Join CBA students as they celebrate various literary works at our annual Charlottesville Ballet Academy Spring Performance. This event includes performances by each class in our Children’s Division, Student Division, By Placement Division, and a few select Adult classes.
Click below to view Program notes for each day.
SARA CLAYBORNE & EMILY HARTKA DIRECTORS/CO-FOUNDERS
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Our Mission
To elevate the art of dance through wellness, performance, education, and community outreach.
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About the Ballet
Charlottesville Ballet is a professional ballet company, academy, and nonprofit organization founded by Sara Clayborne and Emily Hartka in 2007. The organization has three parts:
PROFESSIONAL COMPANY
Charlottesville Ballet has no rigid physical aesthetic for its dancers and all body types are celebrated. The company includes dancers from across the United States and abroad and is the Resident Dance Company in Lynchburg’s Academy Center of the Arts.
ACADEMY
Charlottesville Ballet Academy (CBA) is a nonprofit center for dance education serving ages 1.5 through adult in all dance genres.
CB MOVES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Our FREE programming designed to serve underrepresented populations including seniors, disabled individuals, and those facing economic challenges. Classes are currently offered for ages 1-100 through the following programs:
Chance To Dance (C2D) serves students in grades K-5 in local public elementary schools. Each year, students are selected to receive lifetime scholarships to continue their dance training at CBA.
Movement For Parkinson’s weekly class for participants with movement disorders and their care partners; currently serving ages 50-100.
Silver Swans offers ballet classes for seniors age 50+ in partnership with The Center at Belvedere.
Adaptive Dance classes for students with Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or any other developmental or intellectual disabilities to explore the joy of dance.
Once Upon A Ballet and other free programming for schools, libraries, and communities across Virginia.
An integral part of the Ballet’s mission is to increase access and inclusion in dance. Classical ballet has historically catered to a specific body type and level of physical ability — we aim to change that stereotype and believe that dance is for everyBODY.
Dear CBA Parents, Families, and Friends,
We are thrilled to welcome you to our 12th annual CBA Spring Performance! This year has been one of rapid growth for us at Charlottesville Ballet Academy, which now serves over 700 students annually across Central Virginia!
During the 2023-24 Academic Year, we operated classes in our two facilities (Route 29N & Downtown at IX), plus we resumed classes in Scottsville and at the Carver Recreation Center in collaboration with the City of Charlottesville Parks & Recreation program. We’ve also continued our CB Moves programs with Chance To Dance, Silver Swans, Movement For Parkinson’s, and Adaptive Dance classes, all offered at no cost to our community members.
We are proud to present two unique productions for you today to highlight the talents and hard work of our dancers at CBA:
SLEEPING BEAUTY
We've created a unique version of Sleeping Beauty for our ballet classes to perform today. Originally choreographed by Marius Petipa in 1890, the Sleeping Beauty ballet is similar to the Disney version—though the Disney version definitely came later! Traditionally in Act 1, we see suitors attending the celebration of Aurora’s 16th birthday, coming to the court to seek her hand in marriage. In Act 3, we then have a grand wedding of Princess Aurora to her Prince Desiré.When deciding upon this ballet, we thought: “do our students really need to act out a ballet so focused around marriage? Why not something that they can relate to?” So we created our own modern retelling of the story, with a Prom storyline instead! In Act 2, you’ll see Aurora awaken to a flower instead of a kiss, and in Act 3, she dances at a prom instead of a wedding. For our advanced students, this production allows for highlighted roles (usually be reserved for professional company artists), allowing our students to practice their artistry, skill, grace, stamina, and storytelling!
ONCE UPON A TIME
We can’t wait to see our students perform an eclectic mix of dance genres in this showcase! You’ll see our younger dancers from combo classes show off their new skills, rhythmic tap numbers, invigorating jazz pieces, expressive contemporary dances, and hip hop numbers that will make you want to jump out of your seats and join!
We would not be where we are today without your support. We want to recognize the many volunteers, donors, staff, students, and families who have made everything you see possible—from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
Please enjoy the talent, dedication, and beautiful dancing of our wonderful CBA students as they present Sleeping Beauty and Once Upon a Time !
Sincerely,
 | Heather Rogers Principal of Charlottesville Ballet Academy |
