Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s Track Record of Training Professional Dancers Speaks for Itself
For serious ballet students aiming for professional careers, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s 5-Week Summer Ballet Program is dedicated to the growth of its dancers. “When you return home, teachers are surprised by the amount of improvement their students have made in a mere five weeks,” says Nicholas Ade, CEO of CPYB.
The secret to CPYB’s success in training generations of professional dancers is founder Marcia Dale Weary’s curriculum that emphasizes clarity of technique, which the school has championed since 1955. Ade adds that the faculty are hyper-focused on student improvement above all else: “There isn’t a set company ‘style’ you are trying to assimilate your dancing to. You have guest teachers from all different backgrounds to improve your technique so that you can be molded into any type of dancer.” Alumni have graced rosters at companies such as New York City Ballet, Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Houston Ballet.
Hoping to spread its mission to as many dance students as possible, CPYB has instituted a unique Scholarship and Summer Tour, which gives students initial exposure to Weary’s curriculum and offers Q&A sessions for dancers (and their parents and local teachers) to help them make informed decisions about their summer study options. Dancers who attend the tour are considered for summer, academic-year, and multiyear scholarships.
In addition to focusing on technique in the studio, the 5-Week Summer Ballet Program offers tools for dancers to bolster their overall wellness. “We look at it from the perspective of taking care of the whole student, not just the dancing portion of that student,” says Ade. Dancers will have access to a conditioning room, physical therapy, massage therapy, and Hyperice recovery equipment, plus one-on-one conditioning and sports-psychology coaching. “If you can condition your body, dance, and recover with a broader perspective of what your body is capable of, then that knowledge will empower you,” says Ade, noting that the takeaways extend from dancers’ time at CPYB and throughout their careers.
5-Week Summer Ballet Program
Program size: 300+ students
Age range: 8–19
Performance opportunities: No
Tuition: $3,340; scholarships available
Room/board: $3,600; housing available for students 13+ on the campus of Dickinson College on a first-come, first-served basis
Daily schedule: Four classes per day Monday–Friday, one class Saturday. Classes include ballet, pointe, men’s classes, variations, repertory, contemporary, partnering, conditioning, and more.
Additional opportunities: Via the Summer and Scholarship Tour, students are considered for summer, academic-year, and multiyear scholarships.
Alumni: Ashley Bouder, David Gabriel, Alexa Maxwell, Jonathan Stafford (New York City Ballet); Aran Bell (American Ballet Theatre); Jeffrey Cirio, Lia Cirio (Boston Ballet); Leta Biasucci (Pacific Northwest Ballet); Rylan Doty (Houston Ballet); Joseph Gerhardt, Braden Hart, Madeline Rogers (Carolina Ballet)
Important dates: January 3–15, 2024: Scholarship and Summer Tour; January 22: Scholarships awarded; June 15–July 20: 5-Week Summer Ballet Program
If you’re ready to experience Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet firsthand, apply for the summer program here or register now for the Scholarship and Summer Tour, making stops in 15 cities, including Seattle, WA; Orlando, FL; Los Angeles, CA; Atlanta, GA; San Francisco, CA; Columbia, SC; San Diego, CA; Chicago, IL; Raleigh, NC; Washington, DC; Houston, TX; New York, NY; Miami, FL; Boston, MA; and Denver, CO.
