Professional Dance Opportunities We Offer:
Students get a lot more than dance classes at Academy of Ballet and Jazz – School of Canadian Ballet Theatre.
At our school, kids get to dance in professionally staged productions, an experience which builds confidence in being able to engage an audience through movement. They get to learn directly from leading international artists, allowing them to get different corrections and be inspired to learn more. Students may compete in international competitions, where they can learn and improve their performance by watching other dancers’ techniques.
All of these are experiences that challenge kids to develop their artistic capacity to their fullest.
Other dance schools may offer similar ballet classes in Toronto.
Yet our professional ballet school offers kids the exceptional opportunities to grow as a performer
and prepares them as an artist for the big stage.
Annual Full-length Production:
Every year, students participating in our Professional Ballet Program get an invaluable opportunity to dance on the big stage in front of a real audience.
These students dance with international artists in one of these classic ballet productions: The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Don Quixote and Giselle (which aired on Toronto’s Rogers TV channel in the past).
Our productions include the biggest stars from Russia’s Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet, Cuban National Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre among others. The performances are held at the Canadian Ballet Theatre and are staged by Nadia Veselova Tencer using professional sets and costumes.
Annual Showcase:
Students who are taking classes at a recreational level – in Pointe, Character Dance, Pas de Deux, Jazz, Modern, Musical Theatre, Lyrical and Hip Hop – also get to experience performing in front of a real audience. This is their chance to show what they have learned in their respective dance styles over the year.
The event takes place at the Richmondhill Centre for the Performing Arts every June. It is open to friends, family and the community.
Intensive Summer Program:
Every summer semester, we have world-class ballet dancers guest teach and lead the Intensive Summer Program. Last year, two famous dancers joined us from Germany’s Berlin State Opera Ballet.
International Ballet Competitions:
Our students have repeatedly won top awards at the world’s biggest dance competitions. These events include: Moscow International Ballet Competition, Youth America Grand Prix, USA International Ballet Competition, and South African International Ballet Competition.
We have a new competition that can be an important step in a dancer’s career: Star of the 21st Century – International Ballet Competition. It is open to professional dancers and dance students worldwide. The winner gets to perform at one of our seven annual galas in front of international dance superstars.
“Stars of the 21st Century” Ballet Galas:
Held annually on four continents, Stars of the 21st Century ballet gala is the event where young dancers can make important professional connections and showcase their talent. Kids can enter the Star of the 21st Century – International Ballet Competition for a chance to dance at one of our seven galas.
The galas feature the best of classical and cutting edge contemporary dance from around the globe. The first all-star gala was held in 1993 in Toronto, Canada by Nadia Veselova Tencer (Artistic Director) and her husband Solomon Tencer (Producer). Due to the overwhelming success, Solomon and Nadia expanded their production company. The galas now also take place in Paris, Cannes, New York, Bucharest, Moscow and Panama City.