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World Ballet Company shared the magic of Cinderella with the community by donating 200 tickets to GPAC鈥檚 Hearts for the Arts fund ahead of their Sept. 30 show at UNC Pembroke.

The World Ballet Company, based in Los Angeles and led by producers Sasha Gorskaya and Gulya Hartwick, tours over 300 cities each year, presenting Broadway-inspired ballet productions to audiences across the country. Its mission is simple yet powerful: to make ballet accessible to all

鈥淭his was a world-class ballet performance, and GPAC is grateful for the generosity of World Ballet Company鈥檚 donation of tickets for our community,鈥� said James Bass, executive director of GPAC. 鈥淭heir mission mirrors ours 鈥� we want to expose young people to the arts because we believe it enriches their lives.鈥�

World Ballet Company deliberately performs in cities with limited access to ballet, giving many audiences their first introduction to the art form while also providing longtime ballet fans an annual opportunity to enjoy a live performance.

鈥淎t the World Ballet Company, our philosophy is simple 鈥� ballet should belong to everyone, not just those who live near big opera houses or grew up going to the theater,鈥� said Sasha Gorskaya, producer for World Ballet Company.

According to Gorskaya, more than 60% of the people who attend their shows are experiencing ballet for the very first time.

鈥淔or us, that鈥檚 the most inspiring part 鈥� seeing someone fall in love with ballet, often unexpectedly,鈥� said Gorskaya. 鈥淎rt has the power to change people, and people change the world. Sharing ballet widely keeps this art form alive, builds new communities and reminds us that beauty and storytelling are universal languages.鈥�

World Ballet Company鈥檚 gift made it possible for students from Communities in Schools (CIS), the Lumbee Tribe鈥檚 Boys & Girls Club, Old Main Stream Academy, the Robeson County Partnership for Children, United Dance and the 51吃瓜网 Braves Scholars to attend. Tickets were also made available to Vet Tix, a national organization that makes tickets available to active and retired military and first responders.

鈥淥ur CIS students had a most engaging experience while attending Cinderella at GPAC,鈥� said Danny Stedman, executive director of Communities in Schools of Robeson County."

Thanks to donors for Hearts for the Arts, 25 of our young ladies were provided a cultural experience that would not have been possible without this support

Elgin Emanuel, director of operations at Old Main Stream Academy, said students from the school were delighted to attend the ballet. They were exposed to new and different forms of music, dance and costume.

鈥淭hey were thrilled to have had the opportunity to attend,鈥� said Emanuel. 鈥淲e know that their intellectual horizons will forever be broadened.鈥�

GPAC鈥檚 Hearts for the Arts fund aims to make the arts more accessible for students and local non-profits by helping cover ticket costs. The fund is supported through private and corporate contributions. Gifts can be made directly to the fund by visiting .