Curriculum & Schedules

At the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, our students are trained with ABT’s National Training Curriculum, which combines scientific principles with elements of classical French, Italian, and Russian schools of ballet. The goal of our Curriculum is to train students to use their bodies correctly by educating them on anatomy, kinetics, coordination, and alignment. Artistically, the ABT National Training Curriculum strives to provide for students both a rich knowledge of classical ballet technique and the ability to adapt to all styles of dance.

As each level follows our carefully planned Curriculum throughout the year, students are expected to attend all their assigned classes. Students enrolled in the Children’s Division are not permitted to seek outside ballet training or private lessons.

ABT MENtor

Launched in the fall of 2017, under the direction of former ABT JKO School Artistic Director Cynthia Harvey, ABT MENtor is an initiative intended to support our male students in the ABT JKO School as they progress through the ABT Training Ladder.

Male students will participate in seminars and workshops with current and former professional dancers in American Ballet Theatre and other prestigious companies, as well as observe the Pre-Professional Division and ABT Studio Company.

ABT MENtor strives to develop a supportive and educational environment for the boys and their families in the Children’s Division. Boys in Levels 2A-3B take a separate boys’ technique class each week as part of the ABT MENtor program.

Enrollment

The American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School Children’s Division offers enrollment in classes September – May at ABT’s Studios located at 890 Broadway, New York, NY.

Pre-Primary & Primary Levels

For students ages 3-7 (students must turn 3 years old by September 1 and must remain 7 years old through December 1)

Pre-Primary and Primary levels in the Children’s Division at the ABT JKO School require no prior dance experience. Placement in each level is based solely on the child’s date of birth.

Enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year for new students is now closed. Please check back for 2024-2025 enrollment information. Please direct any enrollment questions to jkochildren@abt.org.

Children’s Division Pre-Primary & Primary Levels:

Note: Students who turn 8 by December 1 must attend an Open Audition for Level 1A+

Open Auditions

For students ages 7-12 (*students must turn 8 years old by December 1, 2023, and must remain 12 through December 1, 2023)

Auditions are required for new students who wish to enroll in Levels 1A through 3B of the ABT JKO School. These levels are for students ages seven to twelve* with previous ballet training. Upon acceptance, students will be placed into the appropriate level by the Artistic Faculty.

The ABT JKO School Children’s Division has no further auditions for the 2023-2024 school year. Please check back for information about 2024-2025 auditions. Please direct any enrollment questions to jkochildren@abt.org.

Faculty & Musicians

American Ballet Theatre strives to provide educational programming of the highest quality, and it all starts with our faculty. ABT JKO School faculty includes members of the ABT Artistic Staff, ABT Alumni and graduates of the ABT/NYU Master’s Program in Ballet Pedagogy.

All Children’s Division faculty members are certified in each level of the National Training Curriculum.

Faculty

Musicians

The ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School is supported by our accomplished musicians.

Michael Cherry, Stephanie Chun, John Epperson, Ayako Hirasawa, Shimako Horii, Sofiya Leavsie, Renne Ong, Benjamin Pawlak, Alex Perry, Dmitry Polischuk, Victor See Yuen, Mihoko Suzuki, Laura Tishchenko, Mira Tsidulko, Raisa Umanskaya, Tracy Yang