Mission and Vision

Mission

We want dancers and the general public to experience the art of dance and recognize that it is rich in tradition and inspires creativity, growth, self-expression, and discipline. Erie Contemporary Ballet Theatre (ECBT) presents public educational activities and stages a variety of performances to enable diverse audiences to experience dance and develop knowledge and appreciation of classical and contemporary forms of dance. We present a master class series open to the public each year, invite in established, emerging, and innovative choreographers, and afford dancers varied performance opportunities. Our goal is to inspire, educate, and enrich the lives of our dancers and the community through outstanding training in and the performance of classical and contemporary forms of dance.

Vision

To become the area’s premier training ground for pre-professional and professional dancers and provide area audiences an opportunity to experience classical and contemporary forms of dance performed by outstanding dancers and through those experiences develop an appreciation for the ways in which dance can inspire and influence community members. Erie Contemporary Ballet Theatre (ECBT) aspires to build an enduring legacy of dance in our community.

Core Values

Tradition – Committed to preserving a tradition of contemporary and classical dance training and passing on the nuances of how to train the body and mind to achieve excellence technically and artistically. Also, dedicated to establishing a tradition of sharing the experience of dance with the community, and helping the community to recognize the legacy of dance in Erie and beyond.

Self-Expression – Valuing the self-expression afforded by art as a dance form, whether the dancer is novice, pre-professional, or professional.

Self-Confidence – Promoting the self-confidence dance can instill in dancers of all levels and all forms and how that self-confidence transcends dance and permeates all aspects of one’s life.

Creativity – Recognizing and respecting creativity in all art forms and the creativity afforded dancers, choreographers, and audience members by experiencing dance as an art form and a means for inspiring and showcasing creativity.

Beneficence – Cultivating opportunities to expose others to dance through community-spirited acts such as lecture demonstrations, classes for the underprivileged or undeserved, and free performances.