San Diego Civic Youth Ballet is committed to providing the children of San Diego a chance to experience ballet and the power of arts education.  Our community engagement programs focus on making ballet accessible to children and families who may not otherwise be exposed to the performing arts and ballet.

 

Learn about our individual programs below and click on the titles for more detailed information.

 

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Ballet for the Classroom

Since 2003, SDCYB has cultivated a vibrant in-classroom Outreach Program which brings the art of ballet to the San Diego public school system. The program provides weekly classical ballet instruction free of charge to both the schools and students, and each May, the young ballet dancers are invited to participate in the Outreach Showcase, a free ballet performance for family and friends at the historic Casa del Prado Theater in Balboa Park.

For students who excel in the in-classroom Outreach Program throughout the year and wish to continue their ballet education, SDCYB offers an Outreach Scholarship Program.  Students are asked to apply for this merit-based scholarship each year, and upon being accepted, they will have the opportunity to enroll in a tuition-waved, 8-week summer ballet class in SDCYB’s Balboa Park studios taught by the Artistic Director, as well as a stipend for the appropriate uniform.

 

Ballet for the Community

Partnering with available locations in communities throughout the county, SDCYB is able to offer high-quality ballet classes to students who may not be able to travel to Balboa Park through the Ballet for the Community program.  Once a usable dance studio space is secured, SDCYB provides a professional and friendly ballet instructor, who is able to adhere to the same curriculum taught in the Casa del Prado studios.  These classes feature an emphasis on affordability with discounted rates and being accessible to any student dancer who has the desire to pursue ballet education.  

Ballet for a Day

In addition to the year-long, in-classroom program, SDCYB also provides a ballet lecture demonstration for public schools that serves as a one-time educational experience in ballet, ballet history and the basic fundamentals through video, lecture and practical application.  Students will be given a historical overview of ballet, before learning basic positions and steps, followed by exercises exploring every day gestures that illustrate movement’s great potential of becoming dance.

 

Ballet for Me!

“Ballet for Me!” is an 8-week classical ballet class, offered each spring semester, that is designed specifically for children ages 7 to 12 with unique physical needs.  Tuition-waived and focused on providing individualized attention and patient, high-quality ballet instruction and inspiration for students with a variety of conditions, each of the young dancers in this program exemplify one of SDCYB’s greatest core values, that “everybody has the opportunity to dance.”

 

Ballet for Schools & Scouts

In an effort to make the art of ballet accessible to as many youth throughout San Diego as possible, SDCYB provides special, discounted performances to both School Groups and Scout Troops of our annual full-length spring ballet and winter production of The Nutcracker.  These performances, located at the Casa del Prado Theater in the heart of historic Balboa Park, also include an introduction by the Artistic Director, a Q&A session following the performance and for the Scouts, an opportunity to meet the dancers and collect autographs, as well as collect specialized patches for each production.