National Foundation Started by “So You Think You Can Dance” Producer Honors Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy Student

Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy is proud to announce that 14-year-old Academy II student Kessia Andersen, of Waukesha, is being honored with a $10,000 scholarship from the national Dizzy Feet Foundation, which was started by “So You Think You Can Dance” producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe.

Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy is eligible to nominate students for the coveted scholarship because it is nationally accredited, and, in fact, is the only such accredited school in the Midwest.

“I’m so happy and grateful to represent Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy,” said Andersen, who began studying with Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy when she was seven-years-old. “Some of my dance idols have won this Dizzy Feet Foundation scholarship, so the honor is especially meaningful to me.”

Additionally, Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy student Sophia Laabs has received the Milwaukee Ballet Friends’ Schomer Lichtner Scholarship from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Given by Gail and Emil Fischer and named in honor of one of Milwaukee Ballet’s greatest principal dancers, the scholarship goes to students who show strong potential for becoming a professional dancer.

Also, Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy student Claire Buehler has been awarded the Peter Schetter Scholarship, a full tuition scholarship, for the 2014-15 school year.

Both Andersen and Buehler competed in the prestigious Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP) international competition in spring of this year. YAGP is the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition, awarding more than $250,000 annually in scholarships to leading dance schools worldwide.

“Everyone at Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy is extremely proud of these three students,” said Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy Director Rolando Yanes. “We look forward to their bright futures in dance.”

Andersen’s mother, Jenny Andersen, noted the unique, holistic approach of Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy as a major factor in her daughter’s success.

“Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy emphasizes the development of the whole child,” she said. “Kessia’s instructors have helped her grow not only as a dancer but as a person, keeping her focused on a goal, while keeping her modest and respectful of others.”

About Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy

In operation since 1975 and one of the three largest dance schools in the nation, Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy is the only school in the Midwest accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy offers the finest dance training in an encouraging and professional atmosphere and supports the growth of classical ballet by maintaining the highest standards while nurturing the talent of every student. A proven training ground for professional dancers, Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy lists many of its alumni among the ranks of professional dance companies worldwide

About Milwaukee Ballet

Founded in 1970, Milwaukee Ballet strives to inspire its audiences to think within and beyond traditional ballet through the presentation of quality performances and the implementation of educational opportunities. Milwaukee Ballet and Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy are recognized among the top companies in the nation. Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy is the only professional dance school in the Midwest accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. With an annual operating budget of more than $5.5 million, Milwaukee Ballet presents more than 40 performances to 50,000 people each year. Its resident company includes 25 professional dancers along with 20 trainees in the Nancy Einhorn Milwaukee Ballet II Program and is one of the few dance companies in the country to maintain its own symphony orchestra. Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy, the official school of the Ballet, has an enrollment of nearly 1,000 students at three locations throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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