Welcome to the Academy of Russian Classical Ballet.  The Academy offers beginning through advanced classes in Russian classical ballet and character dance for children through adults. We are proud to offer this distinguished classical tradition to our students.  The Russian classical  style of ballet is a rich and enduring tradition, unsurpassed in its precision, strength, lyricism, and focus on whole body expression.  The grace and fluidity of upper body movement are unequaled in the dance world.   

The Russian classical tradition was born on May 4th, 1738 in St. Petersburg, Russia, when the Empress Anna, by Imperial Decree, founded the Imperial Theatre School. Twelve girls and twelve boys began to study ballet on one of the upper floors of the Winter Palace. The Russian classical tradition of ballet has resonated throughout the artistic world since that time.

Over the years, Russian-trained dancers and choreographers have dominated the world of ballet. It would be impossible to recognize all  prominent dancers of the Russian classical tradition.  Many are instantly recognizable: Pavlova, Karsavina, Nijinsky, Ulanova, Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Kolpakova, and Marakova—to name only a few.  The Russian-trained choreographers Petipa and Ivanov collaborated with Tchaikovsky to create the beloved classical ballets "Swan Lake", "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Nutcracker",  while Fokine and Diaghilev gave the world  other classics such as   “Les Sylphides”, “The Firebird”, and “Petrushka”.  Another product of the Imperial Theatre School, George Balanchine, went on to fame as the founder and choreographer for the New York City Ballet. 

In 1957, the school originally known as the Imperial Theatre School was renamed the Vaganova Academy after Agrippina Vaganova, who trained many of the dancers of the mid-20th century.  Each year, the Vaganova Academy chooses a small number of select students for training to carry on its tradition of excellence.   The Academy of Russian Classical Ballet’s director, Rayevskiy, was chosen to attend this prestigious academy at age 10.  Rayevskiy and the co-director, Rayevskaya are graduates of the Kirov Academy of Ballet.  We are also proud to include in our staff visiting instructors, A. Korsakov and A. Ivanov, both graduates of the Vaganova Academy and soloists with the Ballet Company of the Mariinsky Theatre (Kirov Ballet) as well as F. Gadar, who is a graduate of the Bolshoi Academy, Moscow; T. Konishi, a student of the Tokyo Ballet School and I. Dimitrova, a graduate of the National Choreographic School of Bulgaria.  Welcome to this wonderful tradition.