Our Commitment to You – Fiscal Responsibility
Respecting your donations
We are proud to report that despite challenging economic times NBS continues to manage the School’s finances with prudence. We completed the 2010/2011 year with an operating surplus of $112,000, marking the fifth year in a row that the School has posted an annual operating surplus. Surplus funds are invested today in our facility or reserved as capital for future needs.
NBS was guided last year by the thoughtful leadership of a committed, knowledgeable and effective Board of Directors. A talented staff executive and senior management team ensured that donation revenue was invested in activities that were strategic, impactful and highly cost-effective.
Support from donors allowed NBS to underwrite significant student assistance needs, an escalating cost annually, as well as support community engagement programs and outreach activities. In addition to contributing nearly $2.5-million to support annual activities, generous donors in the NBS community gave more than $4-million toward the School’s endowment funds – gifts that will leave a legacy for all time.
NBS on the World Stage
Bolstering our experience through international exchanges NBS has strengthened its role as a world leader in the training of professional dancers and teachers by ensuring that innovative and evolving practices are woven into the finest teaching traditions.
Initiatives like our Student Exchange Program enhance the training of grade 11 and 12 students by broadening their perspective and understanding of the international dance world through residencies abroad.
The School also introduces international, world-class guest teachers to NBS dance curriculum, including:
- Irene Dowd (New York)
- Sorella Englund (Denmark)
- Monique Loudieres & Herve Dirmann (Cannes)
- Jolinda Menendez (New York)
- Joanne Zimmerman (Amsterdam)
Travel arrangements for Student Exchanges and guest teacher visits are made possible through generous gifts from NBS donors and our travel partner, Aeroplan. Our thanks to Aeroplan and individual donors (who contribute both funds and Reward Miles) for helping NBS exchange experience and knowledge with our international partners.
Betty Oliphant Theatre Refurbishment
Helping NBS students perfect their performance skills The Betty Oliphant Theatre (BOT) is a distinctive performance venue at the heart of NBS. After years of thrilling productions the School committed to raising funds for critical renovations to reflect the BOT’s importance in our ballet training program and the high standard of our facilities.
Enter stage right – long-time supporters Heather and Richard Thomson – as the lead donors of this important project. Their gift made possible a significant matching grant from the Canadian Government and inspired dozens of NBS friends to 'buy seats.'
The project was completed last spring in time for audiences of the 2011 Spring Showcase to enjoy a stellar student performance in the comfort of the finest new auditorium seating! We sincerely appreciate the support of the Thomsons, Canadian Heritage and everyone who purchased seats.
Did you know?
The BOT is also rented many times each year providing key revenues for NBS and an important performance venue for smaller dance organizations in the city.
Sharing Dance
Learn to. Love to.
New areas of strategic focus seek to increase the positive role and influence NBS plays in the broader community. A bold vision: "moving the world" encourages innovative ways of thinking about dance and the part kinesthetic arts can play in community engagement. Moving the world necessitates stepping meaningfully outside of our four walls to foster active participation in dance.
At the start of 2012 NBS launched sharingdance.ca – a nationwide dance participation and education initiative. This program utilizes innovative digital media technologies and leverages a Canada-wide network of thousands of public and recreational schools to motivate scores of community members to dance.
All learning materials for the program are freely available online with the tools in place for participants to share and upload their dances. Teachers and community troupe leaders can exchange insights and resources in a dynamic, unprecedented, curriculum-linked web-learning environment. With the continued support of donors like you we can inspire youth across Canada to learn to, and love to, dance!