Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino founded the Joffrey Ballet School in 1953. In more than sixty years of existence, the Joffrey Ballet School has remained on the forefront of American dance education. Graduates of the School have gone on to dance for major ballet companies, as well as for numerous modern and contemporary companies, both in the United States and abroad. The Joffrey Ballet School programming includes intensive pre-professional training, after-school programs, summer intensives in a variety of genre’s and open classes for enthusiast and professionals.

The Joffrey Ballet School's renowned Trainee program offers a well-rounded pre-professional curriculum consisting of two tracks (Ballet and Jazz & Contemporary Dance) for dancers ages 13 to 25. Depending on the track, genres of study include: classical ballet (technique, pointe, variations, adagio, men’s classes) contemporary ballet (technique, improvisation, partnering), contemporary dance, modern, character, choreography, dance history, music, hip-hop Pilates, street jazz, contact improv and more. Special workshops are taught by guest faculty to augment the curriculum and performance opportunities abound throughout the year. Dance classes come to life with live musical accompaniment including piano, percussion, cello, African drum, and a variety of other instruments depending on the genre taught.

Throughout the summer, the Joffrey Ballet School offers challenging and immersive dance intensives in a variety of genre’s throughout the United States and abroad. Students audition for entry into our summer intensive at official audition sites in the United States, Canada, South and Central America, western Europe, Australia, Japan and Singapore. Genre’s include classical ballet, contemporary ballet, jazz & contemporary dance, hip-hop, tap, and musical theater as well as multi-genre intensives fusing ballet, contemporary and commercial dance. We currently offer summer programs in New York City, California,Texas, Florida, Georgia, Colorado, Nevada, Mexico, and Italy.