The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School Inc-Report

7/25/2019 The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School Inc-Report

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The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School Inc

SUMMARY

Mission

To train and educate a diverse student body in the Cuban method, with special emphasis on preparing talentedyoung artists for professional careers.

Contact Information

Primary Address 501 N BENEVA RD

SUITE 700

SARASOTA, FL 34232-1352

Phone 941 365-8400

Email [email protected]

Website www.sarasotacubanballetschool.com

Facebook sarasotacubanballetschool

General Information

Nonprofit The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School Inc

Former Names

Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, LLC

DanzAmerica Inc.

Tax Exempt Status Public Supported Charity

Incorporation Year 2014

State Charitable Solicitations Permit Yes Feb 2017

State Registration Yes Dec 2015


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BACKGROUND & NEEDS

Impact Statement

ACCOMPLISHMENTSMerging The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School with DanzAmerica, Inc., a 501 (c) (3)not-for-profit organizationthat supported The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, LLCs programs: They are now a single 501 (c) (3), TheSarasota Cuban Ballet School Inc. The merger was approved by the state of Florida and the IRS in January2015.

1.

Applying for and winning our first grant: We won a Tourists Development grant from Sarasota County. The

Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Inc. was the only new organization to win one this year.

2.

The success of our Summer Intensive program: Our six-week intensive ballet course for serious dancestudents was attended by 107 students from eight countries, several U.S. states and our local area. Tenstudents from the National Ballet School of Cuba participated.

3.

Our local faculty welcomed that schools internationally renowned director, Dr. Ramona de Saa, and masterteacher Ana Julia Burmudez. Other guest faculty included master teachers Roberto Machado, director ofEscuela Superior de Musica y Danza in Monterrey, Mexico and former Cuban National Ballet soloists MiguelCampaneria.

4.

Our major public performance: On Stage with the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School was the culmination of ourSummer Intensive. Presented August 1, 2015 at the Sarasota Opera House, the cast included students fromthe National Ballet School of Cuba and other talented, pre-professional young artists, who performed tocritical and audience acclaim. Our students achievements: Pre-professional students represented us atnational and international ballet competitions and consistently won the top prizes. Also, four of our graduatingstudents went on to professional companies.

5.

GOALSRaising more funds for scholarships for talented pre-professionals who cannot afford the training they need tosucceed.

1.

Expanding our Community Outreach program2.Growing our administrative staff3.Obtaining experienced new board members4.

Needs Statement

Funding for Scholarships: $4,500 yearly tuition for training program for pre-professional student; $1,800 tuition

6-week Summer Intensive program; $3,000 room and board for Summer Intensive program

Room and Board for out-of-town students in pre-professional program: Monthly rent, approximately $600;meals, approximately $400

1.

A 12-person van to transport students from their residences to our studio and to community performances:lease, approximately $500 per month; purchase price for used van, approximately $20, 000; donation of aused van in good

2.

Dancewear and pointe shoes and dance slippers for scholarship students: leotards/tights, $50 each set;pointe shoes, $85 per pair (approximately 4 pairs per student per month needed)

3.

Two carts to move portable sprung floor and Marley covering to community stages locations where we areasked to perform: The sprung floor and covering, which we have, are cumbersome to move but are necessaryto protect the dancers from injury.

4.

Background Statement

The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Inc. is the fulfillment of the American Dream for its founders, former Cuban

dancers Ariel Serrano and Wilmian Hernandez. Landing in Miami in 1993, they had little but the clothes on their

backs and the determination to build a new life in America. Their talent led to an invitation to join the Sarasota

Ballet where they danced principal roles.

After finishing their dance careers, they succeeded in business endeavors but dreamed of opening a ballet

school where they could train students in the Cuban style. In 2012, with their savings invested and sweat equity

earned, they launched The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School.

Starting with three students, the school grew as word spread of its excellent teaching. A major boost came in

2013 when, based on the prize-winning performances of its students, the school won Best School at the

regional Young America Grand Prix ballet competition in Atlanta,

Today the school has ballet classes of continuing levels of advancement for children from ages 3-4 (Creative


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Movement); ages 5-6 (Creative Movement II and Pre-ballet); ages 6-10 (Ballet Levels I and II); and ages 10 and

up (Ballet Levels III and IV). Introduction to the Cuban Method classes is for beginners in middle-and-high

school and there are ballet and dance conditioning classes for adults.

