Milwaukee Ballet Renews Partnership with Medical College of Wisconsin

~Agreement extends in-kind medical support, rehab services and research for three years ~

Milwaukee, Wis. – March 29, 2010 – Today Milwaukee Ballet announced it extended its current partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin for an additional three years. The relationship has been a critical part of Milwaukee Ballet’s success for the past 20 years. Through the agreement, the Medical College supports Milwaukee Ballet with in-kind medical and rehab services, and conducts critical research in the field.

“We’re extremely grateful to the Medical College for their ongoing partnership,” said Dennis Buehler, Milwaukee Ballet executive director. “The support they provide is critical to our mission of ensuring our dancers’ health, safety, and overall well-being.”

The Medical College donates a wide variety of services to the Ballet throughout the year, including: physical exams for dancers; sports medicine staff on site at all performances; physical therapist and athletic therapist services weekly at the Ballet studio; physician services for treatment of injuries; injury prevention and treatment workshops; and shared use of a training facility at the Medical College. In return, the Medical College team gets the opportunity to work with some of the world’s most highly-trained athletes. This day-to-day contact provides physicians with crucial knowledge and data about how dance affects the structure, muscles, and bones of the human body.

“The Medical College is excited to continue its relationship with the Ballet, providing continued medical support for a group of world class artists and athletes,” said Dr. William Raasch, Medical College of Wisconsin orthopedic surgeon and director of the Sports Medicine Center. “The Medical College and Milwaukee Ballet are organizations based on community service and our relationship is an extension of that common goal. In this case, art and science truly make a wonderful pair.”