Video by Ezra Hurwitz.
Video by Ezra Hurwitz.
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The American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School is a pre-professional ballet training program for students, ages 12-17. Under the direction of Artistic Director Cynthia Harvey, students thrive in an elite atmosphere dedicated to the success of each student. Admission is by audition only.
The ABT JKO School follows a specific graded curriculum, divided by age, which is outlined in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum. Classes include Classical Ballet Technique, Pointe, Men’s and Women’s Variations, Pas de Deux, Character Dance, Modern, Pilates, Men’s Strength Training, Music and Dance History.
The ABT JKO School is also proud to participate in a full Wellness Program as part of our Healthy Dancer Curriculum. This initiative focuses on addressing both the physical and psychological needs of our ballet students through a series of professionally run workshops. Workshop topics include Nutrition, Women’s Health, Stress Management, Strength Training, Resume Writing and Audition Preparation.
At the American Ballet Theatre 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, our 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.
Tuition is $6750 for students in Upper 1; $8250 for students in Upper 2; and $9100 for students in Upper 3. Scholarships are awarded based exclusively on merit and are extremely competitive. There is no financial aid available.
Each level of the Pre-Professional Division is designed to accommodate both the developmental needs of the age group and the academic schedules of our students. Detailed information for each level is outlined below.
Monday 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Tuesday 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Wednesday 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Thursday 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Saturday 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
There is a strict dress code for each level of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. Dress code details will be provided upon acceptance and enrollment.
Monday 2:30 pm - 6:15 pm
Tuesday 2:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Wednesday 2:30 pm - 6:45 pm
Thursday 2:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Friday 2:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Saturday 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
There is a strict dress code for each level of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. Dress code details will be provided upon acceptance and enrollment.
Monday 11:00 am - 4:30 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am - 4:30 pm
Thursday 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am - 4:30 pm
Saturday 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
There is a strict dress code for each level of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School. Dress code details will be provided upon acceptance and enrollment.
Acceptance to the Pre-Professional Division of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School is by audition only. Prospective students may audition by attending an open audition, submitting a video audition, or by attending an ABT Summer Intensive.
Expand below for more information about the types of auditions.
Due to ongoing concerns relating to COVID-19, auditions for the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Pre-Professional Division 2021-2022 school year will be held virtually to ensure the safety of our dancers, faculty and staff.
Audition classes will take place via Zoom from Friday, March 26 through Sunday, March 28. Students will participate in audition classes based on their age at the time of the audition. Auditions are open to students of all genders who have achieved an advanced level of ballet training.
Enrollment at the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School Pre-Professional Division is by audition and acceptance only. Auditioning on any date will allow you to be considered for merit-based scholarships. Online pre-registration is required for all auditions. Audition class sizes will be limited.
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, students will not be able to audition for the ABT JKO School through their participation in the ABT Summer Intensive. We encourage all interested students to attend a live audition via Zoom or submit a video audition using the guidelines below.
Video audition information for the 2021-2022 school year coming soon.
Led by Artistic Director Cynthia Harvey, the faculty of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School includes members of ABT’s Artistic Staff, alumni, graduates of the ABT/NYU Master’s Program in Ballet Pedagogy, and other prominent teachers. Learn more about our faculty by clicking on the links below.
Kevin McKenzie, ABT Artistic Director
Cynthia Harvey, Artistic Director, ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
Photo: Fabrizio Ferri
Artistic Director
Photo: Ian Whalen
Artistic Director, ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
Principal Teacher, ABT JKO School Children’s Division
Photo: Rosalie O'Connor.
Principal Guest Instructor, ABT JKO School
Each class at the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School is accompanied by one of our accomplished musicians.
Michael Cherry, Stephanie Chun, Michael Dolnikov, John Epperson, Misha Golubitsky, Marco Jimenez, Sofiya Leavsie, Dmitry Polischuk, Tim Prepscius, Victor See Yuen, Mihoko Suzuki, Laura Tishchenko, Mira Tsidulko
Alumni of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School currently account for 23% of the dancers in ABT’s main Company, including:
ABT JKO School graduates have also gone on to dance with many renowned ballet companies both domestic and international, such as the ABT Studio Company, The Washington Ballet, Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and others.
ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School students wear Capezio leotards.
If you require further assistance or have any questions regarding the Pre-Professional Division of the ABT JKO School, please contact us.
Contact UsExplore frequently asked questions for the ABT JKO School’s Pre-professional Division.
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