The schools rigorous Pre-Professional program for talented students aiming for dance careers is the most

advanced course. It draws international, national and local students, ages 12 to 18. They train for six hours per

day and pursue academics. Out-of- town students live in school- -approved housing. Most also attend the

schools six-week Summer Intensive program.

Regardless of their training level, all students receive instruction from experienced, caring teachers who treat

them with kindness and respect. Students receive individual attention and are schooled in dance conditioning to

avoid injury.

The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Inc. obtained non-profit status to seek community and foundation support in

three areas, scholarships for pre-professional students cannot complete their training without financial aid; a

community outreach program geared to exposing culturally underserved communities --especially children in

Title I schools-- to ballet; and the student/faculty foreign exchange program that has brought Cubans to

Sarasota, sent our students to Havana, and is pursuing exchanges with additional countries.

Statement from the Board Chair

I chose to support the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Inc. organization because I believe in its mission, and

that the founders of the school have demonstrated through their hard work and talent their devotion to the well-

being of their students and their desire to help students meet their potential. The founders, Ariel Serrano and

Wilmian Hernandez, who defected from Cuba, have become productive members of the community and I

believe they deserve the community's support. As a retired businessman, I have volunteered for many large

non-profits over the years. Working with a small, new organization in which I have developed a personal

relationship with the founders, has been a very different but very special experience. Everyone involved with the

school is working overtime to help us succeed and I am sure we will achieve our goals. I am pleased with the

relationships we have established with other non-profit organizations here and how they have welcomed us into

the non-profit community. A great example of this is the West Coast Black Theatre. I met with Nate Jacobs,

artistic director, and Julie Leach, executive director, to tell them about The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School. I

mentioned that when Ariel was in Baltimore to speak and demonstrate at a professional dance teaching

organization he had in his class an African American teenager of incredible talent. He invited him to come to our

school to train and gave him a scholarship. However, the young man needed a place to live. Nate immediately

offered to help and quickly found a benefactor who sponsored a room and a food stipend. The young man is

now thriving in his dance training.

Statement from the CEO/Executive Director

Areas Served

FL

International

National

Service Categories

Primary Organization Type Arts,Culture & Humanities

Secondary Organization Type Youth Development


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PROGRAMS

Training for Pre-professional Dancers

Description The schools rigorous, highly selective Pre-Professional program for

talented students aiming for dance careers is the most advanced course.

It draws international, national and local students, ages 12 to 18. They

train for six hours per day and pursue academics. Out-of- town students

live and take their meals in school-owned-or-approved housing for tenmonths of the year. Most also attend the schools six-week Summer

Intensive program, for which students must audition

Budget $75,000.00

Category Arts, Culture & Humanities, General/Other Dance Instruction

Program Linked to OrganizationalStrategy

Yes

Population Served Adolescents Only (13-19 years) US& International Hispanic, Latino

Heritage

Short Term Success By the end of the first year of rigorous training students will understand thenecessity of total devotion to the goal of becoming a professional dancer.

Long Term Success Students who graduate this program audition for ballet companies and are

usually successful. Some students decide to go to college and either

study dance to prepare further for careers as dancers or dance teachers,

arts administrators. Parents are often the ones who urge dance students

to go to college so they can have fallback careers. What ever course our

students decide to take, they have learned focus, discipline, and how to

live healthily.

Program Success Monitoring The success of our program is measured by the growth of the student

population each year and the success of our students in embarking on

professional dance careers.

Program Success Examples A student who recently graduated from our pre-professional training

program auditioned for the Milwaukee Ballet. She has started in their

second company but is doing well and is expected to join the first

company. Ballet is extremely competitive. Joining a company is like a

young baseball players going to the major leagues. Our program is too

young to have statistics but three others of our graduating seniors also

went to comaonies this year.

Comments

Program Comments by Organization

The schools rigorous Pre-Professional program for talented students aiming for dance careers is the most

advanced course. It draws international, national and local students, ages 12 to 18. They train for six hours per

day and pursue academics. Out-of- town students live in school-approved housing. Most also attend the

schools six-week Summer Intensive program. Our pre-professional program is growing by word of mouth as

our students win ballet competitions, enter ballet companies and our school receives more media exposure. We

need community support for this program because many of the best students cannot afford the training and we

find it difficult to turn down promising students even if they cannot afford the fees.


