...where artistic excellence and content of character forge the next generation

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Co-founded in 1987 by acclaimed dancer / choreographer Daniel Duell and former ballerina Patricia Blair, Ballet Chicago’s mission is to educate and inspire young artists through the study of classical ballet, and in so doing, to lay a foundation of life skills that empowers each one to realize their full potential.

It is a place where the beauty of one’s character is as important as the beauty of one’s tendu, a place where diversity is intentional – where inner city, foster children, middle-class and those of great fortune stand side-by-side, although we will never tell you which is which.

It is a place where young people learn to celebrate their triumphs and weather their disappointments with equal grace, where high-achievement is the norm, and where delivering moments of truth becomes a way of life.

With a curriculum based in the Balanchine Technique ©, and through a special arrangement with the George Balanchine Trust, Ballet Chicago provides an accelerated performance program where members receive years of on-stage experience, building confidence under pressure, camaraderie, community, and an array of skill sets that translate to any arena. New works join masterpiece repertoire reserved solely for professionals and only the most accomplished students worldwide, producing outstanding performance resumes. Ballet Chicago has two primary scholarship programs. The Philip and Marsha Dowd Merit Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to gifted dancers with serious career aspirations and makes it possible for our students to learn from world-class guest teachers, répétiteurs, and choreographers. The Dance for Tomorrow Program provides children of all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds the opportunity to study ballet through tuition-assisted scholarships. Ballet Chicago is a home, it is a family; it is a launching pad for exemplary youth.