Name: Paunika Jones
Age: 35
Neighborhood you live in: Washington Heights

 

Q: Where did you start your dance training? Tell me a bit more about your background in ballet.

Brooklyn Ballet loves broadening the work of the Company with new dancers with new strengths and experiences each season. We enjoy getting to know our newest recruits in rehearsals, and we thought you'd like an introduction to them, too.

Stay tuned for a series of introductions to our newest faces that will grace the stage this April!

April 3, 4, 5, 11 & 12 at 8pm
April 6 & 13 at 4pm
at The Actors Fund Arts Center

Name: Oshini Wanigasekera
Age: 26
Neighborhood: Woodside, NY

Q: Where did you start your dance training? 
A: School of Alberta Ballet in Canada

Last week we celebrated 10 years of working with students in Brooklyn's public schools. Elevate @ 10!, a fundraiser for Brooklyn Ballet's Scholarship Fund, included two special performances for excited parents, fans and dance aficionados. Thanks to all who attended for celebrating with us! We're so grateful to those who gave generously to our Elevate Scholarship Fund.

"When I'm dancing, I feel as if I can express myself without being judged. I can dance the way I'm feeling."
-Naazir Muhammad

"Lynn discovered us."
-Shaakir Muhammad

"I love ballet, because I love expressing how I feel. When I do dance movements, I feel like I can show how happy I am doing this."
-Amber Holland

"Everyone tells me how much I've grown, how much I've improved. When I go on to bigger and better things, I'm representing Brooklyn, and I'm proud to represent it."
-Bhajhan, former Elevate and Brooklyn Ballet student

Our Elevate All-Stars

Brooklyn Ballet welcomes back some of the dance world’s budding stars during a celebratory performance by young alum who came to ballet through Brooklyn Ballet's Elevate program for public schools.

Boys in Ballet: Naazir, Shaakir & John Michael

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