Press Release: New Board Members and Successful Fund Drive Boost Local Ballet Company

City Center Ballet brings on three new board members and raises over $19,000

Written by Heidi White

This press release was published in The Valley News and The Complete Hoot in May 2014

Lebanon NH, May 9, 2014. City Center Ballet (CCB), Lebanon’s non-profit ballet company, is enjoying a brief boost to its board membership and finances. The board recently brought on three new members with backgrounds in fundraising, business management, and dance—CCB’s costume designer, Elizabeth Lurie; former Broadway performer, Susan Lamontagne; and Dartmouth Clinical Researcher, Kimberly Thompson. As new board members were drawn to the board, finances followed through a fundraising challenge posed by benevolent local sponsors Ann and George Hackl.

CCB Artistic Director, Linda Copp, feels “blessed with such a supportive community and three new board members that are as committed to the community and to dance as I am. It is an extra blessing that they come with the expertise to help me raise the money that will help us continue to provide unique artistic experiences for audiences in the Upper Valley.”

Kim Thompson is a project coordinator at The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Kim has performed with CCB in the past and currently teaches modern dance classes for CCB’s sister company, Lebanon Ballet School. Kim grew up in a company that was very similar to CCB and says “a good portion of the success I’ve had in school and work stems from my upbringing in dance and I know that students at CCB acquire those same skills.” As a board member, Kim hopes to “help CCB branch out further into the community and continue the board’s fundraising activities to ensure that CCB is here to stay.”

Former Broadway performer Susan Lamontagne currently teaches Zumba classes in CCB’s studio space. Susan knows the lifelong benefits that dance training provides young dancers. After a 20+ year professional career Susan says “the benefits of a company like CCB go beyond the benefit to the community. Even the dancers who don’t go on to dance professionally learn discipline and social skills that help them succeed in anything they do.” With 4 years experience working in not-for-profit organizations Susan hopes to bring the best of two worlds to help support the CCB's growth.

New board member Elizabeth Lurie has designed many of the ballet company’s most eye-catching costumes over the past five years. Aside from her artistic talents, Elizabeth brings a background of fundraising earned through her development work with the Student Conservation Association in Charlestown NH. “I am looking forward to being part of an active fundraising board,” says Elizabeth, “I believe in Linda’s vision. Her ability to bring a high level of professional dance performance in this non-urban environment is really special and unique.”

As Elizabeth joined the CCB board, her parents, Ann & George Hackl, set a $5,000 fundraising challenge for the company. If CCB could raise $20,000 within six weeks, the Hackls promised to chip in $5,000. With Elizabeth’s help, City Center Ballet blanketed the area with donation requests and reached just shy of their goal, collecting $14,071. Fortunately, Ann & George were lenient. They donated the $5,000 to bring the total up to $19,071. The funds were used to pay bills incurred by the April performance of The Sleeping Beauty.

The board, now bolstered with the energy of three new members, will continue their fundraising activities to finance upcoming performances, including Clara’s Dream: a nutcracker story in December 2014 and Alice in Wonderland in April of 2015.

The City Center Ballet is a non-profit, semi-professional ballet company that produces performances and educational opportunities for young, devoted dancers in the Upper Valley. Established in 1999, City Center Ballet is located in Lebanon, New Hampshire and develops classical and repertory ballets that enrich and delight audiences while providing challenging and diverse experiences for company members.