : reminiscences and anecdotes of the courts and bar of cincinnati . cincinnati , oh : p . g . thomson , 1880 .
believe it or not , cincinnati ballet is a 501 ( 3 ) c registered non - profit organization . we rely heavily on our loving patrons to support our mission every season . there are many ways to donate to cincinnati ballet both as an individual or on the corporate level . all donations to cincinnati ballet are tax deductible . contact director of development sara pomeroy for more information at 513 - 562 - 1112 or spomeroy @ urltoken or donate online .
an october 1997 cincinnati magazine article introducing morgan to the city carried a headline that summed up the uncertainty : “with the arrival of a new artistic director at the cincinnati ballet , there’s just one question in everyone’s mind . will she stay ? ”
the taft theatre itself has long been the home of a wide array of acts , including vaudeville performances and theatrical tours—in fact , the taft housed broadway in cincinnati before the organization moved to the aronoff . today the taft continues to be a versatile home for cincinnati children’s theatre , contemporary rock bands and comedy acts , and—soon ! —the cincinnati symphony , cincinnati pops and may festival .
it’s about the same time , says morgan , that she really fell in love with cincinnati .
cincinnati ballet is proud to offer accessible seating in all performance venues . please indicate your requirements when purchasing tickets , and we will gladly accommodate your needs .
cincinnati ballet will perform lady of the camellias 8 p . m . saturday and 2 and 8 p . m . sunday . more info : urltoken .
kay began her training at the international ballet academy in her hometown of fort lauderdale . in 2012 , she became a member of the sarasota ballet , where she was promoted to the corps de ballet the following year . on july 1 , she married edward gonzalez , who is joining cincinnati ballet this season as a senior soloist .
romeo began his training with the central pennsylvania youth ballet , home of the vaunted carlisle project , which seeks to develop new generations of ballet choreographers . later , he moved on to the school of american ballet and boston ballet , where he was promoted to the corps de ballet in 2014 .
29 . before victoria morgan became artistic director of cincinnati ballet in 1997 , she briefly worked in commercial real estate in san francisco . before that , of course , she had a distinguished career as a principal dancer with ballet west and the san francisco ballet and a decade as resident choreographer and ballet mistress of the san francisco opera .
nora carr is a native of burnt hills , new york . she holds a b . f . a in dance from the university of cincinnati college - conservatory of music . nora attended summer programs at american ballet theater , central pennsylvania youth ballet , and miami city ballet .
cincy ballet ' s victoria morgan : the woman who changed everything you could forgive people if they were skeptical when victoria morgan was named artistic director of cincinnati ballet in february 1997 . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
also new to the company is apprentice jake casey ( ballet idaho ) , joining samantha nagy - chow , daniel powers and khris santos , who were promoted to apprentice from cbii , cincinnati ballet ' s second company .
i really love the sensuality of his movement ,
says cincinnati ballet artistic director victoria morgan .
it ' s very organic and aggressive—an interesting combination .
born , raised and trained in cuba , gonzalez defected from the national ballet of cuba during a 2013 tour of the united states . it’s a story much like the one that brought principal dancer cervilio miguel amador to the cincinnati ballet 10 years earlier . since his arrival in the u . s . , gonzalez has danced with the sarasota ballet in florida . he is married to dancer abbey kay , who joins cincinnati ballet as an apprentice .
cincinnati ballet’s étoile group continues to bring together our very own superstar women from throughout cincinnati to connect , network , celebrate , and support each other via exclusive events and behind - the - scenes interactions with today’s outstanding female choreographers , dancers , and community leaders .
the cincinnati ballet second company is a group of talented , pre - professional dancers who come from around the world to study at cincinnati ballet and perform alongside cincinnati ballet’s company dancers . second company dancers can be found in the studio from 9 : 00 am to 6 : 00 pm every weekday , rehearsing and dancing with the company dancers , and in schools , community centers , churches , nursing homes and more , sharing the joy of dance throughout our region . with a focus on engaging audiences of all ages , second company dancers reach over 20 , 000 students and community members annually and serve as the education outreach ambassadors for cincinnati ballet .
from modest beginnings , cincinnati came to be known as the
queen city of the west . ”
philip glass , who served as one of the cincinnati symphony orchestra ' s creative directors last season .
is an ohio native and former member of rochester city ballet . she received her ballet training from columbus city ballet school and university of cincinnati conservatory of music . she attended summer intensives with american ballet theatre in new york city , trained on merit scholarship at orlando ballet school in florida , and participated in youth american grand prix , competing twice in its new york city finals . she has performed balanchine works including
one is that grubbs and hairston haven’t quite left the stage yet . they will give a series of farewell performances as part of cincinnati ballet’s “director’s cut” series , sept . 16 - 17 . they will perform selections from “raymonda , ” with level 7 students from the company’s otto m . budig academy , with a few members of cincinnati ballet’s second company taking the corps de ballet roles .
the kaplan new works series has become a cincinnati institution , bringing innovation and world premiere pieces to audiences for over a decade . hear from artistic director victoria morgan on the genesis and impact of new works on the community as well as the cincinnati ballet dancers themselves .
given my total obsession , one could probably guess that i would donate the money to cincinnati ballet . i would do that because they deserve it and need it !
students should bring their own yoga mat . if they don’t own one , cincinnati ballet has several available for use . students should also bring their own water bottle .
