The John E. Profant Foundation for the Arts
For Release February 14th, 2005

Contact:
Marie Profant
(805) 682-8184
mprofant@aol.com

CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY PARTIES TO BENEFIT
SANTA BARBARA FESTIVAL BALLET COMPANY

The John E. Profant Foundation for the Arts, a nonprofit 501c3, has offered the Santa Barbara Festival Ballet Company a pilot program entitled "Ballerina Birthday Parties." At these dance-inspired celebrations for children, the guests and the birthday child will enjoy a party and a ballet class with demonstrations by a ballerina. The highlight of the festivities will then be a performance by the children for their parents.

Sample Invitation

Parents: you may drop off your child, but please join us for their performance at 3.45 pm!
RSVP 682-8184 or mprofant@aol.com
As you drive up Chapala Street, it is the first driveway on your left
after you pass the Carrillo Street Ralphs’ parking lot.
Plenty of free parking available next to the Center’s entrance.

Details:

Musette Profant, a former ballet instructor who designed this successful program several years ago, has now brought it to the Santa Barbara Ballet Center as a pilot to assist Santa Barbara Festival Ballet Company with rising costs associated with producing performances. This is a mission that benefits many people of all ages. A pre-professional ballet company, the Santa Barbara Festival Ballet Company is best known for its annual production of "The Nutcracker," which is presented at the Arlington theatre with a 130 member cast backed by a live orchestra.

The Dance Party theme can change for either jazz, hip-hop or other styles depending on what the child or parent prefers. The Profant organization hopes these parties will not only be an ongoing source of funds for the Festival Ballet, but also offer a great new indoor party plan for busy parents. Most importantly, it is a fabulous and fun way to expose many children to the wonderful world of dance.

Parents can contact Michele Pearson at the Santa Barbara Ballet Center by calling 966-0711 for information about booking parties.

The Organization:

The John E. Profant Foundation for the Arts assists developing artists through scholarships, performances and exhibits. The annual scholarships in art, dance, music, theater, and literature are made possible by community support of Fiesta Finale, and are presented at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse. The grant application period is February 1 through April 30, 2005. The guidelines are posted at www.profant.org.

Says Board Member Dr. Mary Collier, "Sometimes life gets in the way of our dreams, and we believe that artists of all ages should be encouraged to pursue their talents. The panel of judges consider the basic talent for the art, a desire for a career and financial need."

History:

Dr. Henry Profant came to Santa Barbara in the early 1920s to help start the "Clinic." He and his wife Mabel, who were both pianists, were very involved with the Music Academy, CAMA and Old Spanish Days. Their daughter Dorothy became a concert pianist, who still plays an hour a day. One of their sons Bob was a beloved professor at Santa Barbara City College and their other son John had a 35-year career at a large corporation. It was not until John was in his 40’s, that he pursued his talent as a tenor. This organization was founded in his memory. John met his wife Lyn at El Paseo during the elegant Fiesta days of 1950. He was, at the time, a Jose Manero dancer while Lyn, a former ballerina, was a teacher at Franklin School. Their home was filled with music and dance, and they helped found a dance company that is now in its 20th year. John dreamed of retiring to his family home to help the artists of Santa Barbara. The community is invited to join us in supporting this dream.

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