Three Great Ways to Support Bay Area Dance

It's the beginning of a new year, and now is the time for Bay Area balletomanes to financially contribute to a cause they believe in. Ballet in America is historically underfunded, even in a culturally rich city like San Francisco. Compound that disappointing fact by our nation's current economic crisis, and it becomes clear why local dance institutions need our help. Here are three easy and rewarding ways we balletomanes can do our part:

The San Francisco Ballet

Season ticket holders and donors of all levels enjoy a range of special benefits in exchange for their monetary contribution. Cocktail parties and champagne promenades, discounts at the Opera House boutique and cafes, and even the chance to watch a company class are among the incentives to support SFB. Encore! membership ($60 a year) entails discounted ticket rates and entrance to fabulous member-only events. Click here for more information about how you can support America's oldest ballet company.

ODC Dance

ODC Dance Commons is one of the finest places to study and appreciate dance in the Bay Area. Its instructors are top-notch, the studios are modern, spacious, and warm, and its (free!) Healthy Dancer's Clinic is invaluable to local dancers of all kinds and levels. As ODC continues to grow in its aim to bring the joy of dance to all, it needs the community's support to reach its goals. Now is a great time to donate ODC's "Build Dance" campaign: Thanks to the Kresge Foundation and a very generous individual, make a donation before February 28, 2010 and your gift will be tripled. Some fun give-aways are available when you donate $25 or more. Click here to contribute.

Consider Your Neighborhood Ballet School

Every dancer and balletomane has to start somewhere. For many of us, our first exposure to dance was at a neighborhood school. Among the large, well-known studios in the Bay Area are plenty of smaller schools that are doing very good work. Perhaps you've passed one in your own neighborhood during daily commute, or while walking the dog? If you've been meaning to register yourself or your child for dance classes, there's no better time than now: Small schools are suffering the most in this economy, and are in desperate need of our business. Further, January is the time when Spring semesters begin, so this is an ideal time to enroll.