happy 4th of july from your friends at cincinnati ballet ! wishing you a wonderful , safe and fun - filled holiday . melissa gelfin ; photography : peter mueller urltoken
we strive to make tickets convenient and affordable . tickets may be purchased at cincinnati ballet box office at 1555 central parkway , over the phone at 513 - 621 - 5282 or online at urltoken or my . urltoken . cincinnati ballet is not responsible for the price or authenticity of tickets purchased through unauthorized venues , scalpers or websites .
the ballet’s drama is gloriously pushed along with a romantic score by frédéric chopin . music director carmon deleone conducts the cincinnati symphony orchestra , a pianist and two vocalists .
training & experience : b . f . a . in ballet from the university of oklahoma , summa cum laude ; ballet nouveau colorado ; summer programs at kansas city ballet , burklyn ballet theatre , boulder jazz dance workshop , and paul taylor dance company
“cincinnati ballet is creating some of the most delightfully inventive and exciting work among dance companies , ” says lpk’s senior creative director , alan kaster . “lpk is thrilled to have partnered with the ballet to give them a brand mark and design assets that reflect that spirit . ” cincinnati ballet will continue to roll out the new look in the weeks leading up to the season’s opening on september 14 .
on sunday , march 20 , members of cincinnati ballet ii will perform a one - hour program called “ballet toybox . ” it is a fully produced stage performance intended for children 3 - 12 . all tickets are $ 20 .
in this exclusive documentary , wcpo arts and entertainment reporter matt peiken brings you inside this rarified world and follows the six cincinnati ballet second company dancers through the 2013 - 14 season as they chase their first jobs in professional ballet .
wyatt payne is from wichita , kansas . he holds a b . f . a in ballet performance from friends university . he attended summer programs at oklahoma city ballet and next generation ballet .
began her training in classical ballet at corvallis academy of ballet in corvallis , oregon . she trained during summers with atlanta ballet , american ballet theatre , and ballet west . she is a graduate of the university of utah where she received her b . f . a . in ballet performance . during her time in salt lake city , she performed as a 3 - year member of the university’s resident company , utah ballet , where she danced in
svetlana zakharova and denis rodkin in bolshoi ballet ' s
swan lake .
photo by damir yusupov , courtesy bolshoi ballet .
denver – colorado ballet promoted one of its corps de ballet dancers to soloist dancer , added a new principal and four new corps de ballet members for a total of 30 professional company dancers .
the kaplan new works series is cincinnati ballet’s annual contribution to the world of dance . this season - opening production consistently brings audacious new artistic movement to the studio stage .
grubbs has danced lead roles in classical and contemporary works during his time with the cincinnati ballet including “mozart’s requiem , ” “romeo and juliet” and “in the upper room . ”
this weekend cincinnati ballet ' s corps will be called on more than usual , featuring importantly in three works , including george balanchine ' s challenging
concerto barocco .
four of the five cuban ballet dancers who defected in october during a 20 - city tour of the united states are headed to jobs in cincinnati this summer and fall .
six new dancers join cincinnati ballet’s second company this season , including daniel baldwin , jonathan carter , zoe donnenfield , yu ting huang , ethan kimbrell , and megumi nishimori .
whatever your taste in music , theater or art , there ' s something for everyone in cincinnati usa .
19 . other former company members have gone on to careers as funeral directors , cake makers , country singers , attorneys and , in one case , a manufacturer of ballet shoes . after he left cincinnati ballet , fu xijun founded kentucky ballet theatre in lexington and , in 1996 , launched fuzi shoes , a small but influential supplier of ballet shoes headquartered near seattle .
rachel smith was born in plymouth , massachusetts . she was trained at the boston ballet school and attended the graduate program at pittsburgh ballet theatre . she previously danced as a trainee at nashville ballet .
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36 . cincinnati civic ballet ' s first ballet master , joseph levinoff , instituted a system of fines for the dancers . no hairnet , 10 cents . no headband , 10 cents . and tardiness ? you guess it – 10 cents .
now more than ever , ballet companies are searching for creative ways to build revenue . one tactic has stood out : patrons choosing to donate via the sponsorship of a particular dancer . often implemented by large troupes like american ballet theatre ( all of its principals and most soloists have sponsors ) , the trend has now reached smaller companies such as cincinnati ballet and carolina ballet .
originally from lewisberry , pa , heather thomas began dancing with pennsylvania regional ballet before moving to toronto and graduating from canada ' s national ballet school . she has also trained and worked with the joffrey academy of dance in chicago , cincinnati ballet , and balletmet columbus . some of her favourite performances with alberta ballet include ben stevenson ' s dracula and jiří kylián ' s forgotten land . this is heather ' s fifth season with alberta ballet .
the problem , she recognizes today , is that she didn’t really know who she was as an artistic director . or what kind of company cincinnati ballet could or should be .
critically acclaimed and warmly welcomed by audiences during their last collaborative effort in 2011 entitled infamous love songs , cincinnati ballet & over the rhine live promises to captivate audiences yet again .
10 cincinnati ballet dancers who left . . . and what they’re up to you won ' t be seeing these faces around this year . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
besides the classes at its own cincinnati ballet otto m . budig academy , the company has its first steps residency program . every fall , academy teachers provide six - week workshops for third - graders in 15 - 20 cincinnati schools , many of them regarded as at - risk students .
