Gwinnett Ballet Theatre Move is Official

The board of directors of announced today that  county's oldest nonprofit arts organization will move its current facilities in Snellville, Ga., to Lawrenceville, Ga., by the fall of 2012.

The new state-of-the-art facility will fill more than 19,000 in square feet inside an industrial park at 1800 MacLeod Avenue, off Sugarloaf Parkway directly across from Gwinnett Technical College.

Amenities include: five large studios, offices, a student study area, dressing areas with showers, a costume shop, and large storage areas for sets. In a press release from Holly Calmes, marketing director for Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, officials said the new space will give the company "more room than ever in which to fulfill its mission of offering the highest quality dance education and performances to the community."

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"We will now be in the center of Gwinnett County and therefore more accessible to an increased number of students and families," said , the artistic director. "This new facility gives us more space to offer a wider and more comprehensive curriculum. It will be a quality facility for quality dance training."

The arts organization has been evaluating relocation for some time, including spaces in Snellville and Lawrenceville, for a new location. This new facility puts the ballet company within a few miles of its home theater -- Gwinnett Performing Arts Center.

"GBT is well-known for producing dancers of outstanding quality and for our Nutcracker production which families from all over Atlanta and North Georgia enjoy for three weekends each December,” said Len Diprima, chairman of the board. "We have outgrown our current space and want to be more centrally located within the county to attract more students."

The board plans to launch construction immediately in the building. The goal is to welcome returning and new students to the new facility at the beginning of the fall 2012-2013 season.

GBT plans to expand programming to include more classes, a conservatory program and educational events. The program will emphasize classical ballet, as well as foster training in other forms of dance. The school also plans to expand outreach to the community through classes and opportunities for underserved groups of students and adults.

“The new facility represents a renaissance of dance in our area,” Walthall added. “It is the next logical step forward, and GBT is privileged to grow with the community it serves. We invite everyone to be a part of an exciting new future.”

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For more information, including upcoming auditions on August 1, call 770-978-0188, email info@gwinnettballet.org, or visit the website at www.gwinnettballet.org.

For more stories by Patch on Gwinnett Ballet Theatre, click here.

(Editor's Note: This article was taken, in part, from a press release from Gwinnett Ballet Theatre.)