Denver and the surrounding Front Range area offer some of the strongest ballet training in the Mountain West. For families considering serious dance education, the region combines rigorous classical instruction with access to professional company connections, respected summer intensives, and performance opportunities that rival larger coastal markets.
Whether your child dreams of a company contract or you want to find a structured program with clear progression, this guide breaks down five of the most notable ballet academies in the Denver metro area—what sets each apart, who they serve, and what to look for when you visit.
1. Colorado Ballet Academy
Established: 1996 | Focus: Company-track pre-professional training
Colorado Ballet Academy operates as the official school of Colorado Ballet, giving its top students direct exposure to a professional company environment. Located in Denver's Central Park neighborhood, the academy trains roughly 350 students annually across its children's, student, and pre-professional divisions.
What distinguishes CBA is its structured bridge to the professional world. Upper-level students regularly take company class, work with Colorado Ballet choreographers, and may be considered for the company's Studio Company—a recognized stepping stone to full company contracts. The academy follows a Vaganova-based syllabus with additional Balanchine rep introduced at the pre-professional level.
Best for: Dancers ages 8+ with serious pre-professional intent and the schedule flexibility for 15+ hours of weekly training.
2. Rocky Mountain School of Ballet
Established: 2001 | Focus: Cecchetti syllabus with strong college placement
Based in Littleton with a second campus in Lone Tree, Rocky Mountain School of Ballet has built a reputation for technical precision and academic balance. The school is one of the few in the region to prepare students for the full Cecchetti examination series, a graded certification system recognized by university dance programs nationwide.
RMSB graduates frequently matriculate to strong BFA dance programs including Butler University, Indiana University, and the University of Oklahoma. The school also runs a well-regarded summer intensive that draws faculty from major Midwest companies.
Best for: Students who want rigorous classical training without necessarily moving directly into a company trainee program.
3. Denver Academy of Ballet
Established: 1982 | Focus: Adult and youth programming with professional faculty
Denver Academy of Ballet, located near the Santa Fe Arts District, is the longest-running ballet school on this list. It offers an unusually broad age range—structured classes for children as young as three through adult open division—and maintains a pre-professional track for teens preparing for auditions.
The faculty includes former dancers from American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet. DAB produces two full-length story ballets annually, with students cast by level rather than age, which gives younger dancers exposure to corps de ballet responsibility early.
Best for: Families seeking a school with deep institutional history, strong adult programming for parents, and professional-stage performance experience.
4. International School of Denver Dance Department
Established: 2008 | Focus: International ballet pedagogy with language immersion
A unique hybrid option, the International School of Denver's dance department offers conservatory-style ballet training within a K-8 bilingual school setting. Ballet classes follow the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus, with examinations held annually by visiting RAD examiners from London.
While not exclusively a pre-professional track, the department has sent graduates to specialized high school programs including the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre and the Kirov Academy. The integration of full academic schooling with serious dance appeals to families who want training without homeschool or hybrid scheduling.
Best for: Younger students (ages 5–14) in a full-school environment who may be testing serious commitment to dance.
5. Arvada Center Dance Academy
Established: 1993 | Focus: Community-based excellence with professional performance access
The Arvada Center Dance Academy benefits from its direct connection to the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, one of the largest multidisciplinary arts centers in the state. Students perform in the center's 500-seat mainstage theater and may audition for professional Arvada Center productions when child or ensemble roles arise.
The curriculum blends Vaganova fundamentals with contemporary and jazz requirements at upper levels, producing versatile dancers. The academy also offers one of the more generous merit scholarship programs in the metro area.
Best for: Dancers who want high-quality training combined with musical theater, contemporary, and professional theater exposure.
How to Choose the Right Ballet School
Every family prioritizes different factors. Before committing to a program, visit each school for an observation or trial class and ask the following:
What syllabus does the school follow?
Vaganova, Cecchetti, RAD, and Balanchine each develop muscle patterning and artistic style differently. There is no single "