© 2018 cincinnati usa regional tourism network  50 e . rivercenter blvd . suite 1100  covington , ky 41011
e tailored to young children ( 3 - 11 ) . it was our 3 year old ' s first cincinnati
skyline view of cincinnati , ohio . greene line wharf lies at the foot of sycamore street at the mouth of the licking river in cincinnati , ohio . this photograph was taken from the kentucky side of the ohio river .
sometimes we overlook what she has done . the fact that she kept the company afloat – during the great recession – with live music , no less – is something we take for granted here in cincinnati . but since 2000 , the united states has seen a raft of substantial ballet companies disappear . cleveland ballet folded in 2000 , followed by indianapolis’ ballet internationale ( 2005 ) , ohio ballet ( 2006 ) and ballet pacifica ( 2007 ) . the much - lauded cedar lake contemporary ballet folded last year . and just a few months ago , ballet san jose – renamed silicon valley ballet – went belly up . there are plenty of others , as well .
8 . cincinnati ballet ' s version of
the nutcracker
is now called
frisch ' s presents the nutcracker ,
because from the very first performance in 1974 , cincinnati - based frisch ' s restaurants inc . has been the ballet ' s primary sponsor . it is one of the longest - lasting examples of corporate sponsorship in american arts history .
victoria morgan , artistic director and ceo of cincinnati ballet , works with dancers during a dress rehearsal for her new production of “frisch’s presents the nutcracker , ” which premiered in 2011 .
cincinnati ballet is looking for talented young performers to be a part of our production of king arthur’s camelot . open auditions for boys will be held sunday , november 13 , 2016 .
“it’s like being on a tightrope , ” says victoria morgan , cincinnati ballet’s artistic director and ceo . “i always wonder what last - minute surprises will be waiting for me . ”
our goal is to connect people with the best local experts . we scored ballet teachers on more than 25 variables across five categories , and analysed the results to give you a hand - picked list of the best ballet teachers in cincinnati , oh .
kathleen dahlhoff , who joins cincinnati ballet as a new dancer . here she is seen rehearsing “spinae , ” choreographed by myles thatcher . dahlhoff and wei wang , behind her , performed the work as part of the ballet asteras gala in tokyo in 2012 .
in the fall of 2017 , the cincinnati symphony , cincinnati pops , cincinnati opera , cincinnati ballet and may festival will all return to the newly renovated music hall . patrons will be able to stand in that gorgeous grand foyer on that historic red slate floor and see the beautiful , original detail of the ceiling ' s plaster rosettes . springer auditorium will look better than ever ; the painted fresco and chandelier will remain prominently in the center of the coffered ceiling , and all of that room ' s exquisite architectural detail will remain .
the program offers paid positions for students to train alongside dancers , the next step up in the company hierarchy . before becoming apprentices , beaton , who is from austin , texas , and saffron , who is from morgantown , w . va . , had been trainees with the richmond ballet while smith , who is from cincinnati , was a trainee with the cincinnati ballet .
began her training at ballet arts in tucson , arizona under the direction of mary - beth cabana . she spent summers training on full scholarship at pacific northwest ballet , houston ballet , and ballet tucson . as a marshall thurber scholarship recipient at burklyn ballet theater , amaris performed in edinburgh , scotland at fringe festival where she performed a featured role in robert royce’s
artisan cheese shop with the goal of introducing cincinnati to cheese that is produced here while supporting local farmers and cheesemakers .
music : franz schubert’s symphony no . 2 in b flat , d . 125 , performed by the cincinnati symphony orchestra
cincinnati magazine is the definitive guide to living well in greater cincinnati , connecting sophisticated , educated readers with the region’s most interesting people , cultural issues , food , arts , fashion , and history via print , digital , and events .
in 1989 , she was given a key to the city of cincinnati , and a bicentennial plaque was placed at the site of her first ballet studio . one of the first to teach ballet to football players , she was featured in sports illustrated in 1977 .
taryn nowels is in her fifth season with alberta ballet . she is from huntington beach , ca , where she attended orange county dance center from the age of three . she furthered her training through courses at san francisco ballet , american ballet theatre , and the school of american ballet . prior to joining alberta ballet , taryn was part of the professional trainee division at ballet west under full scholarship , and was an apprentice with oregon ballet theatre . taryn has performed in numerous productions with alberta ballet , including one of the leading roles in jean grand - maître’s balletlujah ! .
seeing the world ' s greatest ballet companies and comparing their styles and personalities is a ballet lover ' s dream . on october 4 , fans will have the chance to do just that as five companies participate in the third annual 23 - hour live - streaming event known as world ballet day live . the royal ballet , the australian ballet , san francisco ballet , bolshoi ballet and national ballet of canada will throw open their doors for four hours each of classes , rehearsals , interviews and backstage preparations on worldballetday . com . each host company will also show a prerecorded video package of two or three other ballet companies roughly in their time zone .
ramos was born in camagüey , cuba and trained at the national ballet school , dancing with jeune ballet de france and ballet de l ' opéra national de paris after winning the gold medal at the paris international ballet competition in 1998 . he joined english national ballet as a soloist in 1999 and was promoted to senior soloist in 2000 , then principal dancer in 2003 . he danced with enb until 2008 when he joined the australian ballet as a principal artist , where he remained until april 2013 . he danced at the xviii international ballet festival in miami in september 2013 , spent several months guesting with companies in europe and the usa and joined the cincinnati ballet as principal dancer in july 2014 . he joins colorado ballet for the 2015 - 2016 season as a principal dancer .