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MANAGEMENT

CEO/Executive Director

CEO/Executive Director Mr. Ariel Serrano

CEO Term Start Jan 2012

CEO Email [email protected]

Experience

Ariel Serrano was born in Oriente, Cuba. He began his training at the National School of Arts and then trained inItaly. He returned to Cuba in 1991 and brought his evident talent to Ballet Camaguey, under the direction of

Fernando Alonso, where he interpreted principal roles from the classical repertoire: Paquita, La Fille Mal

Gardee, Swan Lake, The Flower Festival, Guillermo Tell, Giselle, Coppelia, and Don Quixote. In 1992, he joined

the Youth Ballet of the National Ballet of Cuba under Laura Alonso, and under the artistic direction of Alicia

Alonso, he delighted audiences with his renditions of the pas de deux in works such as Diana and Acteon, Le

Corsaire, Sleeping Beauty, and Majismo as well as many contemporary works by Cuban choreographers. 1993

brought Serrano and his wife Wilmian Hernandez to Monterrey, Mexico, to perform with Ann Marie DAngelo

and her dance company. There he dazzled audiences in principal roles - in the full version of Swan Lake, The

Nutcracker and Nuestros Valses of Vicente Nebrada, as well as contemporary choreography of Ann Marie

DAngelo. In 1995, Artistic Director Robert de Warren recognized Serranos amazing energy and talent by

inviting him to perform as principal with the Sarasota Ballet of Florida. His vibrant adaptations of principal roles

in full performances of ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Carmen and a Midsummer

Nights Dream, have brought him great acclaim from Florida audiences. Serrano has worked with many great

names of the dance world such as Melissa Hayden, Cynthia Gregory, Fernando Bujones, and Laura Alonso. He

has toured Europe, America and Asia and one of the highest honors in Serranos young career was the chance

to participate in the ballet competition in Helsinki, Finland, where he finished with top honors.

Co-CEO/Executive Director

Co-CEO/Executive Director Mrs. Wilmian Hernandez

Co-CEO Term Start Jan 2012

[email protected]

Experience

A native of Cuba, Wilmian Hernandez graduated from the National School of Art in 1984 and commenced her

professional career under the artistic direction of Fernando Alonso at Ballet Camaguey. In 1988, Ms. Hernandez

was promoted to soloist and began dancing leading roles from the classical repertoire including Giselle,

Coppelia, Paquita, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Majisimo and Pas De Quatre. Ms. Hernandez joined Laura

Alonsos company in Havana, interpreting principal roles in Raymonda, Majisimo, Le Corsaire, Sleeping

Beauty, Diana and Acteon Pas de Deux, Don Quixote and the Black Swan, as well as other contemporary

repertoire. Invited by Marie DAngelo to join the Monterrey Ballet in Mexico in 1993, Ms. Hernandez danced

roles in the The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and in contemporary ballets choreographed by DAngelo and Cynthia

Gregory. During this time she also toured and performed in Europe, Asia and America. In 1995, Artistic Director

Robert De Warren invited Ms. Hernandez to perform as soloist with the Sarasota Ballet of Florida in roles suchas Bluebird in Sleeping Beauty, Herminia in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Le Corsaire, The Nutcracker and

Lehcar. Ms. Hernandezs sensitivity to the music and emotions of ballet have brought her warm applause from

Florida and worldwide audiences.

Senior Staff

Ms. Carol L. Hirschburg

Executive Director


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Staff & Volunteer Statistics

Full Time Staff 2

Part Time Staff 1

Staff Retention Rate % 100

Professional Development Yes

Contractors 5

Volunteers 20

Management Reports to Board Yes

CEO/Executive Director Formal Evaluation Yes

Senior Management Formal Evaluation Yes

NonManagement Formal Evaluation Yes

Collaborations

We have not yet collaborated with other organizations.

Comments

Management Comments by Organization

Our management challenge is that we have too few employees and the amount of work that needs to be done.

