What to Expect as an Alberta Ballet School Professional Division Dancer

Three Reasons Why Students Join Alberta Ballet School

 Alberta Ballet School is one of the best ballet schools in the world – and for good reason!

Unparalleled Training

When students join Alberta Ballet School, they receive unparalleled instruction. Our dynamic, experienced faculty emphasizes developing strength, technique, and artistry – from our preschool-level classes through to our most senior Professional Division students and everyone in between.

Academic Credits

 At Alberta Ballet School, Enrichment Program students attending high school are eligible to register in our Credit Program. Students in this program can receive up to 15 high school credits over three years through Alberta Ballet School, which will be reported on their Alberta Education transcript. Students can also earn credits through our Diploma Program, which provides a credential for students that recognizes the many hours of training and practice they have devoted to dance.

Professional Division students have a unique way to earn credits: by completing their academic programming through our accredited private school. Students in grades 7-12 take on-site classes that allow them to complete the requirements for an internationally recognized Alberta High School Diploma and graduate with the qualifications required to enter post-secondary studies.

Residence

 Non-local students in our Professional Division have an opportunity to participate in our Residence Program. This multicultural setting provides students with a home away from home and balances structured supervision, community-focused culture, and a setting for rest, relaxation, and physical recovery.

Alberta Ballet School’s residence is on its own private floor in Mount Royal University’s West Residence. Alberta Ballet School’s Residence Program includes accommodation in a secure building with full-time, on-site staff, a comprehensive meal plan, and daily transportation to and from school.

World-Class Dance Instruction in Edmonton and Calgary

 At Alberta Ballet School, all the world is a stage! We provide instruction in our Edmonton and Calgary Studios – but that isn’t the only place our students learn!

Our Facilities

Edmonton School

Our Edmonton location is in the Ruth Carse Centre for Dance. This thoughtfully constructed building is home to several recreational and professional dance companies. The facility features large dance studios, full change rooms, free parking, and a parent/student lounge in the front lobby.

Calgary School

Alberta Ballet School’s 30,000 square foot Calgary studio is in downtown Calgary. It features six large studios and six academic classrooms as well as a full costume department, on-site physiotherapy room, student change rooms with lockers, a lobby area, a retail store for dance apparel and supplies, administration offices, a welcoming reception, and an outdoor annex. Calgary is also home to our Professional Division.

Residence

Some of our greatest learning opportunities occur through our day-to-day experiences. Professional Division students from out of town have the unique opportunity to live in Residence 15 minutes away from our Calgary location. Students receive guidance from our Residence Team as well as from the entire Alberta Ballet School community.

Academic Learning at Alberta Ballet School

It’s no secret Alberta Ballet School is one of the best dance studios in Calgary. In fact, we just received the Top Choice Award for Best Ballet School in Calgary for 2022! What some people may be surprised to learn is that we are also an accredited private school with an exemplary academic faculty.

Accredited Private School

Alberta Ballet School provides onsite academic programming for Professional Division dancers in grades 7-12, which is designed to allow students to complete the requirements of an internationally recognized Alberta High School Diploma and graduate with the qualifications required to enter post-secondary studies. All students study Alberta Provincial curricular, and senior students are eligible to earn credits for their dance training.

Balance

Our Professional Division dancers dedicate 40 hours per week to Professional Division work, which includes both artistic and academic studies. This model affords students the opportunity to study, socialize, or pursue other interests instead of rushing from school to the studio and dancing through the evening.

Success

Our students benefit from small class sizes and a positive, personalized learning environment. Nearly 50 per cent of our students in both grades 9 and 12 achieve excellence (80% or higher) on their diplomas and achievement tests, and eighty-seven per cent of our students achieve honour roll status and leadership or citizenship awards.

Residence Program

Alberta Ballet School offers a residence program for all Professional Division dancers, simplifying the process for dancers to pursue their love of dance while maintaining their academic integrity and increasing their independence. Our residence is located at Mount Royal University’s West Residence: a secure building with full-time, on-site staff, a comprehensive meal plan, and transportation to and from school.

Your Alberta Ballet School Faculty Members

Alberta Ballet School is proud to be the best one of the best ballet schools in the world – and that’s in large part to our incredible Professional Division team. Students in our Professional Division receive world-class instruction from a dynamic and varied faculty as well as guest teachers from around the world.

Our Professional Division faculty include not only artistic professionals, but academic and administrative professionals, too. Alberta Ballet School also offers a residence program for all its Professional Division dancers, and those students benefit from full-time, on-site staff. To assist our students, our school has a Head of Residence who is dedicated to making Alberta Ballet School residence a home away from home.

Alberta Ballet School Residence 

 Alberta Ballet School is a highly acclaimed dance school that captures the attention of skilled dancers across the world. We are proud to provide instruction not only to residents of Edmonton and Calgary. Out-of-town Professional Division students have a unique opportunity to participate in our Residence Program.

Professional Division

This exceptional program has been thoughtfully created to give students the opportunity to combine their artistic training with on-site, accredited private school academic programing. Each school day is equally divided into artistic and academic instruction, and provides opportunities to hone both social and leadership skills.

Residence at Mount Royal University

This full-service program is housed in Mount Royal University’s West Residence, a secure facility on a private floor. Students have the opportunity to live in a multicultural community with other Professional Division dancers while getting support from the entire Alberta Ballet School community – including its Residence team. Residence provides the perfect balance of structured supervision, community-focussed culture, and rest, relaxation, and recovery.

On-Site Health and Wellness Services

Alberta Ballet School provides a variety of on-site health and wellness services for all Professional Division students We take a holistic approach and work together on getting a diagnosis and prognosis and working toward recovery. Students benefit from physiotherapy, massage, naturopathic services, chiropractic care, as well as nutritional and sport care.

What Comes Next for Alberta Ballet School Students?

When looking for the best dance studios in Calgary or the best dance studios in Edmonton, Alberta Ballet School routinely comes up in the results – and for good reason: Alberta Ballet School is the best ballet academy in the world, and it attracts talented dancers from across the globe.

Professional Division

Many students who pursue dance do so primarily for the recreational and social benefits dance brings. Our Calgary-based Professional Division is geared toward aspiring professional dancers and provides those students the opportunity to seamlessly combine their artistic and academic studies.

Post-Graduate Program

Alberta Ballet School’s Professional Division offers a two-year to nurture aspiring dancers who have already met the requirements of a high school diploma. The overall goal of the program is to set students up for success as professional dancers.

Alberta Ballet Trainee Program

In partnership with the Alberta Ballet Company, Alberta Ballet School also offers am Alberta Ballet Trainee Program to bridge the gap between training and a career in dance. This avant-garde one-year program was created for incredibly talented dancers who are on the brink of professional dance careers. Students are selected from the post-graduate program and through an international audition tour.

A Professional Career in Dance

Alberta Ballet School provides students with the support and opportunities required to pursue a professional career in dance. For more than 30 years, we have been part of the success stories of leading dancers around the world. You can read some of our alumni’s stories here.

A World Outside of Dance

Some students ultimately choose to pursue studies or employment outside of dance. The lessons they learn at Alberta Ballet School and the discipline they develop are transferable skills that will help carry them throughout their lives. The training our dancers receive extends far past the studio and onto the world stage – wherever that may be.

Alberta Ballet School is truly in a class of its own. Whether you have yet to graduate from high school or you have already earned your high school diploma, we are here to support you every step of the way. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you follow your dreams!