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 12-18. Under the direction of Acting Artistic Director Stella Abrera, 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 $7400 for students in Upper 1; $8900 for students in Upper 2; and $9800 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 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Thursday 4:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Friday 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Saturday 2:15 pm - 5:30 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 2:30 pm - 6:45 pm
Tuesday 2:30 pm - 6:45 pm
Wednesday 2:15 pm - 5:30 pm
Thursday 2:15 pm - 5:30 pm
Friday 2:15 pm - 5:30 pm
Saturday 12:00 pm - 5:30 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 - 5:30 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am - 4:15 pm
Thursday 11:00 am - 3:30 pm
Friday 11:00 am - 4:15 pm
Saturday 12:00 pm - 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.
Acceptance to the Pre-Professional Division of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School is by audition only.
Dancers ages 11-18 may be considered for the ABT JKO School Pre-Professional Division for the 2023-2024 school year during ABT’s 2023 Summer Intensive National Audition Tour in the following cities:
New York, NY (January 7), Boca Raton, FL (January 14), Washington, DC – Silver Spring (January 16), Orlando, FL (January 16), San Diego, CA (January 21), Costa Mesa, CA (January 22), San Francisco, CA (February 4)
Online pre-registration opens December 1, 2022 and is required for all auditions. Spaces in the audition are limited. To learn more and register, please visit the National Audition Tour webpage.
Led by Acting Artistic Director Stella Abrera, 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.
Susan Jaffe, ABT Artistic Director
Stella Abrera, Acting Artistic Director, ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
Photo: Jordan Bellotti.
Artistic Director, American Ballet Theatre
Photo: Sophie Elgort, courtesy Lafayette 148.
Acting Artistic Director, ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
Photo: Chris Hardy.
Principal Teacher, ABT JKO School Pre-Professional Division
Photo: Michael Cairns.
Principal Teacher, ABT JKO School Pre-Professional Division
Each class at the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School is accompanied by one of our accomplished musicians.
Michael Cherry, Stephanie Chun, John Epperson, Misha Golubitsky, Shimako Horii, 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 35% 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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