Becca reflects on her time as a virtual dance teacher and mentor for Ballet & Books Princeton chapter. — My time working with Ballet and Books as a mentor and ballet teacher has been so meaningful and rewarding. I remember being a bit apprehensive before teaching my first Zoom ballet class, because I had never taught a dance class over Zoom and was worried it would be difficult to…

My name is Barbara McAlister and I recently joined Ballet and Books as Program Director. My role includes pursuing strategic partnerships & collaborations, fostering a broader network of donors by raising awareness about what we do here at Ballet and Books, and supporting the remarkable people of our National Leadership…

Every Saturday, Rubi and Perla got really excited for their Ballet & Books session. My oldest daughter, Rubi, used to go to the Ithaca Ballet, but when I became a single mom I could no longer afford it. Having Ballet & Books as an option for low income families was…

Ballet and Books has shaped not only my entire Cornell University college experience but it has shaped me into the person that I am today. The organization has allowed me to develop and strengthen my leadership skills, given me incredible friends, gave me a sense of belonging that is so…

I had a fantastic experience being a part of the Executive Team for Ballet and Books Howard Chapter. Since first hearing about the program, I immediately wanted to be a part of this team because I knew it was going to create such a strong impact in the lives of…

Every Saturday for about two years, Anabelle went to Ballet & Books class at Southside, and worked with Grace, her mentor. Grace is an amazing, patient and wonderful person, and she works so well with Ana. Talia and Grace are the mentors who I communicated the most with during our…

This week, Meryl shares how Ballet & Books’ Ithaca chapter has impacted her youngest daughter Gemma. — You know that feeling when you’re approaching a yellow light, and you’re not sure whether you’re close enough to speed through it or far enough to stop, and whichever you pick, you’re pretty sure you were wrong? That’s exactly how I feel as a parent all the time. This is…

If you asked me to describe myself in three words at any point in my life, “leader” would not have made it on the list. Growing up, I was painfully shy and even when I started to break out of my shell, I cared too much about pleasing others and…

I started my journey with Ballet & Books as a sophomore. It was my second year at Cornell University, and I really wanted to get back into my passions of volunteering and dance. Throughout the two years and counting that I have been a part of Ballet and Books, I…