PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATES

March 17, 2020

To our Ballet Austin family,

In light of the federal, state, and city directives limiting community gatherings, our Ballet Austin team joins others across the country around the world in making tough decisions to ensure we do our part to make you and your family’s health and well-being our highest priority.

We miss seeing and spending time with you. For the time being, we serve you and our team most responsibly by using different points of connection.

Our mission is—and remains—to involve and strengthen the community through the creation and experience of dance and the encouragement of health and well-being.

Until we can be together again, we remain committed to fulfilling our mission in new ways. You will be hearing from us!

On behalf of our Ballet Austin board, artists, and support team, Stephen and I offer a quick update on Ballet Austin offerings affected by recent public health directives:

Our scheduled LIVE performances of THE AUSTIN MUSIC PROJECT (March 27-29) and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (May 8-10), have been canceled. Ticket replacement options, including access to a Mother’s Day weekend video streaming opportunity of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for audience members with tickets to that production, have been shared via email with patrons.
The Ballet Austin Academy and Young Children’s Division will resume live, in-person classes on at a date yet to be determined at both our downtown studios and the Shalom Austin/Jewish Community Center in northwest Austin. The Academy is providing virtual online classes for students. Contact registrar@balletaustin.org for additional information.
The Butler Center for Dance & Fitness and the Pilates Center are currently closed. We encourage you to sample the many on-demand (pre-recorded) and virtual live-streamed dance and fitness classes currently available. Visit the DANCE & FITNESS section of our website for information.

Facing these understandable, but unprecedented cancellations create serious and lasting hardships for everyone within our Ballet Austin community. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on the generosity of our community. We’re grateful for your continued patience and support during this challenging time, as we work to protect the health and safety of the many lives we touch.

Our Ballet Austin team remains hard at work (from remote locations) and is available to help you with any of the following:

Renew or purchase new 2020/21 season ticket packages;
Enroll your child in summer classes and camps;
Sign up for upcoming BCDF Workshops (once we return);
Accept your donations; and
Answer questions: info@balletaustin.org.

We hope you’ll consider a purchase or gift in support of our mission and our programs.

As we reach the other side of this extraordinary time, we look forward to seeing you back in our audience and in our studios at the Butler Dance Education Center. Until then, be well!

Warm regards,

COOKIE RUIZ, C.F.R.E
Executive Director

STEPHEN MILLS
Sarah & Ernest Family Fund Artistic Director

March 16, 2020

To Our Ballet Austin Family,

On Saturday, March 14, Austin Mayor Steve Adler issued an order prohibiting community gatherings of 250 people or more anywhere in Austin-Travis County through May 1, 2020. We regret that we inform you that in compliance with this order, and in keeping with state and federal guidelines, all performances of Ballet Austin’s THE AUSTIN MUSIC PROJECT at the Long Center (March 27-29) have been canceled. This cancellation also extends to our Night of Community event, scheduled for Thursday, March 26, at the Long Center.

It is impossible to face this understandable but unprecedented cancellation without creating serious and lasting hardships for everyone within our Ballet Austin community. We are grateful for your continued patience and support during this challenging time. It remains Ballet Austin’s priority to ensure the health and safety of all the lives we are given the opportunity to impact.

Here’s a quick update on Ballet Austin offerings affected by recent community changes:

THE AUSTIN MUSIC PROJECT ticket exchanges:

If you have tickets to THE AUSTIN MUSIC PROJECT, look for an email today (March 16) outlining ticket replacement options for your performance and contact our Audience Services team at boxoffice@balletaustin.org with any questions you have.

Butler Center for Dance & Fitness and Pilates Center:

Due to evolving federal, state, and city guidelines, we regret to inform you that the Butler Dance Education Center, home to the Butler Center for Dance & Fitness and the Pilates Center, will be closed until Monday, April 6 at 8 a.m. CT. Look for an email later this week from Vicki Parsons, the director of our adult dance, fitness, and Pilates programming, with additional information.

