At its annual meeting Wednesday, Milwaukee Ballet's executive leadership team announced that Milwaukee Ballet School has earned a full five-year accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD).

This makes the school the only accredited professional dance school in the Midwest and one of only 13 professional studio schools in the country.

The Ballet also extended Artistic Director Michael Pink's contract through 2011 and extended its collective bargaining agreements with its dancers through 2001 and orchestra musicians through 2009.

The Ballet announced that season subscriptions are up 130 seats over this point last year.