performances in the ball park will include african drumming from bi - okoto , dance by the cincinnati ballet cbii company , “casey at the bat” and “who’s on first ? ” by cincinnati shakespeare company , songs from the musical “footloose ! ” by cincinnati young people’s theater , and singer / songwriter tracy walker . cincinnati art museum and visionaries and voices will provide hands - on arts activities and games , and pones , inc . will teach a fun dance routine . southern gateway chorus will sing “take me out to the ballgame” at the seventh inning stretch .
by staying in cincinnati , morgan has reigned over a period that has seen its share of tumult and triumphs , crises and conquests . but as she begins her 20th season as cincinnati ballet’s leader – the season opens sept . 16 – she can look to a list of accomplishments that would make any business leader proud . she has grown cincinnati ballet into one of the nation’s most stable ballet companies . it is operating in the black . there is no deficit . and its endowment , while a modest $ 11 million , has more than tripled in the past three years .
jay goodlett , former cincinnati ballet senior soloist , was not the first african - american dancer with the company . but in the course of the 17 years he danced with cincinnati ballet - he retired in 2008 - he achieved a level of popularity that few dancers can ever dream of . he’s seen here in septime webre’s “peter pan , ” performed during the 2004 - 2005 season .
also of note were two groundbreaking collaborations between cincinnati ballet and balletmet columbus . together , to great acclaim , the companies presented balanchine’s jewels ( 2003 ) and stars and stripes ( 2006 ) .
caniparoli was in cincinnati in late september to watch the ballet’s new works program and some company classes . he said there are 10 principal characters that need to be strong to tell the story .
and plan they did . hairston taught regularly at the budig academy and at oliver arana’s northern cincinnati youth ballet studio in mason . grubbs , too , had been teaching in the budig academy .
six new dancers are coming in as artists of the company : daniel durett and michael ryan also hail from houston ballet and chrystyn fentroy is leaving dance theatre of harlem after five years with the company . jessica burrows is an alumna of both national ballet of canada and hong kong ballet , patric palkens is coming from cincinnati ballet and haley schwan previously danced for staatsballett berlin , twyla tharp and emery lecrone dance .
for many up - and - coming black dancers , big - city options like lines ballet ( san francisco ) or the newly resurrected dance theatre of harlem have more appeal than dancing in a medium - sized midwestern company like cincinnati ballet or balletmet columbus or louisville .
typically , dancers in professional ballet companies are offered one - year contracts . so the potential for change is always there . two of the 10 dancers leaving cincinnati ballet were not offered contracts to return this season . but the eight others left of their own volition .
the highlight of our 50th season comes in february when we bring you a major , world premiere ballet based on the legendary tale of king arthur’s camelot . the brand - new work includes costumes by sandra woodall , one of the dance world’s most sought - after designers , an original musical composition by john estacio and sets by joe tilford , familiar to cincinnati audiences through his long - time relationship with cincinnati playhouse in the park . complete with magic , projections , puppets , jousting and all things camelot , this will be cincinnati ballet’s biggest full - length ballet adventure in decades .
see boston ballet in obsidian tear , november 3–12 . tickets go on sale sept . 5 . for more information , visit the boston ballet webpage .
- the guts of a ballet company . they get little press and few starring roles , but a ballet company couldn ' t exist without them .
new principal dancer aaron robison has most recently been a principal dancer with houston ballet . new soloist angelo greco has been dancing with la scala ballet .
victoria morgan , artistic director and ceo , cincinnati ballet , teaches a class to dancers during the season ' s first rehearsal held at the kaplan studio in over - the - rhine in 2013 .
cincinnati ballet in come together festival :
blue until june
( trey mcintire ) ;
concerto barocco
( george balanchine ) ;
graceland
( jay goodlett and victoria morgan ) .
after 14 years with cincinnati ballet , grubbs – a senior soloist – is retiring . his longtime onstage partner , principal dancer sarah hairston , is retiring as well . she arrived a year before .


greyston bakery was founded in riverdale , new york , by bernie glassman , a zen buddhist .

although it is a for-profit company , its profits go to its non-profit parent organization , the greyston foundation , where they are used on behalf of the local community .

greyston bakery

greyston bakery products are available in our northeast , north atlantic , mid atlantic , southwest , rocky mountain and southern pacific regions . ask about them in the bakery department .
for more than 30 years , greyston bakery in yonkers , new york has been baking sweet treats to sell around the country .
have you ever tried greyston bakery brownies ? what’s your favorite product that gives back ? let me know in the comments below .
greyston bakery is based on a triple bottom line with the dual objectives of job creation & personal development for local residents , financial support for the greyston foundation , and mitigation of environmental impact .
i just watched about this wonderful bakery on the today show . you guys are wonderful !
not only has greyston bakery given the foundation the financial capability to run its programs , but the bakery itself is doing its part to further the social mission of the foundation . for over 30 years , greyston has proudly maintained an open - door hiring policy , offering employment opportunities regardless of education , work history , or past incarceration , homelessness or drug use .