Ballet Austin Academy & Young Children’s Division:

The Austin Independent School District (AISD) has extended its 2020 spring break through April 5. Ballet Austin continues to follow AISD’s guidance; therefore, all Academy and Young Children’s Division classes scheduled to take place at our downtown studios and at the Jewish Community Center in northwest Austin will resume on Monday, April 6. If there are additional schedule changes or updates, we will contact you via email and through website updates.

Keeping you safe:

Our top priority is keeping you and your family safe and informed. We will be in touch with you shortly about the ways we will stay connected during this extraordinary time. Stay safe. Stay positive and know we’re thinking of you!

Warm regards,

COOKIE RUIZ, C.F.R.E.
Executive Director

STEPHEN MILLS
Sarah & Ernest Butler Family Fund Artistic Director

March 13, 2020

For Ballet Austin Academy Families:

As Ballet Austin’s mission includes our commitment to the health and well-being of our community, the health and safety of you and your family are of utmost importance to us while we continue to monitor the latest news and information from local government and health officials regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19).

At this time, Ballet Austin Academy will follow the guidance of the Austin Independent School District, beginning Spring Break today. All Academy classes, at both locations, scheduled for Friday-Sunday, March 13-15, will not be held. Spring Break is scheduled for March 16-22. If there are any additional schedule changes, you will be notified via email and updates will be posted on our website.

For Adult Dance, Fitness, and Pilates Clients:

At this time, dance, fitness, and Pilates classes offered through the Butler Center for Dance & Fitness are scheduled to proceed. Should something change in this regard, we will contact you immediately through our official website, balletaustin.org, via email, and through social media communications.

Keeping You Safe:

While flu and virus season is always a time during which Ballet Austin takes extra precautions, we are now redoubling those efforts to keep you and your family safe when you spend time with us. Our housekeeping staff is cleaning and sanitizing our facilities multiple times throughout every business day (seven days per week), including all hard surfaces in our studio spaces, common areas, and restrooms, with a special focus on doors, doorknobs, touch plates, countertops, and items that come into contact with multiple individuals.

Additionally, our studios are fully equipped with hand sanitizers, bleach wipes, and tissues, and we have instituted protocols with instructors and students to clean and sanitize their individual rehearsal and exercise spaces and equipment, including barres and mats, prior to and following each dance and fitness class.

We encourage you to continue following the steps as recommended for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control:

Stay home from school or work if you are not feeling well;
Avoid contact with individuals who are under the weather;
Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
Avoid touching any part of your face—especially your eyes, nose, and mouth—without having washed or sanitized your hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer; and
Cough or sneeze into your elbow, rather than your hands, and then be sure to follow good hygiene procedures, including washing your hands.

Again, keeping you safe and informed is our No. 1 priority. We look forward to spending time with you again soon. Please contact us at your convenience at i nfo@balletaustin.org with any questions you may have and stay healthy!

COOKIE RUIZ, C.F.R.E.
Executive Director

STEPHEN MILLS
Sarah & Ernest Butler Family Fund Artistic Director

March 2, 2020

To Our Ballet Austin Family,

At this time, all future performances and dance, fitness, and Pilates classes offered through the Ballet Austin Academy, the Young Children’s Division, and the Butler Center for Dance & Fitness are scheduled to proceed. Should something change in this regard, we will contact you immediately through our official website, balletaustin.org, via email, and through social media communications.

We encourage you to take the following steps as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control:

Stay home from school or work if you are not feeling well;
Avoid contact with individuals who are under the weather;
Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
Avoid touching any part of your face—especially your eyes, nose, and mouth— without having washed or sanitized your hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer; and
Cough or sneeze into your elbow, rather than your hands, and then be sure to follow good hygiene procedures, including washing your hands.

Again, keeping you safe and informed is our No. 1 priority. We look forward to spending time with you. Please contact us at your convenience at info@balletaustin.org with any questions you may have.

Warm regards,

COOKIE RUIZ, C.F.R.E.
Executive Director

STEPHEN MILLS
Sarah & Ernest Butler Family Fund Artistic Director