JOIN OUR SCHOOL
Thank you for your interest in PBT School programming!
We hope to welcome you and your dancer to experience the joy of ballet under the instruction of our experienced and passionate faculty!
We are always excited to meet new families and provide an opportunity for you to tour our facilities, meet our faculty and staff, allow your child to take a sample or placement class and learn more about how to join our PBT School Community.
Come dance with us!
CHILDREN’S DIVISION | Ages 1.5-8
Open House: April 21 from 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
Join us to experience the joy of ballet at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School! There will be opportunities to learn about a proper ballet hairstyle, pointe shoes, and tutus. You will have a chance to take a photo with a ballerina and also participate in a ballet class. The afternoon will culminate with a special performance of a dance you will learn that day alongside some of our older students. To register for this free event, click here. Please email pbtschool@pittsburghballet.org with additional questions.
STUDENT DIVISION | Ages 7-13
Placement Class: April 25 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
This free Placement Class includes a tour of the facilities, meeting with faculty and admin, and a Q&A following class. To register for this ballet class with live accompaniment, click here. | Can’t make this date? If your dancer is 7+ and interested in joining the Student Division, please email us at pbtschool@pittsburghballet.org to set up a placement class.
PRE-PROFESSIONAL DIVISION | Ages 13-22
For dancers 13-22 looking to audition for the 2024 Summer programming, and/or the Pre-Professional Division for the 2024-25 school year, video submissions are currently being accepted. Please visit our page on DanceApply to submit your video. More information is posted on our Auditions page.
WHY BALLET?
The beauty, athleticism and expression of ballet as an art form are well-known, but there are many other benefits to ballet that extend to a dancer’s life both inside and outside the studio.
As a PBT School student, your child will become part of a school community committed to cultivating dancers as well-rounded individuals.
Via a high-quality dance curriculum, ballet classes at PBT School also instill the following values in students:
- Building confidence and creativity via artistic expression and storytelling
- Improving physical wellness, including flexibility, posture and promotion of an active lifestyle
- Developing a musical ear and associated mathematical skills
- Encouraging self-discipline and an increased attention span
- Fostering community and social skills in a safe, fun and nurturing environment
WHY PBT SCHOOL?
As the official training institution of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, PBT School is recognized as one of the nation’s finest schools for dance education and training. In all of its divisions, it combines a top-tier curriculum informed by proximity to a professional company with a supportive community and knowledgeable faculty.
Joining the PBT School community invites families into the world of a professional ballet company, allowing for opportunities unmatched by any other dance school in the region.
HIGHLIGHTS OF PBT SCHOOL AND THE PBT COMPANY
Classes and Faculty
- Classes are accompanied by live piano music in all divisions. Music theory is a part of the curriculum beginning in Level 3 of the Student Division.
- Our Children’s Division Boys class is taught by PBT company members, focusing on coordination, strength, control, flexibility and how to work as a team.
- All faculty in the Children’s and Student Divisions completed American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum for Levels Preparatory – Level 5 in June 2021
- Our full-time faculty have danced with some of the foremost ballet companies in the world, including American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and more.
Observations and Performances
- Family Observation Weeks occur two times throughout the school year in the Children’s and Student Division.
- Dancers in the Children Division have an end of the year demonstration on their last day of class.
- Each December, dancers in the Student Division have the opportunity to perform onstage at the Benedum Theater in the PBT Company production of The Nutcracker.
- Each May, dancers in the Student Division have the opportunity to perform in a culminating Spring Show at Point Park University’s Pittsburgh Playhouse.
The Company
- Pittsburgh Ballet Theater Company employs 30 dancers and 6 apprentices that perform in the Cultural District throughout the year.
- Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre holds an annual Black Tie Ball that all school families are invited to attend.
- School families receive discounts on subscription packages and Community dance and fitness classes.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH DIVISION MY CHILD WILL BE IN?
How old will your child be on September 1st, 2023?
Your child must be at least 18 months old as of September 1st, 2023 to enroll in the academic school year of 2023-2024. Students who do not meet this age cut off, will need to wait to enroll in our programming during the 2024-2025 academic school year.
6 years or under: they will be in the children’s division for the academic year 2023-2024 and the summer of 2024. Even if your child has a birthday during the school year, their placement will not change during the academic school year of 2023-2024 and summer 2024. Your student will not require a placement class.
7 years or older: they will be in the student division for the academic year 2023-2024 and the summer of 2024. Your student will require a placement class in order to be registered for the academic year 2023-2024.
CHILDREN’S DIVISION
Registration now open for 23/24 school year!
Our Children’s Division is for dancers starting out in their ballet journey, typically between the ages of 2 – 6 years old.
We place students in this division primarily based on their age, from Grown Up and Me classes for our youngest dancers through Pre-Ballet 6.
Any dancer may sign up for an age-eligible Children’s Division class, regardless of ballet experience.
STUDENT DIVISION
Our Student Division is for dancers ages 7 years and up who wish to continue their ballet training. Classes focus on technique, repertoire and varied dance disciplines.
Beginning with the Preparatory level, dancers develop flexibility, strength, alignment and turnout. The Student Division culminates in Level 5. After Level 5, dancers may be evaluated for placement in our career-track Pre-Professional Division for our most advanced training.
We place students in the Student Division based on the class that will best suit their continued development as a dancer. Dancers who wish to join this division must take a placement class in order for our faculty to assess the best option for them.
Please join us for the Student Division Placement Class (above) to begin the process of having your child placed in the Student Division. If you cannot attend this class, please contact us at pbtschool@pittsburghballet.org.
PRE-PROFESSIONAL DIVISION
Our Pre-Professional Division (encompassing Levels 6 through 8 and our Graduate program) is a home for dancers who are committed to training on a career-track curriculum. Inspired by the realities of a professional ballet company, this division trains the next generation of professional dancers.
Students train six days a week in a classically based curriculum supervised by our Head of Pre-Professionals, Marjorie Grundvig. Our faculty members bring perspectives from a diverse range of professional dance companies and work closely with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre artistic staff to encourage dancers to cultivate a style that reflects their vision and adapts well to the demands of a professional ballet company.
Pre-Professional dancers benefit from regular exposure to PBT’s professional company dancers and artistic leadership.
Students entering our Pre-Professional Division are required to attend one of our summer programs. Summer program attendance is an important opportunity for dancers to build a rapport with PBT School faculty and staff, as well as to acclimate to the rigors of our school’s training schedule.
COMMUNITY CLASSES (PBT EDUCATION)
We welcome adult learners of all levels, ages 14 and up, to attend our open Community dance and fitness classes. These classes are not considered part of PBT School, as they fall under the programming organized by PBT’s Education Department.