for Houston Ballet, its Academy, and scholarship programs. The first annual Nutcracker Market was met with great anticipation, and former First Lady Barbara Bush was among those in attendance. She would return both in 1986 and 2010 for the ribbon-cutting which opened the Market. Frazier's dream has grown steadily and spectacularly ─ from humble beginnings in a church bazaar setting to a four-day shopping extravaganza at NRG Center. Annually, more than 100,000 customers shop to raise over $4.5 million for Houston Ballet, making the Market the single largest source of contributed income for the Houston Ballet Foundation. With its many projects, initiatives, and direct contributions, as well as proceeds from the annual Nutcracker Market, Houston Ballet Guild has contributed over $86 million to Houston Ballet since its inception. Locations 1st location – After receiving the official charter in 1955, Houston Ballet Foundation Board member Preston Bolton renovated his garage at 813 Lovett Boulevard into a dance studio. 2nd location - In January 1963, Houston Ballet moved from its original garage apartment into a studio at 5115 Westheimer. 3rd location - In August 1964, the company moved into a more centrally located second-story location at 2018 West Gray, with two studios and a small office. 4th location – Upon his arrival, Stevenson insisted on more studio space if he were to successfully grow the school and the company. Mrs Harmon Whittington, a generous board member, financed the purchase of new ground-level quarters at 2615 Colquitt, with four studios nearly tripling Houston Ballet's available rehearsal space to 17,500 square feet. 5th location – In 1984, Houston Ballet raised $5 million to buy, renovate and equip a two-story garment factory at 1921 West Bell Street, creating a new training, rehearsal, and office facility for the growing company, academy, and administrative staff. 6th location – In 2011, Houston Ballet moved to its state-of-the-art [citation needed] facility, Houston Ballet Center for Dance, at 601 Preston Street in downtown Houston. Houston Ballet Center for Dance With 115,00 square feet spread over six floors and containing nine studios, Houston Ballet Center for Dance is the largest building dedicated to a professional dance company in the United States. The first floor of the Center for Dance houses the Margaret Alkek Williams Dance Lab, a black box facility that is regularly used for educational performances, lecture series, design meetings, and rehearsals. In addition to all Houston Ballet Administrative Offices,