We greatly need clerical help and a project administrator to direct the timing and flow of the programs we

present throughout the year. A volunteer coordinator would be helpful to assign responsibilities to those who

would like to help. We also need a larger dance faculty to increase the number of students we serve in our

regularly scheduled classes. At the highest management level the schools founders, serve as co-Artistic

Directors, making joint decisions about artistic presentations such as performance dance content, music and

costumes. Co-founder Ariel Serrano is CEO and runs the school programs, making decisions such as hiring

staff, making student placement decisions, choosing performance venues, and negotiating contracts and

creating new programs. He is assisted by Executive Director Carol Hirschburg and Outreach Director Julie

McKinney. Co-founder Wilmian Hernandez is COO and runs the administrative side of the school with the help

of Office Administrator Magaly Hernandez. Carol Hirschburg is responsible for fund-raising, which she works on

with Board Chairman Leonard Kesten; public relations and marketing, development of printed materials and

grant research and writing. In lieu of hiring more full or part-time staff we need to make better use of our

volunteers and to consider the viability hiring consultants for various responsibilities.


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GOVERNANCE

Board Chair

Board Chair Leonard S. Kesten

Company Affiliation Retired

Board Term Jan 2015 to Dec 2015

Board Chair Email [email protected]

Board Members

Name Affiliation Status

Mr. Leonard S. Kesten Retired Voting

Mr. Eric F. Long Community Volunteer Voting

Mr. Ariel Serrano The Sarasota Cuban Ballet, Inc. Voting

Mr. Rolando Yanes Milwaukee Ballet Voting

Board Demographics - EthnicityAfrican American/Black 0

Asian American/Pacific Islander 0

Caucasian 2

Hispanic/Latino 2

Native American/American Indian 0

Other 0 0

Board Demographics - Gender

Male 4

Female 0

Not Specified 0

Governance

Board Term Lengths 1

Board Term Limits 2

Board Orientation No

Number of Full Board Meetings Annually 4

Board Meeting Attendance % 95

Board Self-Evaluation No

Written Board Selection Criteria Under Development

Percentage of Board Making MonetaryContributions

50

Percentage of Board Making In-Kind Contributions 100


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Constituency Includes Client Representation No

Comments

Governance Comments by Organization

Governance of The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Inc. is in the hands of Board of Directors Chair, Leonard

Kesten, a retired business owner and high-level volunteer for large Jewish organizations. Mr. Kesten is also the

(unpaid) Secretary-Treasurer of The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Inc. Working with an attorney and

accountant, he spear-headed the merger of DanzAmerica, Inc. and The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School,

ensuring that all the paperwork was done correctly, and he now monitors the completion of forms such as theIRS 990, state authorization to raise funds, and state corporate certification.

The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, Inc.s biggest governance challenge now is to build our Board of Directors,

which after the resignation of one member in August 2015, numbers just 4. Although we have not yet developed

a formally written Board recruitment plan, we are looking for people who are interested in our mission, have

board experience, and have the time to devote to our governance. A board member must also understand the

fund-raising and donating obligations of Board members and be willing to undertake them. We hope to build a

Board of seven members and are assessing people now to recruit.


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FINANCIALS

Current Financial Info

Fiscal Year Begins 2016

Fiscal Year Ends 2016

Projected Revenue $450,000.00

Projected Expenses $432,000.00

Endowment Value $0.00

Spending Policy N/A

Spending Policy Percentage 0

Tax Credits No

Capital Campaign

In a Capital Campaign No

Campaign Goal 0

IRS Form 990s

990-EZ The Sarasota Cuban Ballet School

990-N DanzAmerica

Audit/Financial Documents

Financial Statement

Danz America-SCBS Financial Stmt.

