CBA’s FAQ & Etiquette

Email us at [email protected] to schedule a trial at our 29 North location or Downtown at IX. The first class is complimentary!

Our 29North facility is located at 1885 Seminole Trail at the intersection of Woodbrook Drive and Rt. 29. When you turn into our parking lot, you’ll want to immediately turn left and drive around to the front of the building. You can find us in the double glass doors between US Cellular and Play it Again Sports — our big “Charlottesville Ballet” sign is below our studio, not our front entrance! Our Downtown facility is located at 949 Second Street, SE, Suite #404 at the IX Art Park. We are located to the right of Brazos Tacos.

You may find free parking along the front, back, or side of the building at our North location and there is free parking in the parking lots at the IX Art Park for our Downtown location. Please use caution when driving in the parking lots!

You can transfer or drop a class at our CBA locations (29North or Downtown at IX) by emailing CB Finance Manager, Ali Brent at [email protected] anytime before the first of the month. Example: October tuition is charged on October 1, so if you wish to drop the class for October, notice must be given by September 30.  Enrollment/Drop Deadlines: Children’s Division and Up: December 15 is the last day to enroll, drop, or transfer classes. First Steps Division: March 1 is the last day to enroll, drop, or transfer classes.

A ballet bun is a classic hairstyle used by dancers that serves both a functional and aesthetic purpose. It keeps the hair secure and away from the face and provides a clean line. The hair is first secured in a ponytail and is then wrapped around in a coil around the head and secured with bobby pins. You can watch this quick tutorial for help with one bun-making technique. A bun is preferred if possible, but not required for CBA ballet classes. Students that are not able to put their hair in a bun may pull their hair up off the neck, and may use any hair product suitable for their hair type to help keep their hair out of their face while dancing.

You are welcome to make up a missed class in any age-level appropriate class during the same academic year session or summer session at our CBA locations only (at 29North or Downtown at IX classes). Make-ups may be taken in the same genre as a student’s scheduled class, but students are also welcome to explore other genres. Please contact the front desk or email [email protected] to schedule a make-up class.

Email [email protected] or give us a ring and we’ll let your teacher know! North Location Phone: 434.973.2555 Downtown Location Phone: 434.227.7592

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Charlottesville Ballet is dedicated to providing dance training to students and families from all backgrounds. Financial assistance is available for all families that qualify, with distribution determined by the amount of financial resources available for the current season. If you are interested in applying for Financial Aid, please click this link to learn more about applying: Financial Aid Application.

CBA requires a credit card to be kept on file by all families. If you would like to pay monthly tuition with cash or check you may do so, however it must be paid prior to the first of the month. If tuition is not paid with cash or check, then the credit card on file will be charged on the first of every month (during the academic year).

Please email CBA Academy Manager, Cordelaine Klyne at [email protected] as soon as you know that your student will be unable to participate in the annual academic year Spring Performance (Children’s Division classes and up). You will not be charged the costume rental fee of $35 in November if you inform CBA prior to November 1. CBA offers no refunds for costume rental fees or performance fees once they are paid, even if students are unable to participate in the Spring Performance. Classes begin practicing for the Spring Performance towards the end of January; teachers spend no more than 15 minutes of class rehearsing. Students unable to perform will be asked to understudy, learn, and practice the choreography with the rest of the class.

A Spring Performance Fee will be assessed for each student at CBA that participates in the academic year Spring Performance. Tickets will be FREE for the performances. As a non-profit organization, we try to keep costs as low as possible for CBA families. The Spring Performance is not a profitable event for Charlottesville Ballet due to the high costs associated with putting on a large scale dance production. These expenses include staffing, lighting, sound, rental of backdrops, equipment, as well as the hourly rate to rent the theater for several days (dress rehearsals and performance day). The Spring Performance fees help to cover these costs. We continually strive to keep fee increases to a minimum, despite increases in costs each year.

CBA’s outreach program: Chance To Dance gives students the opportunity to receive a lifetime scholarship to CBA. These students are selected after completing the academic year session of “C2D” at their participating elementary school. Students are selected based on their interest, motivation, and talent in the class. CBA offers very few talent-based scholarships and only at the discretion of the Academy Principal. However, CBA partners with several other Virginia nonprofits to offer scholarships to at-need students. Please contact [email protected] if you’d like more information.

Chance To Dance is an after-school dance education outreach program that gives children a hands-on experience with the arts. It is fully funded by individual donors and grants. Students participate in a session of dance classes held once per week after school. These classes are taught by professional artists from the Charlottesville Ballet and are all-inclusive with students actively participating regardless of physical ability or previous dance experience. Ballet, Modern, Tap, and Hip Hop form the backbone of the Chance To Dance curriculum. Participants are introduced to basic movements and then hone these skills throughout the eleven-week program. Students develop confidence and motivation as they apply themselves to mental and physical challenges. If you’d like more information about C2D and how to support it, please e-mail [email protected].

Dancers for Dancers (“D4D”) is an annual fundraising initiative launched in the fall of 2015 to raise funds for CBA’s scholarship and financial aid students. The D4D fundraising drive encourages CBA students to go into their communities and ask for support from their families and friends (similar to the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart drive). This funding then goes towards supporting CBA scholarships (including Chance To Dance) and financial aid.

CBA’s dress code ensures that all students have a professional appearance and mitigates the distraction of different attire styles. If you cannot afford the dress code uniform, please contact [email protected]. CBA has gently used uniforms and shoes that have been donated and are then distributed to those in-need. If you would like to donate any attire or shoes, please drop off any donations at the front desk.

The Pre-Professional Program is a rigorous training program for a select group of students that have the desire to become professional dancers and or performing artists. The program is by invitation only at the discretion of the Academy’s Principal.

All students at CBA must pass a pointe examination before beginning pointe work. The examination is taken only at the recommendation of CBA Principal. To be considered for the pointe exam, students must be in Ballet Level 3 or higher, at least 12 years old, and currently taking at least three ballet classes per week. In the exam, students will be asked to perform certain exercises to ensure they have the required strength and technical development to begin pointe work. Students must also present the 8 positions of the body, both written and demonstrated. Students will be required to sew their own pointe shoes; CBA staff members are always happy to assist with teaching this skill. Once students have passed CBA’s pointe exam, they will have to undergo a medical screening to ensure their bones have finished developing and there will be little risk for injury. For more information on the pointe exam, please email [email protected].

Charlottesville Ballet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and public charity, meaning it relies on its many families, friends, and supporters to keep its doors open. Tuition for the Academy and ticket sales for the Professional Company only cover a portion of the costs to present our high-quality dance education and professional performances. You can help keep dance alive in Central Virginia by visiting CharlottesvilleBallet.org/Contribute. Donations are tax-deductible. If you would like to make a donation to a specific aspect of the ballet you can do so by notating in the online donation form, or by emailing [email protected]. Gifts of any size are appreciated, ensure the longevity of our educational outreach programs, and enable Charlottesville Ballet to produce professional dance productions for citizens throughout the Central Virginia area!