Across Generations, We Journey Together
Our History & Vision
Manhattan Ballet & Movement Center
The Manhattan Ballet School is a professional school dedicated to the traditions of classical ballet in New York City. For over 50 years the school has inspired children to achieve creativity through the art of ballet. At all levels a dance education gives them poise and self confidence.
Faculty members are professional dancers with the highest teaching standards whose holistic approach to ballet technique draws from the Vaganova and Cecchetti methods. Believing children learn best in a caring atmosphere, Elfriede Merman has created an environment where each child's ability is nurtured.
A central feature of the school is the chance to perform twice a year in professional productions from as early as four years of age. With The Manhattan Ballet Company, the School produces an annual Nutcracker Suite and a Spring Dance Concert featuring students, graduates and guest artists. Appearing before live audiences and experiencing the magic of theater is pivotal for children’s development as it promotes a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Productions are carefully choreographed, enveloping every performer’s unique skill so that every child gets to shine .
Our vision is to see our graduates emerge as well-rounded, confident young individuals who possess self-awareness, discipline and inspiration to shape their own future in career of their choice.
MBS is a community of parents, students, graduates and guest artists who come together in their embrace of fun and joy that ballet performances bring each semester.
Our Founder & Artistic Director
Jennifer Groenke
Jennifer Groenke arrived at the doorsteps of The Manhattan Ballet School at the tender age of seven. Elfriede Merman and Patricia Savoia (former partner and co-director), trained Jennifer in her early years through her adolescence. As Jennifer became more passionate for her love of ballet, she auditioned before the board for a scholarship that would ultimately allow her to study the art form everyday. With the approval of Mrs. Merman and Mrs. Savoia, Jennifer was sponsored by a board member and was granted a full scholarship.
As Jennifer matured, her attention was drawn to the Early Childhood Development Program at The Manhattan Ballet School. She was eager to learn and closely observed the classes that were developed by Mrs. Merman and Mrs. Savoia. Their gentle and imaginative approach inspired Jennifer to want to do more than be just a student and subsequently began her transition into teaching.
Under the close guidance of her mentor and longtime friend Elfriede Merman, Jennifer has dedicated her life to encouraging young dancers to find their artistic freedom and express themselves to the best of their ability.
Jennifer has now instructed students for over 25 years, each year perfecting her talents in teaching technique, directing performances and adapting choreography to the students in each age group while remaining deeply rooted in the founders’ vision.
In her every day tutelage at the Manhattan Ballet School, children find an artistic home that feels unique, safe and special.
Our Mentor
Elfriede Merman
(Elfriede Camilla von Busse)
As a child, Elfriede Merman was chosen for classical ballet training at the prestigious gov-ernment-sponsored Staats Oper in Munich. Her renowned teachers were Erna Gerbel, Tatiana Gsovsky and Choreographer Pino Mlakar, then ballet master of the Staats Oper in Munich. At this time the Opera House was under the directorship of Clemence Kraus and H. Hartman. The opera’s conductor, composer Richard Strauss, was so taken by the young Elfriede that he influenced Mlakar to give her solo roles in the premiers of his Josef Legende and Capriccio and Verklugene Feste and Tyl Eulenspiegel. It was at this time that she met her lifelong coach and friend, Natasha Boskovich.
Later, in Paris, she was coached by the legendary teacher, Olga Preobrajenska and studied with Victor Gsovsky. She danced with choreographer/ballet master Marcel Luipart and in New York joined Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo under the directorship of Serge Denham with Leonide Massine as artistic director.
With the Ballet Russe Company, she toured four continents with its stars Alexandra Danilova, Nina Novak, Frederic Franklin and Andre Eglevsky. Her solo roles were in Scheherazade, the Polovtsian dances from Price Igor, Les Sylphides, Three Cornered Hat, Carnival, Firebird, La Bayadere and the “Bluebird” variation in Aurora’s Wedding.
Through her friendship with Dr. Gertrude Bondi, director of The Windsor Mountain School in Massachusetts, she made the transition from performer to teacher and developed the ballet department of the school. Her students included Liza Minnelli, Jane Fonda and Shari Belafonte. Three years later, former New York City Ballet member Patricia Savoia joined her, and together they opened The Manhattan Ballet School.
The mission of the school, for the past forty years, has been to incorporate traditional ballet technique with music, drama, coaching and performance opportunities, based upon Mrs. Merman’s extensive professional background.