Grant Application for
Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra
Mission Statement:
The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra (GLCO) entertains, educates, and inspires through live, professional, community-connected orchestral programming.
Founded in 2000 as an outlet for community musicians from Emmet County, GLCO has grown into an award-winning professional orchestra of 70 musicians and 40 auditioned chorus members, serving families across seven counties with a combined population of 150,000.
Fiscal agent if applicant is not tax exempt:
Tax ID Number:
30-0084912
Contact First Name:
Contact Last Name:
Andrea
Ondras
Address:
219 East Lake Street
Email:
Phone Number:
8135282107
Website:
Project Name:
Stravinsky's Rite of Spring
Project start and end dates:
July 15, 2025
July 17, 2025
Amount Requested:
$
3000
Project Description:
The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra (GLCO) is proud to present Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring—a groundbreaking work never before performed in our community. Its 1913 premiere in Paris famously caused a riot, shocking audiences and forever changing the course of classical music. This production will feature a world-premiere ballet choreographed by Tess Sinke, a Michigan-based female artist and artistic director of DEOS Contemporary Ballet.
This is more than a performance. This collaboration brings a revolutionary masterpiece typically reserved for major cities to our rural region—and creates creative opportunity for underrepresented voices in arts.
“I feel both the privilege and responsibility to use our platform to elevate underrepresented female voices in the arts, and we’re fortunate to serve a community that powers that mission,” says GLCO Music Director Libor Ondras. “
DEOS will also lead a free masterclass for young girls at Crooked Tree School of Ballet.
Goal of the Project
How many people will you reach?
500
What percentage are female?
70
If your program serves both males and females, how will Hestia funds specifically target women and girls?
The performance includes 6 female dancers, 2 male dancers and a female choreographer. Hestia funds will directly support the participation of seven women by covering accommodations, travel, and technical support tied specifically to the new choreography created by female artist Tess Sinke. Funds will not be used for direct compensation of the dancers.
Additionally, Hestia funds will support a free masterclass led by DEOS at Crooked Tree School of Ballet, whose student body is predominantly girls and whose Artistic Director is also a woman, Heather Raue.
How are recipients identified or selected to receive services? Is financial need considered?
Recipients of this opportunity were selected based on artistic expertise and alignment with the project’s vision to elevate underrepresented voices in the arts. Choreographer Tess Sinke, a Michigan-based female artist, was chosen to lead the world-premiere ballet based on her creative vision and her leadership at DEOS Contemporary Ballet. The cast includes six women and two men—further centering women in both creative and performance roles.
Additionally, girls enrolled in the Crooked Tree School of Ballet will be invited to participate in a free masterclass with DEOS dancers and receive complimentary access to the performance. This outreach ensures local students—especially young women pursuing ballet—can experience direct mentorship and inspiration from professional female artists.
What do you hope to achieve? What difference will this make in the lives of women and girls?
How will this project meet Hestia's mission statement?
By commissioning a new choreography, we are fostering creative opportunities that push artistic boundaries while amplifying underrepresented voices in ballet.
As DEOS Artistic Director Tess Sinke said: “As a female choreographer, the chance to choreograph such a famous and important work is incredibly exciting. Fewer than one-third of dances performed in 2024 by the 150 largest ballet companies were choreographed by women. I’m grateful to GLCO and the northern Michigan community for this opportunity. It’s deeply personal and powerfully important for advancing women in the arts.”
This project embodies Hestia’s mission by:
~Elevating the voice of a female choreographer in a male-dominated field
~Giving young girls access to professional-level mentorship and artistic excellence in their own community
~ Setting a visible example of women leading major artistic projects, which can inspire girls to envision their own future in the arts.
GLCO is absorbing all costs associated with travel, lodging, tech, rehearsals, performance, and the ballet masterclass for students to ensure that no financial barriers prevent participation. Students from Crooked Tree will receive both the masterclass and performance access free of charge.
How will you evaluate or measure your success:
We will evaluate the success of this project through both qualitative and quantitative measures:
Audience Engagement: Attendance numbers, post-performance surveys, and community feedback will gauge impact and reach.
Participant Impact: Feedback from the female choreographer and dancers involved, as well as reflections from students participating in the masterclass, will help us assess the significance of the opportunity.
Media & Visibility: Coverage in local and regional press, as well as social media engagement, will demonstrate the project's broader resonance.
Legacy: The creation of an original ballet by a female choreographer in northern Michigan, and the inspiration it provides for future generations, will serve as a lasting testament to the project's success.
Grant Project Budget Form
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