Press Contact: Titi Oluwo, WNET 212.560.4906, [email protected] Gabrielle Torello, Grand Communications 917-312-2832, [email protected] Press Materials: allarts.org/pressroom ALL ARTS Announces New Partnership with American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Isabella Boylston for Ballerina Book Club Launching with “The City We Became” by bestselling sci-fi fantasy author N. K. Jemisin Features new digital content including author interviews with Misty Copeland, a dedicated newsletter, original videos and more (NEW YORK – August 3, 2020) ALL ARTS, the free broadcast and digital platform dedicated to the arts, announced today a new partnership with Isabella Boylston and her Ballerina Book Club. Boylston, best known for her role as Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre in New York, is one of the world’s most popular dancers as well as an avid reader. ALL ARTS will enhance her monthly book club through new digital content including original videos, a monthly newsletter, author interviews with Boylston and ongoing editorial support. The first Ballerina Book Club selection with ALL ARTS is “The City We Became” by New York Times- bestselling and three-time Hugo Award-winning author N. K. Jemisin. Boylston will present an interview with the author, featuring reader questions, on August 20 and host the first Instagram live book club discussion on August 26. The book club will also feature additional author interviews with special guests each month, including a video interview with Misty Copeland on September 18. Copeland will be discussing her memoir, “Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina,” her picture book with Christopher Myers, “Firebird,” and her upcoming children’s book, “Bunheads,” slated to release September 29 from G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. “We are honored to partner with one of the world’s most talented dancers to encourage reading and share intimate conversations with authors,” said Diane Masciale, Co-Executive in Charge of ALL ARTS. “Our audience has a strong interest in both dance and literature, and Isabella has formed a truly unique personal connection with her audience. We are excited to join our resources to expand the reach of the Ballerina Book Club.” “I wanted to find a way to connect with my fans over something other than ballet,” said Boylston. “Growing up, I was always a huge book worm and I loved escaping into the pages of another world in the same way I loved to lose myself in the daily movements of ballet class. Now, I often turn to literature to inform my portrayals of the different characters I get to play onstage. Often, people have the misconception that dancers aren’t intellectually curious, but I’ve found the opposite to be true. My favorite genres are fantasy and sci-fi; but Ballerina Book Club will bring you an eclectic lineup of books and special guests. I hope that together, we can spark thoughtful and productive conversations.” Readers can head to allarts.org/ballerina-book-club-newsletter to sign up for the newsletter. “You do not need to be a dancer to join Ballerina Book Club, everyone is welcome! All you need is an open book and an open mind!” added Boylston. About ALL ARTS ALL ARTS is breaking new ground as the premier destination for inspiration, creativity and art of all forms. This New York Emmy-winning arts and culture hub is created by WNET, the parent company of New York’s PBS stations. With the aim of being accessible to viewers everywhere, ALL ARTS’s Webby-nominated programming – from digital shorts to feature films – is available online nationwide through allarts.org, the free ALL ARTS app on all major streaming platforms, and @AllArtsTV on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. New York area TV viewers can also watch the 24/7 broadcast channel. For all the ways to watch, visit allarts.org/everywhere. Leadership support for ALL ARTS is generously provided by Jody and John Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Rosalind P. Walter, and The Agnes Varis Trust. About WNET WNET is America’s flagship PBS station: parent company of New York’s THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its new ALL ARTS multi- platform initiative, its broadcast channels, three cable services (THIRTEEN PBSKids, Create, and World), and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education, and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each month. WNET produces and presents a wide range of acclaimed PBS series, including Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, and the nightly interview program Amanpour and Company. In addition, WNET produces numerous documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings, as well as multi-platform initiatives addressing poverty and climate. Through THIRTEEN Passport and WLIW Passport, station members can stream new and archival THIRTEEN, WLIW, and PBS programming anytime, anywhere. About Isabella Boylston Isabella Boylston was born in Sun Valley, Idaho, where she began dancing at the age of three. She later trained at the Boulder Ballet, the Colorado Ballet, and the Harid Conservatory. Isabella joined the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in 2005 after being spotted at the ABT summer intensive, and was invited to join American Ballet Theatre in 2007. She was promoted to soloist in 2011 and to the highest rank, Principal Dancer, in 2014. Her repertory with the Company includes Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, the title role in Giselle, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Gamzatti in La Bayadère, the Ballerina in The Bright Stream, Kitri in Don Quixote, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, the title role in Sylvia, Lise in La Fille Mal Gardee, Fancy Free, the title role in Alexei Ratmansky's Firebird, the Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, and Theme and Variations, among others. She has originated numerous leading roles in works by Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, and Benjamin Millepied. Ms. Boylston won the 2009 Princess Grace Award and was nominated for the 2010 Prix Benois de la Danse. In 2011 she received the Clive Barnes Award. She was the recipient of the 2014 Annenberg fellowship. She has appeared as a guest star with the Paris Opera Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet in St Petersburg, Russia, the Royal Danish Ballet, the National Ballet of China, and the Ballet Estable del Teatro Colon, among others. Isabella produced and starred in the film early Sunday Morning which premiered at the TriBeCa film festival. She plays Jennifer Lawrence’s dance double in the film Red Sparrow, in addition to appearing as herself as the principal dancer in the film's closing sequence. She has collaborated with a number of brands including Nike, Bobbi Brown, Olay, Clarins, Chanel, Cushnie et Ochs, Wolford, Norma Kamali, Naturalizer, and Walgreens, to name a few. She has been featured in countless publications from the New York Times to Vogue and Harpers Bazzar. Isabella works with the charity the National Dance Institute, which partners with public schools to offer free dance classes to kids in underserved communities. She also is the founding artistic director of Ballet Sun Valley, a festival which brings world class ballet performances and free dance classes for children to her hometown. ### .