In addition, The Sarasota Ballet announces several additions to the Board and a title change for Director of Development Sara Robinson.
Sarasota, FL (April 15, 2020) – The Sarasota Ballet announces today that longtime supporter and member of The Sarasota Ballet’s Board of Trustees Frank Martucci has been elected unanimously as President of the Board. Martucci will assume this newly created role upon the beginning of The Sarasota Ballet’s 2020-2021 Season this summer. As President of the Board, Martucci will serve as a liaison between the Board of Trustees and the Executive administrative staff of The Sarasota Ballet, in order to optimize communication between the two groups and to more efficiently carry out initiatives set forth by the Board.
“Frank has been a deeply appreciated supporter of The Sarasota Ballet for many years,” says Joseph Volpe, Executive Director of The Sarasota Ballet, “and we are all enthusiastic to see him take on greater responsibility as Board President. His expertise in the fields of finance and business, as well as his keen leadership skills, will prove invaluable going forward, providing insight towards achieving greater long-term goals for the Company while maintaining fiscal prudence. Director Iain Webb, Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri, and I are confident that working directly with Frank and the Board of Trustees, we are set to bring the best ballet has to offer to the Sarasota community.”
In addition to the election of Martucci to the role of President, the Board of Trustees of The Sarasota Ballet has been carefully expanding the Board of Trustees and, since December 2019, has added four new members. These new members include Ginger Cannon Bailey, Julie Harris, Phil Lombardo, and Rosemary Oberndorf. Each of these members has pledged to contribute their unique experience and skillset to further the operational ambitions of The Sarasota Ballet and support the continued artistic excellence of the Company.
“We felt it was vitally important, as we entered into our 30th Anniversary, that we strengthen the Board of Trustees,” explains Richard Johnson, Board Chair. “The Sarasota Ballet is one of the leading arts organizations in Sarasota, with a presence and reach throughout America and the world, and I am thrilled that our Board is evolving and expanding in order to support this great organization.”
Additionally, The Sarasota Ballet is pleased to announce that the Company has changed Sara Curtis Robinson’s title from Director of Development to Chief Advancement Officer. This was done so that her title could adequately reflect not only her extensive experience in performing arts administration, but also her contributions thus far toward achieving the mission and goals of The Sarasota Ballet.
About The Sarasota Ballet
Since 1990, the mission of The Sarasota Ballet has been enriching lives, captivating emotions, and strengthening the community through the art of dance. Under the leadership of Director Iain Webb, Executive Director Joseph Volpe, and Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri, The Sarasota Ballet has received national and international recognition for its diverse repertoire of rarely performed ballets, as well as the integrity and artistry of its performances. The Company’s expanded repertoire includes works by world-renowned choreographers such as Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Sir Matthew Bourne, Dame Ninette de Valois, Michel Fokine, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Rudolf Nureyev, Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Antony Tudor, and Christopher Wheeldon. During Webb’s tenure, The Sarasota Ballet has been invited to perform twice at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and twice at the Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center, as well as week-long residencies at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and the Joyce Theater in New York. In May 2017 The Sarasota Ballet performed at the inaugural National Choreographic Festival in Salt Lake City and in August of 2018 returned to the Joyce Theater for another sold out week-long residency.
