Youth America Ballet

PCAD introduces the Academy of Classical Ballet (ACB) as the official school of Youth America Ballet. The official school was formerly called "Academy."

Our classical program is PCAD's streamlined version of the new Academy of Performance Artistry and is designed for dancers who, due to personal preference, time restraints and/or academic commitments, desire training in classical ballet and do not choose to participate on a Performance Team nor cross train in multiple genres.

Dancers in compliance with ACB's curriculum and attendance requirements are eligible to compete at high caliber ballet competitions anywhere in the world including but not limited to YAGP, IBC, ABC, and Prix De Lausanne.

The curriculum is focused on classes which provide students optimal training for professional employment or university level dance majors. Although PCAD encourages ALL dancers to train in multiple genres for maximum employment potential, we have formed the ACB for dancers seeking classical ballet training only.

In the summer, PCAD hosts a three to five week summer intensive attended by advanced students from all over the world. Guest Artists visiting us over the years include Alexander Khmelnitski from Stuttgart Ballet, Boris Akimov and Larissa Saveliev of the Bolshoi Ballet, Gailene Stock and Gary Norman from Royal Ballet, Max Ratevosian from National Ballet of Canada, Nancy Raffa, Susan Jaffe, Irina Dvorovenka, Maxim Beloserkorsky, and Ethan Brown from ABT, Elena Legat Solovieva from Kirov Ballet, Roberto Almaguer from National Ballet of Cuba, Martine Harley from Houston Ballet, and internationally-acclaimed choreographer Eloy Barragan-Perez.

Students enjoy the use of performance-sized state of the art studios equipped with sprung floors and covered in protective Marley. Personal lockers, kitchen facilities and a fully-equipped Pilates studio* are available to Academy dancers. Entry to the intensive is by audition only.

ACB Faculty: Artistic Directors Vladimir and Nina Kolesnikov, Ballet Mistress Maria Lazar