Classical Foundations for Life®
About
Chamberlain Performing Arts History
Plano based, Chamberlain Performing Arts, formerly Chamberlain Ballet, was established in May 1984 by Artistic Director, Kathy Chamberlain as a student ensemble dedicated to providing students a stepping-stone to professional dance careers. During their 10th season, Chamberlain Performing Arts became a semi-professional company with their debut of the Chamberworks Series in collaboration with the Plano Chamber Orchestra. Chamberlain is dedicated to serving North Texas and the surrounding community and providing professional quality performances as well as outstanding outreach programs to benefit those areas of the metroplex. Chamberlain Performing Arts takes great pride in the ongoing efforts to expand its cultural diversity through performance collaborations. November 2002 began the association with the Charles W. Eisemann Center, giving the company a new permanent performance venue.
Chamberlain Performing Arts is committed to presenting excellent ballet and musical theatre to enrich the North Texas community, enlighten with arts education, and encourage through outreach. Funded in part by individual and corporate sponsorships, government and foundation grants, driven by their excellent Board of Directors, and sponsored by the Chamberlain Performing Arts Guild, Chamberlain is able to offer several professional quality productions throughout each season. Educational and community outreach programs are a high priority to the organization. Chamberlain Performing Arts is proud of the longstanding partnership with The Boys and Girls Club of Collin County through which they are able to offer free after school dance classes in the North Texas Cities of Plano, Frisco, and McKinney. The After School Dance Program provides an introduction to the art of dance for many under-served youth by providing free dance classes, field trips, performance opportunities, and a strong mentoring program. Chamberlain began The Shining Stars program in January 2005 to offer a creative outlet to special needs students. This program incorporates creative movement exercises, theatre, music, and group work for students to explore their creativity in a safe and nurturing environment, and reiterates the importance of personal and social growth and development of these children as creative thinkers and movers. Chamberlain also participates in various education programs with the Plano Independent School District including lecture demonstrations and performances. The organization also performs for groups at children’s hospitals, nursing homes, and retirement communities, as well as offers a free Community Connections Performance each Nutcracker season to clients of area social service and non-profit agencies who would normally not have the opportunity to attend live theatre during the Holidays.
Chamberlain Performing Arts thrives on individual and corporate support. The organization also attributes its success to the parent and community volunteers that aide throughout the year. Chamberlain Performing Arts has over 250 volunteers for the Nutcracker production alone, 14 volunteer board members, and approximately 100 Chamberlain Performing Arts Guild volunteers.
A great pride of the organization lies in the successes of its dancers. Many of Chamberlain Performing Arts’ dancers were accepted and received advanced training at School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre School, Austin Ballet Academy, Boston Ballet School, Houston Ballet Academy, San Francisco Ballet School, Joffrey Workshop – New York City, Joffrey Workshop – San Antonio, School of Pacific Northwest Ballet, Royal Ballet School-London, England, Rock School of Pennsylvania Ballet, Miami City Ballet School, Orlando Ballet School, and The Broadway Theatre Project. Former dancers have gone on to higher education institutions such as The Juilliard School, North Carolina School of the Arts, SMU – Meadows School of the Arts, Texas Christian University, and Indiana University. Professional careers have been established in such companies as American Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet Nouveaux (CO), Hartford Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Houston Ballet, Dayton Ballet, Ballet Magnificat!, Ballet Mississippi, Neo Labos (NYC), and The Compagnie Maryse Delente in Lyon, France. Former company members have also started Broadway careers in shows such as Hairspray, The Steel Pier, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, as well as international tours.