DanzAmerica Financials

Solvency

Short Term Solvency

Fiscal Year 2015 2014 2013

Current Ratio: Current Assets/CurrentLiabilities

8.29 1.86 0.08

Long Term Solvency

Fiscal Year 2015 2014 2013Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets 0% 0% 0%

Historical Financial Review

Revenue and Expenses

Fiscal Year 2015 2014 2013

Total Revenue $544,186 $77,978 $5,274

Total Expenses $511,018 $69,595 $9,723

Revenue Sources
http://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607585&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607584&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607588&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607587&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607586&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607586&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607587&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607588&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607584&approved=Truehttp://thegivingpartner.guidestar.org/ViewEdoc.aspx?eDocId=3607585&approved=True


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Fiscal Year 2015 2014 2013

Foundation and CorporationContributions

$0 $0 $0

Government Contributions $0 $0 $0

Federal $0 $0 $0

State $0 $0 $0

Local $0 $0 $0

Unspecified $0 $0 $0

Individual Contributions $127,821 $0 $5,274

Indirect Public Support $0 $0 $0

Earned Revenue $410,855 $77,978 $0

Investment Income, Net of Losses $0 $0 $0

Membership Dues $0 $0 $0

Special Events $0 $0 $0

Revenue In-Kind $5,500 $0 $0

Other $0 $0 $0

Expense Allocation

Fiscal Year 2015 2014 2013

Program Expense $371,899 $35,754 $5,139

Administration Expense $54,849 $33,841 $4,584

Fundraising Expense $0 $0 $0Payments to Affiliates $0 $0 $0

Total Revenue/Total Expenses 1.06 1.12 0.54

Program Expense/Total Expenses 73% 51% 53%

Fundraising Expense/ContributedRevenue

0% -- 0%

Assets and Liabilities

Fiscal Year 2015 2014 2013

Total Assets $43,143 $10,851 $2,468

Current Assets $41,201 $10,851 $464

Long-Term Liabilities $0 $0 $0

Current Liabilities $4,969 $5,845 $5,845Total Net Assets $38,174 $5,006 ($3,377)

Top Funding Sources

Fiscal Year 2015 2014 2013

Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Education & Tuition$271,895

Program ServiceRevenue $77,978

Contributions, gifts,grants $5,274

Second Highest Funding Source & DollarAmount

Contributions, gifts,grants $127,821

0 $0 0 $0

Third Highest Funding Source & DollarAmount

Program ServiceFees $49,773

0 $0 0 $0

CommentsFinancial Comments by Organization

The crux of financial needs is that as a young organization we are experiencing growing pains. For example,

we would like to recruit additional students but to provide our service (dance instruction) to them we need a

larger faculty, which, of course, we cant afford without more students. For our programs funded by donations

and grants scholarships for those pre-professional students who are extremely talented but in need of financial

aid, our community outreach program to culturally underserved communities, and our faculty-student foreign

exchange programwe need a fund-raising program assisted by a savvy and well-connected Board of

Directors, which we dont currently. Board chairman Leonard Kesten is working to identify potential Board

members and he and Executive Director Carol Hirschburg are expanding their contacts in the community. One

way we are achieving this is to hold short performances in our new Black-box studio, to which we plan


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to invite potential donors we have identified, or who are suggested to us by friends of the school, elected

officials, representative from other non-profit organizations and other groups in order to introduce the school to

them. We are also doing direct mail appeals to our donors, those who attend our performances and others on

our contact list. We also plan to have a fund-raising event in the future.

Financial Comments by Foundation

For 2013, financial information was taken from unaudited compilations prepared by an independent auditor, as

the organization filed a 990-N. For 2014, financial information was taken from 990-EZ, along with unaudited

compilations. Contributions include foundation and corporate support.For 2015 financial information was taken

solely from the audited compilations as the Federal tax return was not available at time of review. Income

includes the valuation of in-kind donations.


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PLANS, POLICIES & LICENSES

Plans

Fundraising Plan No

Communication Plan No

Strategic Plan No

Management Succession Plan Under Development

Continuity of Operations Plan No

Policies

Organizational Policies and Procedures No

Written Conflict of Interest Policy Under Development

Nondiscrimination Policy Yes

Directors and Officers Insurance Policy No

Whistle Blower Policy NoDocument Destruction Policy No

Affiliations

Affiliation Year

Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County 2015

Awards & Recognition

Award/Recognition Organization Year

Top prizes in all categories forstudents

Universal Ballet Competition 2015

5 gold and one silver medals wonby two students

Youth America Grand Prix, Denverregional competition

2015

1st, 2nd and 3rd place in women'sdivision-classical dance

International Student BalletCompetition, Havana Cuba

2015

Government Licenses

Is your organization licensed by the Government?No

Created 06.20.2016. Copyright 2016