OMAHA – Aug. 23, 2014 – American Midwest Ballet’s Season 5 has achieved the highest level of support from donors in company history, including a recently-awarded $85,000 grant from the Iowa West Foundation, the company announced today.
Erika Overturff, American Midwest Ballet’s founder and artistic director, said the new Iowa West Foundation grant will support its Season 5 productions of The Nutcracker and Momentum: International Masters.
The Iowa West Foundation already had contributed $25,000 to American Midwest Ballet’s season-opening production of Giselle, bringing its total support for the season to $110,000, Overturff said.
The Iowa West funding will help bring Season 5 productions to the Arts Center at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, including school shows of Giselle on September 29 and 30, and public performances of The Nutcracker on November 22 and Momentum on May 3.
“Grants like these from the Iowa West Foundation are key to not only helping us present top-quality dance productions to the region, but also to enriching the lives of thousands of area students and individuals through our education and outreach programs,” said Overturff. “We strive to share the beauty and artistry of dance with a broad audience, and this wonderful support helps make that possible.”
Omaha Steaks is the Season Sponsor for Season 5, supporting American Midwest Ballet with a contribution of $50,000, Overturff said. Programming support also includes grants from the Jetton Charitable Trust, the Lincoln Financial Foundation, and the Douglas County Visitor Improvement Fund.
Operating support for Season 5 includes a $35,000 grant from the Peter Kiewit Foundation; a Nebraska Arts Council and Nebraska Cultural Endowment grant of $18,745; and additional operating support from the Sherwood Foundation and Union Pacific, she said.
“Grants for operating support are so important, as they allow us to build organizational capacity and to increase the strength and stability of our operations,” Overturff said. “We are also incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of the ballet patrons who support us in so many ways and attend our shows.”
American Midwest Ballet is the region’s only resident professional dance company, performing classical and contemporary ballets in Omaha, Council Bluffs, and on tour. Season 5 will open October 4 with a performance of the iconic 19th-century classical ballet Giselle at Omaha’s Orpheum Theater. Information about American Midwest Ballet is available from the company’s website, balletnebraska.org. To learn more about the Iowa West Foundation, visit iowawestfoundation.org.
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