Fostering cultural enrichment and wellness in its deepest holistic sense within the individual and the community

Why Apollo?
The young Apollo was trained in the arts and sciences of the nine muses to ignite his own creativity. He developed into the epitome of Beauty and the leader of the muses and the director of their choir.
Beauty has a resounding effect upon our environment. Creativity provides solutions we have yet to imagine.

There is a young Apollo in each of us.
 
       Board of Directors,
 
       Maria Calegari,
       President
 
       Bart Cook,
       Vice-President
 
       Marika Molnar,
       Vice-President
 
        Amy Gagnon,
       Secretary
 
       William Attride
AAIF Initiatives
The Apollo Arts Initiative is pleased to support like minded artists and groups that value and respect the rights of the individual as well as the whole.
Whether it is through the arts, sciences, education, religion or government, all can be creatively used to promote peace and well being for all of Humanity and our Planet


Today on the United Nation International Day of Peace

September 21, 2024

AAIF along with the Putnam Arts Council

are hosting a creative arts workshop called

"Ballet Shoes."

Participants will be decorating real ballet pointe shoes with paint, glitter,

ribbons and jewels.

Please go to www.putnamartscouncil.com to see more information and photos.

A portion of the proceeds will go to UNICEF




In May 2024 the Apollo Arts Initiative Foundation became a member in good standing of the International Dance Council CID, the official world-wide organization for all form of dance.

The International Dance Council has it's headquarters at the UNESCO site in Paris, France.

We hope one day to attend their General Assembly at the UNESCO site to speak about our efforts to support dance all over the world. 

www.CID-world.org

CID c/o UNESCO

1 RUE Miollis

FR-75732 Paris 15, France





In 2020 Vice-President Bart Cook will continue his filming for the George Balanchine Foundation archives of his acclaimed ballet roles. In February he will work with former principal ballerina Allegra Kent to film the ballet Episodes Concerto section. 


Spring 2019 Maria Calegari presented a keynote address at the Arcane School Conference in New York City, titled, "A Story of Group Work from the World of Ballet," based on her experiences staging the ballet Brahms-Schoenberg Quartets by George Balanchine."   Visit www.lucistrust.org to view her talk.




Fall 2018, Bart Cook .and Maria Calegari continue their work of sharing the legacy of George Balanchine traveling to Perm, Russia and Hamburg, Germany where they will stage the ballets, Serenade, La Sonnombula and Brahms-Shoenberg Quartet



Cultural exchange in Tbilisi, Georgia, February 2017
Co-founders Maria Calegari and Bart Cook returned to the homeland of George Balanchine to stage his ballets, Mozartiana, Serenade and Concerto Barocco with the State Ballet of Georgia. The company is directed by ballerina, Nina Ananiashvili who is a United Nations Ambassador of Peace. All the arts are well preserved and appreciated in Georgia as part of their cultural heritage.
To see interviews and ballet footage of their trip as well as film clips of George Balanchine and his New York City Ballet in Tbilisi click on this link.


During 2016 co-founders Maria Calegari and Bart Cook travelled to the Paris Opera Ballet where they staged an All Balanchine program which had it's premiere on October 22. The history of ballet in Paris is well known and George Balanchine as well as Igor Stravinsky began their careers there once they left Russia. The ballets staged were, Mozartiana, Sonatine, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet and Stravinsky Violin Concerto.

For the New Year of 2015, The Apollo Arts Initiative has sponsored a Peace Pole on the Peace Path at the World Peace Prayer Sanctuary in Wassaic, NY, USA. In honor of Apollo and Greece.
       "May Peace be in Greece. May Peace Prevail on Earth." www.worldpeace.org
 
 Since January 2014, AAIF President and co-founder Maria Calegari is an appointed  representative to the United Nations for the Aquarian Age Community, an NGO of the UN that supports the spiritual work of the United Nations. www.aquaac.org

 

Ms. Calegari presented a talk, " The Apollo Arts Initiative: The Universality of Art and Dance" at the Arcane School Conference in NYC on May 11, 2014 www.lucistrust.org/en/arcane_school/conference/video_broadcasts/may_10_11_2014

 

Ms. Calegari's exhibit of 30 watercolor paintings is currently on display at the Gallery at Lifebridge Sanctuary until the end of December 2014. "Nature's Bounty" is dedicated to the United Nations International Year of Farming www.lifebridge.org/whatsNew.cfm The opening reception on October 19, 2014 was well attended by friends, family and co-workers of Ms. Calegari.

Several paintings were purchased which highlighted the circulatory flow that occurs when artists are supported in this way which in turn enables them to keep creating! It also gives true life to the art work as it is released by the artist to inspire others. Please support the arts!

 George Balanchine's "Apollo"

 

Shown left studio performances of excerpts of George Balanchine's " Apollo" at Caleco Ballet Studio, Union Hall, North Salem, NY.

Staged by ; Bart Cook and Maria Calegari

Dancers; Apollo-Quinn Cahill, Terpsichore-Brittany Cioce, Calliope-Savannah Samberg ,Polyhymnia- Erin Baright

Students worked over a period of 2 months to prepare for this production in December 2010

Visit Caleco Ballet Studio Facebook group page for more ballet photos

www.facebook.com

 
  • Community Outreach and Support
  • AAIF supports new NYC based dance company, MorDance run by Morgan McEwen. www.mordance.com
  • Ms. Calegari teaches on-stage Master Class Novemeber 13, 2013. Presented by Sacred Heart University and Connecticut Dance School, Fairfield, CT.
  • support for local community artists and painters (Jeanne Demotses, Lynn Shulman 2013)
  • January 2013-present,dance education at Caleco Ballet Studio, North Salem, NY with Maria Calegari
  • December 2012 ballet seminar for advanced ballet students and adults to benifit Apollo Arts Initiative at Caleco Ballet Studio, North Salem, NY
  • First theater performance of "Coppelia" featuring students from Putnam County, Westchester, Ridgefield CT, and Orange County May 2012,
  • Fall 2012 6 week workshop for advanced ballet students learning George Balanchine's "Mozartiana"
  •  Original presentation of "The Magic of the Nutcracker Tale"(c) puppet/dance theater  at Arts on the Lake Dec. 2007-2009, Kent Lakes, NY  
  • Creative movement/ballet classes first presented at Aotl July 2009-May 2010
  • In collaboration with Putnam Arts Council and Arts on the Lake, "Ballet @ PAC"  Oct.-Nov.2009
  • Created "The Sleeping Beauty Workshop and Performance @ Aotl, May 2010
  • Master Classes for Prelude Ballet Ensemble Nov. 2009 and Feb. 2010
  • "Discover Ballet Program" community outreach with puppet/dance theater at Patterson Library June 2010
  • " Summer Dance " a children's dance camp at Aotl June 2010
  • Balanchine 4 day Summer Intensive -students took classes and learned excerpts form Apollo and Serenade at Union Hall, North Salem, NY June 2010
  • Caleco Ballet Studio opens Fall 2010 with full ballet class program for ages 4 and up
  • First Nutcracker performance at Caleco Ballet Studio with 20 students Dec. 2010
  • Spring performance at Caleco Ballet Studio of excerpts of Swan Lake and Apollo May 2011
  • Second Summer Intensive with students from Children's Ballet Theatre, Salt Lake City, Utah and local community students at Caleco Ballet Studio June 2011
  • Second year of dance classes at Caleco Ballet Studio include Jazz classes Fall 2011 -Second Nutcracker performance Dec.2011
  • First in theater performance  of "Coppelia" at North Salem High School May 20, 2012, students from 4  counties performing with Bart Cook, original choreography by Maria Calegari after George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova