About Us
Training the Dancers of Tomorrow–Today!
Classical Ballet Academy of Northern Virginia was founded in 1992 by Cynthia Donavin, who has been the Academy's Artistic Director since its inception.
Classical Ballet Academy provides the best ballet education in the region, offering classes in classical ballet at all levels from Tiny Tot through Time Release, Stretch, Jazz, Modern, Character and Pointe. Our adult programs include ballet, Jazz and stretch.
At the Classical Ballet Academy, we ask the very best from each student. In return, we give the care and attention each student deserves while stressing the values of commitment to excellence, hard work, discipline and artistic growth in a positive environment. The professional faculty of the Academy provides quality instruction in small group settings.
In addition to our regular curriculum the Academy offers intensive daily professional track training to exceptional High School students, who earn PE credit with Fairfax County Public Schools for participation in our Time Release Program.
Our Pinky Program is a Lower Division professional track program. These classes for talented 9-12 year olds provide daily training that instills the basic principles of the Vaganova Methodology of Classical Ballet training.
Both the Time Release and the Pinky programs are by audition and invitation only. In addition, a small nucleus of young dancers are selected from the upper division of the Academy for Classical Ballet Theatre, the school's affiliated performing company. However, all dancers from Ballet I and above have the opportunity to perform in at least one major production per year. Our students earn the principal roles in our productions, not faculty members or guest artists as you will find in some youth companies. Our confidence in our dancers' abilities and training is justified in the quality of their performances in such roles as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella.
Our students are encouraged to audition for placement in nationally renowned summer intensive programs, and it is not uncommon for a dozen or more students to attend summer programs on scholarship at acclaimed schools such as San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre,Alvin Ailey and School of American Ballet.