Melrose Youth Ballet about

About

Non-Profit Organization

In 1995, a passionate group of Melrose residents turned their shared love of the arts into reality with the founding of Melrose Youth Ballet. Since its inception, MYB has given young dancers from across the North Shore the opportunity to perform in a full-length production of The Nutcracker, bringing this beloved holiday tradition to life on stage each year.

Cast

Our youth cast features over 200 talented dancers from more than 20 surrounding communities, representing up to 30 different dance studios. Each year, we are proud to welcome select professional guest artists to perform alongside our cast, enriching the production with their experience and artistry.

Rehearsals

Our dedicated cast rehearses every Sunday from October through December, building not only their roles but also a strong sense of community. These weekly rehearsals foster growth, teamwork, and lasting friendships as dancers learn, support one another, and progress together week by week.

Tech Week

Tech Week is when the stage truly comes to life. Behind the scenes, our dedicated crew works tirelessly to hang scrims, assemble handcrafted scenery, and prepare every detail of the set. Onstage, the cast dons their costumes for the first time, bringing their characters to life in full color. Our Director and Assistants fine-tune spacing and stage movement, ensuring everything flows seamlessly. Lighting and music are carefully programmed during this time, setting the scene for a polished, magical performance.

Costumes

More than half of our costumes are handmade from local and other professional seamstresses. Part of the customization process for these costumes include designing, hand cutting, dying fabric and sewing each garment.

Production

Over the last two decades, MYB's production of The Nutcracker has become an annual tradition in the Melrose community and for local surrounding communities. Our Artistic Director and Assistants work hard to provide their own innovative twist on this classic production often through new choreography, roles, and costumes.

Community Engagement

The term community means so much more to us at MYB than the definition implies. We pride ourselves on building meaningful relationships with our dancers that often result in many of them returning beyond graduation to volunteer, watch the show, or simply stop by to say hello. We have participated in several events within Melrose to give back to our community such as producing a small scale Nutcracker performance for pre-schoolers at the library and senior citizens in elderly housing.

Values

At Melrose Youth Ballet, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment to all. We welcome dancers of all levels and backgrounds. We aim to provide a safe and inviting space for all who enter our doors. As the world of dance and society continues to evolve and change so do we.

In carrying out our Founders' mission of embracing the arts, we are honored to help provide local dancers with the opportunity to extend their passion for dance on stage, performing for the public.

Alumni

Our Alumni are forever a part of our MYB family. We are fortunate enough to have been able to maintain long term relationships with so many who have walked through our doors. We love hearing what our dancers go on to do from starting families of their own, choosing a career path, or continuing their passion for dance.