greyston bakery is part of the greyston foundation . located in yonkers , new york , the greyston foundation is an integrated network of programs providing jobs , workforce development , low - income housing , supportive services , child care , after - school programs , tenant services and community gardens for individuals and their families to move forward on their path to self - sufficiency .
learn more at their website , www . greyston . org , and order some brownies . you will be glad you did ! greyston posted this video on youtube explaining their story well :
greyston bakery is run by the zen community of new york , an interreligious buddhist association based in riverdale . it exists so that the community members can merge physical labor and meditation while earning their living .
but out - of - this - world treats are only part of what makes this bakery so special .
a storied social enterprise , greyston bakery has been baking gourmet brownies , cookies , and good will just north of new york city since 1982 . the $ 10 million for - profit bakery is most famous for its long - standing status as ben & jerry ' s brownie supplier and for having an open - hiring policy that provides the people of yonkers , ny with employment opportunity regardless of work history . committed to a triple bottom line , greyston bakery continues to be a pioneer in the world of social enterprise .
mr . barragato , a one - time quaker who will be ordained a monk later this year , said the bakery was now testing donut recipes . the zen community rents the bakery , but hopes to buy it and open a retail shop in the front of the building , said sensei glassman . the bakery ' s products are also sold at the greyston cafe , a small shop run by the community on mosholu avenue in riverdale .
sensei glassman also hopes that the bakery can be a way to relate to the yonkers neighborhood . greyston provides bread and rolls to area agencies that help feed the poor , and if a shop can be opened near the bakery the buddhists may learn how to cook breads for the hispanic community in the area , the abbot said .
anyone that comes to the bakery is given the chance to work , no questions asked ; they become a part of the apprenticeship program and are given foundation support to ensure the greatest chance for success in their new job . in 2012 , greyston bakery provided employment opportunities and training to 181 residents within the yonkers community . watch this video for the story of one greyston employee ( fair warning : you may get tears in your cookies ) .
linking the night ' s work to prayer and meditation may not change the chemistry of the recipes , but something about the process at the greyston bakery creates products good enough to be sold at gourmet restaurants and health food stores in the metropolitan area . greyston bakery can barely make enough each night to supply its list of nearly 100 regular customers , said stefano barragato , general manager of the bakery . greyston ' s muffins , scones , potato bread rolls , poppyseed cakes , linzer tarts and macaroons are shipped to bloomingdale ' s , neiman marcus , the guggenheim museum , the montauk inn , restaurants in the world trade center , dean & deluca ' s and several area hotels .
whole foods market first partnered with greyston bakery in 2012 with the launch of single - serve whole planet brownies ( pro - tip : try the brown sugar blondie flavor ) . in addition to supporting job creation at the bakery , 2 % of brownie sales go to whole planet foundation ® , which seeks to alleviate poverty through microcredit loans in 57 countries . the brownies can be found in most of our stores across the us – ask at your local whole foods market bakery .
the wonderfully fudgy brownies that we use in our ice cream come from new york’s greyston bakery , where producing scrumptious baked goods is part of their greater mission to provide jobs and training to low - income residents of yonkers , new york .
they have a favorite saying at greyston bakery : “we don’t hire people to bake brownies , we bake brownies to hire people . ” like ben & jerry’s , founder bernie glassman believes that business success and social progress go hand in hand .
this year , greyston bakery is celebrating its 30th anniversary , and received a fantastic present from new york state : the ability to enroll as a benefit corporation . on february 10 , 2012 , greyston bakery became the first social enterprise to register as a benefit corporation in the state of new york . new york joins six other pioneering states that have passed benefit corporation legislation , which allows companies to demonstrate higher standards of corporate purpose , accountability and transparency through this new corporate designation .
this year , greyston bakery created a new line of greyston cookie thins , launching nationwide in june ! because greyston is currently in process of receiving a whole foods market local producer loan , i got a sneak peek and let me tell you – these cookies are delicious . thin , crispy and packed with flavor . they’re launching three flavors – chocolate fudge brownie crisp , brown sugar blondie crisp and chocolate mint brownie crisp , and 1 % of profits will go to the whole planet foundation .
a certified b corp , and new york state’s first benefit corporation , greyston has become a role model for companies looking to do more for their communities . profits from the bakery help support its parent organization , the non - profit greyston foundation , which provides child care , housing , health care , job training , a computer learning center , and more for low - income people in the community of yonkers .
working at greyston bakery means that you’re part of a family . that same spirit is reflected in greyston’s approach to the community . ceo mike brady says , that “the brownie in chocolate fudge brownie has allowed 2 , 000 people to find work that may have otherwise never gotten a job . and those 2 , 000 people over time have put $ 15 million back into the struggling economy of southwest yonkers . ”
ken sailor , a soft - spoken member of the community who is now chief baker in the yonkers establishment , was one of those who spent about 20 hours a day learning from the zen bakery in san francisco . it takes about 30 people to run the yonkers bakery , he said .
greyston employees regularly volunteer in the community , including a record 420 hours in 2014 . they host clean - up and beautification days , plant garden plots , and more . in 2013 , greyston even opened a new housing development with 92 energy - efficient apartments for local working families .
a lead operator in the packing room , lisa marie bryant loves that greyston offers advancement for women and wants to become a supervisor one day .
