Sebastopol Ballet School

Sebastopol Ballet School provides classical ballet training for students aged 3 through adult and is one of the longest-running dance studios in Sonoma County, California. Founded in 1991 by Sue Borgeson, Lois Hartman and Paula Martens with classes in a room at the Sebastopol Community Center, it is now celebrating a 35th anniversary and is owned by Hannah Paddock, a former long-time student and teacher; in 2025 the school moved to a more spacious building at 8196 Bodega Ave with four dance rooms, a lobby and dressing areas. Technique is the primary focus, with ballet treated as the foundation of all dance forms, supplemented by an interdisciplinary curriculum and guest-teacher classes in jazz, modern and other styles. Programming is split into six-week Kinder sessions for ages 3-6, Youth classes for ages 6 and up running September to June, and drop-in Adult classes for ages 15 and over, plus a summer session. Students perform in an annual Nutcracker and a spring recital, and Friends of Sebastopol Ballet, a 501(c)(3) founded in 2020, funds student scholarships.