Santa Barbara Festival Ballet

Santa Barbara Festival Ballet is a classical ballet school at 127 W Canon Perdido Street that has trained dancers and collaborated with the Santa Barbara Symphony at the Arlington Theatre for more than fifty years, where it stages an annual Nutcracker. Teaching centers on a graded Levels 1-8 conservatory curriculum built around sound technique, artistry and musicality, preceded by Creative Movement for ages 3-6 and Primary for ages 5-7. There is a dedicated boys' ballet class, conditioning classes, contemporary for ages 11 and up, pointe work introduced from around Level 5, and open intermediate/advanced and beginning ballet classes for teens and adults. Students from Level 1 up audition for the Nutcracker and appear in the spring performance, and the company takes part in The Ballet Alliance evaluation and festival. Summer intensives and workshops with guest teachers run from late June, and prospective students are offered a complimentary trial and assessment class. Alumni have danced with Parsons Dance Company, Smuin Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Mark Morris Dance Group and Pilobolus.