in october i had the tremendous honor of meeting microcredit clients while traveling to peru as a whole foods market team member volunteer . it is impossible to put in to words the genuine gratitude and pride i witnessed and seeing the impact these loans funded by whole planet foundation support will have on future generations . i have a comparable feeling after reading about greyston’s bakers on a mission . next time you are in your local whole foods market bakery department and hunting for the perfect brownie , choose one from greyston bakery and you’ll be happy to know the life - changing impact it will have on others , worldwide .
founded in 1982 by a zen buddhist , greyston bakery has evolved their idea of open - hiring to a larger foundation that supports affordable housing , hiv / aids health services , community gardens and a child care center , among many other services . could this company get any better ? oh yes , they can !
my favorite sweet treat . thank you for all that you guys do , and continue to dish out great bakery . you now have a fan for life ! : )
founded in 1982 as a social enterprise by aeronautical - engineer - turned - buddhist - monk bernie glassman , greyston bakery is as committed to providing jobs and job training for individuals who face barriers to employment as it is to crafting award - winning gourmet baked goods . ben cohen and bernie glassman met back in 1987 and , a year later , greyston began providing ben & jerry’s with delicious brownies for some of our most popular flavors . it’s like it was meant to be !
greyston bakery is a leading model for social enterprise building a coalition with employees , community and shareholders . we properly compensate our employees : fair / living wage , health benefits , and direct participation in the profitability of the company . we train , promote from within , and mentor our employees , who we source from the local community .
shaniqua anderson went to jail for two years and never finished high school . thanks to greyston , she has a job and was able to earn her ged .
probably best known for its bakery - - which produces the brownies in the famous ben and jerry ' s ice cream flavors chocolate fudge brownie , dave matthews ' magic brownies , half - baked , and neapolitan dynamite - - the greyston foundation is actually so much more . in fact , it is recognized as a pioneer in social enterprise .
i recently had the honor of hearing the president and ceo of greyston bakery , mike brady , speak at whole foods market ® ’s global support offices . i walked away from his talk not only inspired by a company creating a better tomorrow , but also moved by their mission . i was so enthused that i had to share their story .
the bakery was opened last december in an effort to provide a steady income for the 35 monks and students living at greyston seminary , but its chief religious purpose is to teach ' ' meditationin - action , ' ' or what sensei bernard glassman , abbot of the community , often refers to as the ' ' work - practice ' ' of zen buddhism .
do you ever bite in to a brownie and wonder what makes it so delicious ? perhaps it’s the cage - free eggs ? possibly it’s the perfect chocolate chip crunch ? maybe it’s made with love : real , genuine , wanna - hug - your - grandma love ? i found the secret ingredient to greyston bakery’s desserts…they’re delightful because they’re baked with a fresh start .
they have had a partnership with ben & jerry’s for over 25 years and produce treats for whole foods markets nationwide . a percentage of profits from the bakery’s cookies go to the whole planet foundation .
there is an initial training period for new employees at greyston , and like many companies hiring unskilled labor , there is high initial turnover . however , the average tenure of those that make it through the training period is about three years . greyston considers it a success when an employee moves on to a new job , using the skills they have learned in the process of working at the foundation . greyston defines their mission well in their tagline :
we don ' t hire people to bake brownies ; we bake brownies to hire people .
lamont dandridge was out of work for six years . he’s only been at greyston for a short while , but it’s changed his life . “i’m not letting this opportunity go , ” he says .
but again , the bakery is just a part of the bigger picture . the reach of this mission is a model of social enterprise for other entrepreneurs wishing to explore the possibilities of starting or growing a business to empower not just themselves , but the community around them . greyston foundation is now a $ 15 , 000 , 000 integrated network of for - profit and not - for - profit entities , providing jobs , workforce development , low - income housing , supportive services , childcare , after - school programs , comprehensive hiv health care , tenant services , community gardens and - - oh yeah - - that gourmet bakery business .
they say that timing is everything . greyston learned this lesson recently when qvc showcased greyston brownies on television . the spot was originally scheduled to air in december but was pushed into january . as a result , sales were less than expected because people were thinking more about gym memberships and diets than chocolate indulgence . apparently , the qvc phone lines were busy filling orders for
some grapefruit guy .
sensei glassman says that , though they spend hours in meditation , he and his students seek to be active in the world around them . so , on several levels , the bakery is a blend of the philosophical and practical . the abbot likes to compare the bakery to the work of the ancient monasteries , both buddhist and christian , even though those houses of prayer and meditation didn ' t use an apple computer to keep track of their products or customers .
undoubtedly , greyston gives back to their local community but last year they decided to go worldwide by teaming up with whole planet foundation . since their brownie in support of whole planet foundation launched last may , greyston has donated over $ 6 , 500 to help alleviate poverty through microcredit loans . during the recent five - week whole planet foundation prosperity campaign , they raised $ 4 , 500 for microcredit loans , supplying a loan every 3 days !
it took more than a year to plan the bakery , the abbot said . ' ' we had to look for the kind of livelihood that seemed right for us , ' ' said sensei glassman . ' ' it has to have a moral character , provide training for our community in work and meditation as well as support us economically . ' ' a zen community in san francisco had a successful bakery , so sensei glassman sent three monks to california to learn baking and study successful recipes .
in a community like yonkers , where 18 . 5 % of residents live below the poverty line ( compared to 14 . 5 % nationally ) and the unemployment rate is 11 % ( compared to 7 . 5 % nationally ) , the greyston foundation provides a holistic solution to help break the generational cycle of poverty . they operate a profitable business baking delicious brownies and cookies for customers across the world , and all profits go back into greyston foundation programs !
