Cincinnati, OH—ballet tech cincinnati announced that its Board of Directors approved a five year lease to occupy 6543 Montgomery Road in Kennedy Heights. It received major sponsorship funding from the Stillson Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee, and added three new Board members.

ballet tech cincinnati will move into its new home, the former Mr. Kelley’s building in the center of Kennedy Heights that had been vacant for over twelve years, after rehab construction is completed in a couple of months. GBBN Architects developed the architectural renderings of the new facility, which will include dance studios, offices, community space and a theater. Joseph T. Schwab, principal of GBBN Architects, Inc. and the leader of GBBN's performing arts market area explains, "GBBN is pleased to support ballet tech cincinnati in this worthy project. We commend them on their services - dance classes, literacy programs, etc. - that they offer to all people in our community. We trust that the images and planning services that we provided to ballet tech cincinnati will help them to realize their mission to educate, entertain and inspire."

The Stillson Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee, gave ballet tech cincinnati’s Leaping for Literacy Project a vote of confidence when it awarded a $15,000 sponsorship grant to support the project. Leaping for Literacy uses the art of dance and Reading Workshops in collaboration with United Way’s Success by Six Shared Reading Initiative to break the cycle of illiteracy in Greater Cincinnati families. Heidi Jark, vice president and manager of The Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank, said, "Hermine Stillson was dedicated to helping local kids. As Trustee of her foundation, we are pleased to support ballet tech cincinnati’s Leaping for Literacy project, which will make a huge impact in improving literacy among local children and give them the tools to succeed later in life." The Leaping for Literacy Aronoff production of Made in America on May 4-5, 2007, will take audience members on a journey through time and across our nation with inspiring stories of courageous American youth based on the “Dear America,” “American Girl,” and “My Name is America” book series. The project includes free public performances at community libraries and bookstores, School Performances for Cincinnati Arts Association’s Artists on Tour, a poster and poetry contest open to all area children, a free, downloadable parent/teacher guide, monthly Dialogic Reading Workshops in collaboration with Success by Six Shared Reading Initiative, weekly “Dance it out” sessions, and a book giveaway.

Three new members recently joined the Board of Directors at ballet tech cincinnati. Carlos Reid, Michael Beck and Susan Gertz are new board members working towards the mission and strategic initiatives of the organization.

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