About

Margot Fonteyn's Vision
Fonteyn Academy vs A Dance School
Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias
Kenneth Ludden, Director
News Press
MFAB Auditions July 8th
Peekskill Development
Release Archive
Background
Facilities

MFAB Part of Peekskill Development Picture

When Standard Brands closed its plant in 1977, Peekskill felt the affects immediately. As the suburban areas were "malled" and shoppers stopped coming to "Main Street", more businesses were forced to close and the city soon suffered from severe urban blight.

Over a decade later there are efforts to revitalize the sleepy town. At the forefront of this crusade are arts and culture institutions such as the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet, which has decided to make the unlikely spot of Peekskill its home.

As director Ken Ludden states, “Often people believe that to have first-rate arts & culture you need to be right in the middle of a major city; that certainly goes for what people think of arts education. However, I feel that cultivating your skills in an environment where you’re NOT bombarded by so many outside influences allows one the space and time for the introspection needed to become an artist.”

This belief is what has lead Ludden to establish the Academy, not in the glaring lights of Manhattan, but in the heart of Peekskill.

While the school is slowly becoming known to locals for offering first rate dance instruction, what many are unaware of is its prestigious beginnings and non-profit status. 

The Margot Fonteyn Academy is the first and only dance academy to carry the name of renowned ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn. In addition to being an internationally known prima ballerina and one time president of the Royal Academy of Dancing, Dame Fonteyn also received great acclaim for her work with famed dancer Rudolf Nureyev during the 60s and 70s. Through Founder and Director, Ken Ludden’s close association with Dame Fonteyn, both as a protégé and later as a friend, the idea for the academy was developed. Built on Dame Fonteyn’s belief that young artists should be exposed and instructed in divergent fields of the arts in order to develop a deeper understanding of their artistic endeavors, she and Ken Ludden worked together to develop an academy that taught not just dance, but a many artistic mediums. 

Ludden was able to raise the money to establish the academy through the non-profit organization, National Arts Group, which he created in 1978. Through the many programs being planned, the organization will allow underserved youth and promising artists to have the opportunity to grow through the arts and develop their talents regardless of their financial means. 

And the support doesn’t stop there. As Ken points out, Peekskill’s own burgeoning arts community can be credited with helping to make the Academy a reality. “Actually, Paula Carnabuci, who owns the building out of which the Academy operates, was pivotal in making this happen. She’s one of many people who would like to see the arts come to Peekskill and she has done everything in her power to make it possible for me and my staff to get the academy up and running.” 

In the end, Ludden believes it is the people who live and work in Peekskill who will ultimately bring the city back to life. “It’s not just about having arts or more nightlife, it’s about having something in your town that makes you want to stay and enjoy it.” 

Parents in Peekskill and the surrounding areas can become involved when the academy holds auditions for new students on July 8th. For more information on how to sign your child up for auditions, please call….