sec members learned many lessons about the challenges faced by a company balancing a strong social mission with strict profit goals . trip participants agreed that the greyston bakery has many of the fundamental ingredients for a successful social enterprise . to show our enthusiastic support for its mission , many of us purchased armfuls of delights like the decadent triple chocolate mousse , carrot , and lotus in mud cakes before we left . if you would like to check them out , visit www . greystonbakery . com .
if you’ve ever enjoyed our chocolate fudge brownie or half - baked™ ice cream flavors , then you’ve already had a taste of greyston’s greatness . we first tried their incredible brownies back in the late 1980s , and we’ve been ordering tons of them ever since .
he speaks with a quiet intensity about the bakery as a spiritual as well as an economic endeavor . ' ' we have to feel right about our ingredients , ' ' he said , as he watched dozens of eggs cracked and separated by hand for the night ' s baking . he worries about the quality of the chocolate used in the rich brownies and bittersweet queen of sheba cake . he ' s proud of the fact that the ovens at the bakery provide traditional , flat , low - roofed baking areas , but are gas - fired through a design that makes efficient use of heat .
mr . walls also shared with us one of his initial hurdles involving the bakery ' s first shipment to ben & jerry ' s . greyston was originally expected to deliver extra thin brownies for ben & jerry ' s new line of ice cream sandwiches . the shipment arrived , but the brownies completely stuck together , forming a massive 50 - pound block . trying to pull them apart resulted in lots of brownie bits . luckily , this potential operational nightmare had a happy ending . ben & jerry ' s simply mixed the brownie bits into chocolate ice cream and voilà ! - the serendipitous invention of chocolate fudge brownie ice cream .
one of the most unique components to greyston is their open - hiring policy that provides employees in yonkers , new york , with a job and a new beginning regardless of past experiences . this not only promotes economic development and positive changes for individuals and families in the community but it also is catalyst for other social enterprises .
through their groundbreaking open - door hiring policy , anyone who wants a job at greyston is given the chance to work , regardless of educational background , work history , or past social barriers , such as incarceration , homelessness , or drug use . there are no background checks and no prescreening of any kind—when a position becomes available , the next person on the waiting list gets it , no questions asked .
i spoke with steven brown , the ceo of greyston , who attributed the success of this organization to many things , including good luck and a willingness to take risks . but , more than anything , what stands out to me is their open hiring policy . this unusual but amazingly successful model of giving anyone who is willing to work a chance empowered greyston to help many people others would not .
the assumptions we make about people ( and the obstacles we put in front of people ) are not always necessary ,
says brown .
we are in an inner city community , and there are a lot of people who need work in many of our cities accross the country . the extent that we can create value and oppourtunity is the path out of distress for many of these communities . but it ' s not easy .
i asked steven brown about the effects of technology and automation on the business , and whether or not machines were taking or producing jobs .
one of the key things to remember about a social enterprise is you have to stay true to your mission , but you also have to be a sucessful business . we always try to invest in the bakery to make sure that it can meet the needs of its customers . we are a lot less labor intensive than when we started , yet we have more employees . we have to be able to grow and stay competitive .
i found this response reassuring , and a great indicator that technology can create more jobs , even in a case where automation takes over tasks previously done by hand .
community involvement includes in - kind and financial donations , employee volunteer days , or enduring partnerships that have the power to bring positive , measurable change to both your company and the communities in which you operate .
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register for a course or earn a certificate to build your skills in corporate citizenship . courses are taught by business experts and top faculty from the carroll school of management at boston college .
from in - depth case studies of leading company csr efforts to summaries of the latest news and regulations , we offer you the information necessary to help drive progress in your business and communities .
vanguard has developed a number of initiatives to achieve its objective of supporting and educating children , including the my classroom economy program .
a guide to help you address the environmental impacts in your operations and at your own events .
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paul daniels , a baker , spent 9 years in prison for dealing drugs , but now he enjoys being a role model in the community .
after being in and out of prison for years , darren patterson is a mixer now , and a union representative . “i feel like the man that i’m supposed to be , ” he says .
all of which is to say , there’s no need to feel guilty the next time you dig into a pint or two of chocolate fudge brownie . those delicious chunks do more than delight : they make a real difference in the lives of thousands of people .
from a renovated gas station in burlington , vermont , to far - off places with names we sometimes mispronounce , the journey that began in 1978 with 2 guys and the ice cream business they built is as legendary as the ice cream is euphoric .
our 30 - minute guided ice cream factory tour is fun and educational for all ages . we offer guests the opportunity to learn about our ice cream manufacturing process and explain how we incorporate values - led decisions that drive our business .
we became a b corp to engage in the discussion about values - led business and to formally join the movement for a new way of doing business .
the environment section of the assessment evaluates a company ' s environmental performance through its facilities ; materials , resource , and energy use ; and emissions . where applicable , it also considers a company ' s transportation / distribution channels and environmental impact of its supply chain . this section also measures whether a company ' s products or services are designed to solve an environmental issue , including products that aid in the provision of renewable energy , conserve resources , reduce waste , promote land / wildlife conservation , prevent toxic / hazardous substance or pollution , or educate , measure , or consult to solve environmental problems .
