Thoughts/ Sentiments Before Visiting the Digital Space:
The Nutcracker. This is the performance that began my obsession with the Atlanta Ballet and a huge factor as to why I chose it for my digital built environment description. If you’re an Atlanta native or simply a fan of the arts then you’re definitely familiar with this company and the amazing performances they put on yearly. Before choosing the Atlanta Ballet as my digital environment I’d never visited their online site before. I imagined that their website would be full of eccentric images, colors, and sounds of syncopated orchestras in the background. My findings were actually the complete opposite of my assumptions.
Entering the Site:
I began my digital journey by typing in Www.AtlantaBallet.Com in my search bar. I arrived at my destination quickly and began to navigate through the site. Immediately at first glance I am surprisingly shocked (Refer to Image below in right hand corner). The colors on the welcome page varied between hues of gray and white and pop up colors of orange, burgundy, and blue. My initial thoughts were disappointment
and confusion. For this site to be dedicated to the arts, I expected something more extravagant and artistically eye catching. The tone of the welcome page was direct, commanding, and cold. The mood I observed while visiting this site was peaceful and insidious.
About the Atlanta Ballet:
The first thing (besides the welcome page) that I love to visit is the “About Us” section.
Navigating the Site:
Navigating through the site was fairly simple. Four tabs are located at the top of the page that are labeled “Atlanta Ballet, Centre For Dance Education, Subscribe, and Donate”.
Atlanta Ballet Tab:
This is the websites equivalent to a welcome page. Under the Atlanta Ballet tab, lists of upcoming performances for the 2015-2016 season are listed, advertisements for their classes for 2 years old and up are shown, also YouTube videos of dancers, and also ads to encourage people to sign up for newsletters are seen. Also lists of sponsors are shown.
Below are just a few of the sponsors that caught my attention.
Centre For Dance Education Tab:
Under this tab you are able to navigate and find out more about the dance curriculum, session times, prices, and also locations of the studios. The mood of the Centre for Dance Education is more cheerful and lighthearted than that of the welcome page. Colors are brighter and include pictures of children smiling and dancing (refer to the image on the right).
Subscribe Tab:
Under the Subscribe tab people are given a more detailed description of the past and upcoming performances for the season. Several subscribe buttons are placed on this page. The tone of the site returns to that of a serious and direct one. You are given a ton of information.
Donate Tab:
Under the donation tab site visitors are able to donate amounts of money to the Atlanta Ballet. The donation categories include:
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$1-$99- Support Atlanta Ballet
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$100-$249- Recognition on Atlanta Ballet’s website and in performance playbills
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$250-$499 Previous level’s benefits plus:
- Invitation to Coffee & Class
- A 10% discount at all Atlanta Ballet Boutique locations
Other Cool Content on the Site: