Charlottesville Ballet

Charlottesville Ballet A professional ballet company, dance academy, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Central VA

Founded in 2007 with a unique mission for dancer wellness, Charlottesville Ballet is the only full time professional dance company in the Charlottesville area. Co-Founders Sara Clayborne and Emily Hartka are committed to elevating professional ballet with a healthy working environment for the artists. The professional company is comprised of dancers from all over the United States and abroad– from

Virginia to California to Japan. Charlottesville Ballet’s Trainee Program welcomes additional dancers as they transition from advanced students into professional artists. Charlottesville Ballet Academy (CBA), the official training school of Charlottesville Ballet, opened in July 2011 and is a nonprofit center for dance education serving over 700 students throughout the Central Virginia. CBA offers training in all dance genres for ages 1.5 through adult and offers performance opportunities for young dancers alongside the professional company. Chance To Dance (C2D) is an after-school outreach program for grades K-5 that gives underserved children a hands-on experience with the arts. The Ballet partners with local public schools in both Charlottesville City and Albemarle County and students are selected to receive lifetime scholarships to train at CBA. Charlottesville Ballet’s professional company presents performances and events in Charlottesville, in Lynchburg as Resident Dance Company at the Academy Center of the Arts, and across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Visit Megan at the My Dance Shoppe of Cville table during Nutcracker staging rehearsals this weekend for all your dance ...
08/28/2026

Visit Megan at the My Dance Shoppe of Cville table during Nutcracker staging rehearsals this weekend for all your dance needs! She’ll have order forms available for everything, plus a selection of items on display, including:

Shoes in a variety of shades
Ribbons & elastic
Tight color swatches
Skin-tone leotards
Boys’, men’s & nonbinary underclothes

Stop by to browse what’s available, find the right fit and shade, or place an order for whatever you need! ✨

Please join us in welcoming Jordan-Elizabeth Long, Charlottesville Ballet Academy’s new Managing Director! ✨🩰A Virginia ...
08/27/2026

Please join us in welcoming Jordan-Elizabeth Long, Charlottesville Ballet Academy’s new Managing Director! ✨🩰

A Virginia native, Jordan-Elizabeth trained with Carol Crawford Smith before continuing her studies with Southwest Virginia Ballet and Magaly Suarez. Her distinguished performance career includes dancing with Dutch National Ballet, rising to Soloist with the Royal Swedish Ballet, and serving as Principal Soloist with Miami City Ballet, where she performed leading roles in beloved classics including "The Nutcracker," "Swan Lake," "Giselle," and "The Sleeping Beauty," as well as works by renowned contemporary choreographers.

Alongside her accomplishments on stage, Jordan-Elizabeth has earned business degrees from Liberty University and the University of Miami, bringing a unique blend of artistic excellence and administrative expertise to her new role.

She is thrilled to join the Charlottesville Ballet family and is looking forward to an inspiring summer and an exciting 2026–27 academic year. Welcome to the team, Jordan-Elizabeth! 💙

🩰 Preparing for Performance—Mind & BodyAs part of our pre-season workshops, our dancers had the opportunity to work with...
08/26/2026

🩰 Preparing for Performance—Mind & Body
As part of our pre-season workshops, our dancers had the opportunity to work with Charlottesville Ballet Artistic Associate Jen Kelly on preparing mentally for performance. From managing nerves to developing a healthy mindset, Jen shared valuable tools and insight to help our dancers feel confident, focused, and ready for the season ahead.
We are so grateful for Jen’s knowledge, thoughtful approach to wellness, and continued support of our dancers! ❤️

Meet Ryland Mettee, Season 26–27 Company Artist!Originally from Asheville, NC, Ryland began dancing at age three and tra...
08/25/2026

Meet Ryland Mettee, Season 26–27 Company Artist!
Originally from Asheville, NC, Ryland began dancing at age three and trained at The Ballet Conservatory of Asheville. She has attended summer programs with Carolina Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Nashville Ballet, and City Ballet of San Diego, and earned her BFA in Dance with a Concentration in Ballet from Point Park University.
Ryland began her professional career as a Trainee with Virginia National Ballet before joining Charlottesville Ballet as a Trainee Artist for the past two seasons. She also recently danced as an Apprentice with Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance in her hometown of Asheville. We’re thrilled to welcome Ryland into her first season as a Company Artist! ❤️
Fun Facts About Ryland:
🎨 She loves crafting, especially embroidery, drawing, and painting.
🏕️ She’s an avid hiker and camper—and has even hiked and camped through the Grand Canyon!
📚 She’s a big reader, with Virginia Woolf among her favorite authors.
Help us welcome Ryland to the company! 👏🩰

📷: Alisa Foytik, Abbe Macbeth, BC Media Photos

✨ Open Houses start TOMORROW! 💜Step into the magic of dance at our CBA Open Houses! Come see our space, meet our teacher...
08/24/2026

✨ Open Houses start TOMORROW! 💜
Step into the magic of dance at our CBA Open Houses! Come see our space, meet our teachers, and let your little one take a spin in a FREE 30-minute dance class.
These interactive, age-appropriate sample classes are the perfect way to explore the joy of movement—no prior experience or special attire required. We can’t wait to welcome you! ✨

📅Tuesday, August 25
Downtown at IX | 949 Second Street SE, Suite 404, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Fairytale Ballet (Ages 3–5) | 5:15–5:45 PM
Storybook Ballet (Ages 5–7) | 5:30–6:00 PM

📅Monday, August 31
29North | 1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 203, Charlottesville, VA 22901
Fairytale Ballet (Ages 3–5) | 5:15–5:45 PM
Storybook Ballet (Ages 5–7) | 5:45–6:15 PM

Register today: tr.ee/oE3y8w

This past Friday, we had the opportunity to come together as a team for a day of connection, collaboration, and inspirat...
08/24/2026

This past Friday, we had the opportunity to come together as a team for a day of connection, collaboration, and inspiration. ❤️ It was a wonderful chance to share ideas and spend time together before kicking off another exciting Academic Year at Charlottesville Ballet Academy, the first Academic Year of Lynchburg Ballet Academy, and the start of our 26–27 professional company performance season. We can't wait for everything that's ahead this year and are so grateful for every member of our incredible team. Here's to a fantastic year of dancing, learning, and creating together! 🩰✨

Ready to take your ballet training to the next level? Conservatory Class is designed for advanced and pre-professional d...
08/21/2026

Ready to take your ballet training to the next level? Conservatory Class is designed for advanced and pre-professional dancers from across the region looking for focused, high-level training with Jordan-Elizabeth Long. 🩰
Join us Friday mornings from 9:30–11:30 AM for dedicated training designed to challenge, refine, and strengthen your technique. ✨
🗓️ Fridays | 9:30–11:30 AM
🌟 Approval by CBA Management Required | Open to advanced and pre-professional dancers beyond CBA students!
Interested in joining? Contact Charlottesville Ballet Academy for more information about auditions and enrollment. [email protected]

Our company and trainee dancers are back in the studios for our 2026–27 pre-season! 🩰✨This week, our dancers had the opp...
08/21/2026

Our company and trainee dancers are back in the studios for our 2026–27 pre-season! 🩰✨
This week, our dancers had the opportunity to explore a variety of workshops, including Pilates with Rachelle Hill of TruPilates, as well as contemporary and yoga workshops with Marge Allan.
We are so grateful to Rachelle and Marge for sharing their expertise, energy, and time with our dancers as they prepare for an exciting new season. Thank you for supporting and investing in our dancers! ♥️

Happy National Radio Day! 📻✨Today, we’re giving a huge thank you to our incredible media partner, Monticello Media, for ...
08/20/2026

Happy National Radio Day! 📻✨

Today, we’re giving a huge thank you to our incredible media partner, Monticello Media, for helping us share the magic of dance with audiences across Central Virginia! From spreading the word about performances and community programs to helping new audiences discover Charlottesville Ballet, we’re so grateful for your continued support. 🩰❤️

Thank you for being such an important part of our story and for helping us keep the arts in the airwaves! 🎶

🎉 Join us in wishing a very Happy Birthday to CB Trainee, Haven Murphy! 🩰❤️Haven began dancing at age four in Seoul, Sou...
08/20/2026

🎉 Join us in wishing a very Happy Birthday to CB Trainee, Haven Murphy! 🩰❤️

Haven began dancing at age four in Seoul, South Korea, before moving to South Carolina and continuing her training at International Ballet in 2019. She was a member of the International Ballet Youth Company from 2022–2026, performing roles in “The Nutcracker,” “Don Quixote,” “Swan Lake,” “Coppélia,” “Giselle,” and “La Sylphide.” Haven has also participated in numerous summer intensives, including programs with Nashville Ballet, Ballet 5:8, and the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.

A few fun facts about Haven:
🧵 She loves embroidery and crafting in her spare time!
🇰🇷 She lived in Seoul, South Korea, for four years.
🐴 Her favorite animal is the horse!

Help us wish Haven a wonderful birthday! 🎂🩰

PC: Isabelle Wimberly

Address

1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 203
Charlottesville, VA
22901

Telephone

+14349732555

Website

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