The Boston Ballet is getting ready to grow. The company held a ceremony Thursday morning to start construction on the Boston Ballet School’s new Newton studio, a 26,550-square-foot interior fit out that will boast seven studios.
“We are absolutely thrilled that this new location will allow us the serve the Metrowest,” said Boston Ballet executive director Meredith “Max” Hodges, who added that the school also has locations in Boston and the North Shore. “It’s core to our mission to inspire the love of dance in all.”
The relocated Newton studio, which is set to open at 153 Needham St. in the summer of 2017, is being supported by a $2.5 million-$3 million fund-raising campaign. The campaign, led by Pixley and Kenneth Schiciano, has already raised $2 million toward that goal.
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Members of the ballet community — including Boston Ballet artistic director Mikko Nissinen, Hodges, Pixley Schiciano, Boston Ballet School director Margaret Tracey, board chair Jack Meyer, and Greg Reibman, president of the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber — attended a brief reception that included remarks and a site tour.
The company plans to keep its current Newton studio fully operational for the 2016–17 school year before moving to the new facility.