Princeton Ballet Society

Princeton Ballet School has gained a national reputation for its excellent dance training since its founding in 1954 by Audre Estey. Princeton Ballet School currently enrolls approximately 600 students annually from age three through adult at studios in Cranbury, New Brunswick, and Princeton. All ballet classes are offered with live piano accompaniment. Many of Princeton Ballet Schools faculty members have performed professionally; others have attained graduate degrees in dance education and have won awards for their teaching. Students from the school have gone on to dance on Broadway and in professional ballet and contemporary dance companies in the U.S. and abroad. Graduates have danced with such diverse organizations as the American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, STREB, Momix, Complexions, Mark Morris Dance Company, Twyla Tharp Dance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, New York Theatre Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Ballet Met Columbus, and American Repertory Ballet.

ARBs Access & Enrichment programs are multi-faceted engagement efforts, such as in-school residencies, community events, student matinee performances, and specially designed class offerings, such as Dance for Parkinson's classes for people with Parksinon's disease and their caregivers. Each year, ARB engages approximately 10,000 children and families of varying ages, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds through its Access & Enrichment programs. ARBs flagship residency program, DANCE POWER is the longest continuously running community and arts partnership in the state, serving nearly 800 New Brunswick students each year. All 3rd grade students in New Brunswick have DANCE POWER incorporated into their physical education class for 20 weeks. At the end of the residency, 40 scholarships are presented to students so they can continue dancing at Princeton Ballet School from 4th grade through their senior year of high school on full tuition scholarship, becoming DANCE POWER Scholars. Over 50,000 public school students in the New Brunswick area have reaped the rewards of dance education through this acclaimed program since its inception in 1986.Founded by Dr. Penelope Lattimer in collaboration with American Repertory Ballet and the New Brunswick Board of Education, the DANCE POWER curriculum was originally written by a committee of dance educators and New Brunswick school administrators, and it remains a working document that is updated regularly to meet and exceed the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for the Visual and Performing Arts. At the end of each academic year, students are invited to showcase their new skills for friends and family in a culminating performance. This final performance, called Waiting in the Wings, is highly-anticipated and serves as a powerful visual reminder of the programs impact on the local community. Other programs have been created as supplements to and adaptations of DANCE POWER. These initiatives include DANCE POWER summer camp, Hip Hop Revolution (making connections between ballet technique and other dance forms, such as hip hop), and DANCE POWER Limitless (designed specifically for students with disabilities). In 2021, DANCE POWER received the Distinction in Dance Award from the Dance Studies Association. The Association cited the programs impressive reach, quality, and impact on the field of dance studies.

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) is New Jerseys preeminent professional ballet company, presenting classical and contemporary works to engage and inspire audiences. Founded in 1963 as part of the Princeton Ballet Society, ARB has been designated a Major Arts Institution by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The Company has also been awarded a Citation of Excellence by the Council, and frequently voted the Jersey Arts Peoples Choice Award for Favorite Dance Company. SInce 2021, ARB has been led by the world-class leadership team of Ethan Stiefel, Artistic Director; and Gillian Murphy, Artistic Associate. Together, they are shepherding ARB into a new era of artistic excellence, fusing strong classical technique with a fresh contemporary approach. ARB dancers hail from the United States, Italy, Japan, France, Brazil, and more, sharing their unique training and influences to create a dynamic and visionary team of artists. ARB2, American Repertory Ballets second company, is a development company for talented young dancers. The mission of ARB2 is to advance the next generation of artists and ensure that these talented young dancers are ready for the next step in their careers. Dancers in ARB2 work directly with the main company on a daily basis, training, rehearsing and frequently performing with the professional company.