Founded in 2001, The Portland Ballet is shaped by the vision, artistic experience and family-centered sensibility of the founding directors. Artistic Director Nancy Suzanne Davis and Executive Director Jim Lane trained at the School of American Ballet and enjoyed distinguished professional careers in companies throughout the U.S.
After retiring as principal dancers of the Los Angeles Ballet-where their partnership onstage led to a marriage and family off the stage-they moved to Portland, Oregon and founded The Portland Ballet. TPB's Artistic Advisor John Clifford, a favored protg of George Balanchine, works regularly with the students.
After retiring as principal dancers of the Los Angeles Ballet-where their partnership onstage led to a marriage and family off the stage-they moved to Portland, Oregon and founded The Portland Ballet. TPB's Artistic Advisor John Clifford, a favored protg of George Balanchine, works regularly with the students.
Services
The Portland Ballet provides formal training for dancers of any skill level. Our comprehensive curriculum begins with Creative Ballet classes (ages 3-6) and progresses through seven levels of Curriculum Ballet (ages 6-19). We also offer the region's only Men's Ballet program, aimed specifically at developing confidence and ability in young male dancers.
Launched in 2015-16, The Portland Ballet's Career Track program offers well-trained, advanced dancers with professional intent a setting that simulates a professional company experience. Students aged 14-22 who wish to pursue a performance career are eligible to audition for the program. An intense and personal learning environment is fostered, culminating each academic year with a performance comprised exclusively of Career Track dancers.
The Portland Ballet offers a rare program for men only. Affectionately called the "Wolfpack, " classes are taught by men for men that address their specific needs. TPB senior faculty member, Jason Davis, and the rest of the dedicated men's program faculty teach skills that are particularly designed to develop strength, poise and discipline appropriate to male dancers (ages 3-22).
The Portland Ballet believes that young dancers thrive in a performance-centered environment. Dancers prepare in a rehearsal process that mirrors that of the professional dancer. Each season TPB stages three major productions: The Holiday Performance, Spring Concert and Studio Theatre Performance. In addition, it produces an Academy Showcase to celebrate the conclusion of the academic year.
The Portland Ballet strives to bring our art form to new and underserved audiences. TPB Outreach programs send dancers into the community, offering a chance for people of all ages throughout the Portland metro region to experience the joy and wonder of ballet. Members of the audience-in particular, young people, who see their peers in performance-respond with enthusiasm to the youthful energy, strength and grace of our dancers.
Reviews (17)
Tyrone Foster
Dec 06, 2021
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I’m not sure if I’ve ever submitted a review before, but after careful consideration, I thought this might be helpful to other parents. If your child is younger than 5 years, I do not recommend The Portland Ballet (TPB). Even though they have Creative Ballet classes for this age group, you should seriously consider if this company might do more harm than good to your young child.
We enrolled our daughter in TPB’s Creative Ballet this fall. We weren’t allowed to observe the classes, so we didn’t have direct knowledge of our child’s performance in class. The instructor never approached
We enrolled our daughter in TPB’s Creative Ballet this fall. We weren’t allowed to observe the classes, so we didn’t have direct knowledge of our child’s performance in class. The instructor never approached
Keeli Grim
Nov 02, 2020
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MadiHatter
Jul 06, 2019
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Leslie Young
Aug 21, 2018
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We came in on a Sunday morning to try out the litte kid class because several of my daughters friends are in that class. The ladies at the front said that we couldn’t try the class that day unless we paid for the entire season. With my daughter all ready to go, I didn’t want to just walk out and leave. So I paid $90 for the season. Throughout the class, many of the little girls came out crying and asking their parent to leave, which I found so weird. My daughter has never quit something we have registered her for...she loves activities (soccer, dance, gymnastics, etc). The next Sunday when
Neyra Eshalomi
Jun 19, 2018
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Tracey T.
Mar 24, 2018
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Deanna B.
Mar 13, 2018
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We highly recommend the Portland Ballet - it has been such an amazing school for my daughter - she is studying ballet through their career track program, along with their curriculum classes, and she's grown so much as a dancer since coming to this studio. She's gotten into all the best summer programs that she's auditioned for, and anticipates and dreams of taking all of her ballet training to a professional level at some point.
The facilities are amazing and beautiful, the instruction is top notch, performance opportunities are impressive, but the factor that really puts this
The facilities are amazing and beautiful, the instruction is top notch, performance opportunities are impressive, but the factor that really puts this
Morgan Tame
Jan 09, 2018
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I loved the classes, I really wanted to do it, but when my grampa was dying and I missed several classes they were completely inflexible. I was not allowed to make up classes. I didnt even ask for my money back and they wouldnt let me take the classes I had already paid them for.
They cared a lot more about my money than me and were totally inflexible to a situation outside my control. I sadly will not be taking classes here again and wouldn't recommend them to anyone else either.
They cared a lot more about my money than me and were totally inflexible to a situation outside my control. I sadly will not be taking classes here again and wouldn't recommend them to anyone else either.
Patricia Warren
Dec 11, 2017
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My grand daughter has taken ballet lessons at another place but felt like she wasn't getting what she wanted out of her classes. She loves The Portland Ballet and has been extremely happy with her instruction and feels she is getting what she wanted out of her ballet lessons. I am thrilled as I am still taking dance myself.... had I had the opportunity to study dance as a child I might have been a serious dancer!!
K. T.
Nov 28, 2017
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I am not reviewing the quality of the classes, but my registration and customer service experience.
I registered online my two toddlers (3 and 4 years old, respectively) for the Creative Ballet course. My 4 year old subsequently refused to go to soccer for a few weeks in a row, so I decided that both my 3 and 4 year old were probably too immature to start ballet where parents are not present.
Since this was 6 weeks before the beginning of the class, I thought it would be no problem to request a refund. I called a few times within a week of registering to request a refund. They then emailed me
I registered online my two toddlers (3 and 4 years old, respectively) for the Creative Ballet course. My 4 year old subsequently refused to go to soccer for a few weeks in a row, so I decided that both my 3 and 4 year old were probably too immature to start ballet where parents are not present.
Since this was 6 weeks before the beginning of the class, I thought it would be no problem to request a refund. I called a few times within a week of registering to request a refund. They then emailed me
Tracey Tiret
Nov 06, 2017
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This is an amazing pre-professional school with so many graduates currently employed by ballet companies. My daughter dances here about 34 hours a week on average. She is getting the technique and stamina required for life in a ballet company. She has so many performance opportunities with their outreach program, which also teaches her to give back to the community. The teachers are post-professional dancers trained in Balanchine, Vaganova and more...
Justin Tiret
Jun 20, 2017
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My career track dancer is getting so much out of TPB's training. She has been accepted to all the Ballet Summer Intensive's that she has wanted to go to. It's truly preparing her for working in a ballet company, and the staff are all wonderful role models. This is a non-profit school which means no hidden agenda; Never a push for expensive private lessons, just honest to goodness feedback. My daughter said that TPB's Summer Intensive is most comparable to The San Francisco Ballet's Summer Intensive. She has been dancing here for 7 years already, and plans to stay until she gets a trainee position
Olivier L.
Oct 31, 2016
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Charlotte L.
Jul 29, 2015
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Neriman M.
Feb 11, 2015
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I highly recommend The Portland Ballet for serious dancers who want a career in dancing. This school is a wonderful academy with great teachers. Each teacher is professional, they were either soloist or principal dancers around the world.
The classes are small and my daughter loves dancing to live music. She is thriving, motivated, her dancing has improved 100%. She is taught the proper technique with attention to details. The studios are beautiful as well. A great place to learn dancing with experts.
We are very happy that we moved to The Portland Ballet from Classical Ballet Academy, where
The classes are small and my daughter loves dancing to live music. She is thriving, motivated, her dancing has improved 100%. She is taught the proper technique with attention to details. The studios are beautiful as well. A great place to learn dancing with experts.
We are very happy that we moved to The Portland Ballet from Classical Ballet Academy, where
Beverly M.
Feb 22, 2013
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I think this school isn't for everyone (as most places aren't). This ballet school tries to produce true professionals. If you are looking for a class that you're child can just jump around in a tutu sign up for a rec. center class.
My daughter is 11 years old & describes herself as a 'dancer'. She has been attending this studio for 3 years + summers and loves how the instructors what to draw the best out of each & every student.
The Portland Ballet is a wonderful academy for students who really want to learn.
My daughter is 11 years old & describes herself as a 'dancer'. She has been attending this studio for 3 years + summers and loves how the instructors what to draw the best out of each & every student.
The Portland Ballet is a wonderful academy for students who really want to learn.
Tani S.
Apr 18, 2011
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We had been taking creative ballet classes on Saturday morning since October and our daughter has loved them up until the last month. She still is interested in ballet but suddenly started to become hesitant to stay inside the room during class. She is a very independent child so we were surprised, she loves preschool and attends every day.
Her ballet teacher here has always been quite business like and not overly warm. At times the teacher has been understanding since our daughter has a tendency (as many 3 years old do) to want to be her own person and not necessarily follow routine but
Her ballet teacher here has always been quite business like and not overly warm. At times the teacher has been understanding since our daughter has a tendency (as many 3 years old do) to want to be her own person and not necessarily follow routine but
