My name is Arsen Sumbatyan, and I’ve been working as a ballet accompanist for over ten years. This November, I plan to attend the Mark Morris Dance Accompaniment Training Program in New York — a four-day intensive that explores the connection between music and movement in ballet and modern dance.

The program combines observation, practice, and discussion, allowing musicians to refine their skills, learn new approaches to collaboration with dancers, and explore diverse dance traditions.

My goal is to experience different teaching methods and use that knowledge to create my own online course for ballet accompanists. There are very few structured educational resources for musicians interested in working with dance, and I want to make this field more accessible, inspiring, and professional for others.

The total cost of tuition, travel, and lodging is about $1,500.

Any contribution would go directly toward these expenses and help me take an important step toward developing a course that can benefit musicians around the world.

Thank you for supporting music education and the art of live accompaniment for dance.