the worker section of the survey assesses the company ' s relationship with its workforce . this section measures how the company treats its workers through compensation , benefits , training , and ownership opportunities provided to workers . it also focuses on the overall work environment within the company through management / worker communication , job flexibility and corporate culture , and worker health and safety practices .
the customers section of the assessment measures the impact a company has on its customers . the section focuses on whether a company sells products or services that promote public benefit , and if those products / services are targeted towards serving underserved populations . questions in this section will measure whether a company ' s product or service is designed to solve a social or environmental issue ( e . g . improves health , preserves environment or creates economic opportunity to individuals or communities , promotes the arts / sciences , or increases the flow of capital to purpose - driven enterprises ) .
the community section of the survey assesses a company ' s impact on its community . the community section evaluates a company ' s supplier relations , diversity , and involvement in the local community . the section also measures the company ' s practices and policies around community service and charitable giving . in addition , this section includes if a company ' s product or service is designed to solve a social issue , including access to basic services , health , education , economic opportunity , arts , and increasing the flow of capital to purpose - driven enterprises .
the governance section of the assessment evaluates a company ' s accountability and transparency . the section focuses on the company ' s mission , stakeholder engagement , and overall transparency of the company ' s practices and policies .
employees : open hiring policy creates opportunity for workers with barriers to employment ; > 5 % profits shared with employees ; > 80 % health insurance premiums paid for employees ; 6 + weeks maternity leave .
b lab is a non - profit organization dedicated to using the power of business as a force for good . learn more >
we hope to inspire thousands of business leaders to adopt our model and potentially get millions of people jobs that otherwise wouldn’t be able to work .
it has apple pay and it’s so easy to keep ordering these yummy brownies . might have to join a 12 step program to help me stop ordering .
i just had your brown sugar blondie for the first time and it may have been the best brownie i have ever had . it was then even better to find out how much you are giving back to the community and the
impact you are making . i cant wait to buy more to support what you are doing ( and to eat delicious brownies )
the brown sugar blondie is the best brownie i ' ve ever tasted . the story of this company and the help they provide to the community is incredible
i have been buying their blondie bars at whole foods for a few years now . they are out of this world ! i highly recommend them : - )
just listened to the president & ceo mike brady speak on this great company on wnyc . thank you for giving back to the community of yonkers with all that you do ! other organizati
have the best thin cookies i have ever tasted . . . it ' s nice to see the people on the box who are making them for me . . . i love the personal touch
fudge brownie
in their meals on the plane and i fell in love with them . while they are pricey to ship to my house i look forward to making my first purchase because
my mom sent me a box of these brownies for my birthday . when i saw that they were shipped in plastic packaging ,
i just watched a talk given by mike brady and dion drew . your company is doing great , great things . kudos to you . dion , you aren ' t the only crybaby - your tears of joy are contagious
will buy their product next time i am able . doing good for people can be good for the bottom line . they have proved it !
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brown says
really , we were a benefit corporation long before the term was coined . the biggest story here is that a lot of companies , we think , should adopt the goals and values of a b - corp model . you are not only in business to make a profit for your shareholders , but a much larger community that has a stake in what you are doing . this important for your business , but consumers react to it too . it is a growing movement .
this piece is part of my businesses with impact series . i ' m highlighting companies that fit within what i consider to be a scope of
significant social impact ,
meaning that they exhibit a high degree of operational awareness of corporate responsibility , social capital investments and philanthropy . while my research is not qualitative per se , i am confident about featuring companies doing inspiring things to change the world in real ways . if you have a suggestion for a company or individual to feature , please contact me .
first - person essays , features , interviews and q & as ; about life today .
students witness the principles of an innovative social enterprise in action . by linda chung ' 07 , bottom line .
as the world’s leading natural and organic grocer we’re all about healthy food and a healthy planet , and we ' ve got bunches of passionate people in our community doing incredible things . join in the conversation !
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i have a serious sweet tooth and pride myself on knowing almost every baked good within my local whole foods market® . and lucky me – the company i’m about to profile combines two things i dearly love – sweet treats and social missions !
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per 2 1 / 2 oz - calories : 330kcal | fat : 19 . 00g | carbs : 36 . 00g | protein : 4 . 00g
per 1 serving - calories : 300kcal | fat : 18 . 00g | carbs : 33 . 00g | protein : 4 . 00g
per 1 serving - calories : 310kcal | fat : 18 . 00g | carbs : 33 . 00g | protein : 4 . 00g
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' ' true meditation must be realized in all daily activities , no matter how complex , ' ' said sensei glassman , a former aerospace engineer who was installed last june as the first american abbot of the buddhist community . members of the community practice the intense form of silent meditation known as za - zen for several hours each day at their riverdale headquarters . ' ' but the physical as well as the spiritual side of life is important to zen , ' ' said the abbot . ' ' workpractice has always been considered better than mere meditation in silence . ' '
' ' in china , ' ' he said , ' ' buddhist monasteries often engaged in polishing rice , which refines it for cooking . medieval christian monks farmed or maintained vineyards as part of their spiritual discipline . ' '
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uniting zen meditation with the regimen of cookie - baking has not been easy , said the abbot , but his students are learning . ' ' zen is not a cloistered discipline , it is to be an active life , ' ' he said . ' ' we want our meditation to bring a sense of order to the daily chaos . ' '
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