Video
Our Impact
Unwrap The Magic...
Just press 'play' to see how Milwaukee Ballet impacts our community during this most wonderful time of year!
Milwaukee Ballet believes in the transformative power of the arts to inspire, connect, and enrich our community. Everything we do—from the magic you see on stage to the work we carry into classrooms and studios—depends on the generosity of people like you.
This season of giving is a chance to celebrate all that we've accomplished together and to invest in the meaningful work still ahead. Your generosity helps us dream bigger, reach farther, and deepen our impact.
When you make a year-end gift, you uplift our artists, expand access to dance, and empower the next generation of dancers to learn, grow, and thrive. Thank you for considering a gift today!
A Letter from Jennifer Hackbarth
Dear Friends,
Milwaukee Ballet has always held a special place in my heart.
It is where my dreams of becoming a dancer were ignited as a Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy student, and now, in a full-circle moment, where they have come true as a Leading Artist. Growing up as part of the student cast in productions like The Nutcracker, I remember walking into the stage door at Marcus Performing Arts Center and crossing paths with Company members. To a young ballet student, seeing a professional dancer is unbelievable! They would smile at me or say a kind word before the show, and I would feel giddy that they took the time to share a moment with me. Now, knowing that today’s MBSA students are looking up to me, I always make sure to encourage them in the same ways.
Between then and now, I have danced around the world at companies like New York City Ballet and The Royal Ballet in London. With that experience, I can say with confidence that the arts community in Milwaukee is a rarity.
The obvious reason behind this is the artistic caliber of what you see on stage: the choreography, the costumes, the sets, the music. But it takes more than that to be truly exceptional. It’s about taking care of our people, nurturing the dreams of young dancers, and bringing emotions to the surface through meaningful stories and experiences.
A donor’s support shapes and impacts all that we do.
You ensure that dance can be a livelihood as well as a passion. You provide the resources for our faculty to inspire the next generation of artists. You allow us to tear down barriers and bring the joy of dance to people of all ages, abilities, and means.
Especially during the holiday season, my fellow dancers and I perform to share the gift of ballet with generous people like you. I hope that when you interact with our organization, you feel it is YOUR Milwaukee Ballet. When you see us on stage, we hope you feel a sense of knowing and supporting us personally. The show truly wouldn’t go on without you—and we wouldn’t want it to.
Here in Milwaukee, we experience the highest level of art without having to live in Europe or in large cities like New York. Donors like you uphold this standard. Perhaps even more meaningfully, without your support, the community and traditions of Milwaukee Ballet would be lost. Today, I humbly ask you to make your best gift to Milwaukee Ballet during this season of giving.
Gratefully,
Jennifer Hackbarth
Milwaukee Ballet Leading Artist