Preparatory Dance
Preparatory Dance
Preparatory Dance
Founded in 1975, UNCSA Preparatory Dance Program is the Triad’s preeminent dance education program for children age three to adult to train with rigor and joy towards cultivating a love and long-lasting knowledge of the arts and its many future possibilities.
We believe dance training in the Preparatory Dance Program builds life skills of commitment, work ethic, teamwork, and self-confidence to become great artists, students, mentors, citizens, and individuals. Success is broad and our mission is to provide a high-quality training environment reflective of the diversity of our community that provides a foundation that can be applied in performance, teaching, collegiate study, and beyond.
The Preparatory Dance Program utilizes the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, which combines solid technical and artistic training, dancer health, and principles of child development. The program consists of ABT Curriculum levels Pre-Primary – 5. The levels are divided into three divisions according to the stages of both child and dance talent development: Primary Division (Pre-Primary through Primary C for ages 3 to 7), Children’s Division (Level 1A – 3B for ages 8 – 12), and the Upper Division (Level 4A – Advanced Training Program for ages 11 – 18).
2025-26 Calendar
Fall Semester: Sept. 2 – Dec. 14, 2025
| Tuesday, Sept. 2 | Family Orientation |
| Wednesday, Sept. 3 | First Day of Classes |
| Monday, Sept. 8 | First Day of Pre-Primary and Adult Fall 10-wk. Session |
| Monday, Oct. 13 - Saturday, Oct. 18 | Family Observation Week |
| Saturday, November 15 | Last Day of Classes for Pre-Primary and Adult Ballet |
| Wednesday, Nov. 26 – Sunday, Nov. 30 | CLOSURE Thanksgiving Break |
| Wednesday, Dec. 3 | Advanced Training Program Open Rehearsal |
| Saturday, Dec. 6 | Last Day of Classes: Jazz (13-week session) and Performance Ensemble |
| Saturday, Dec. 13 and Sunday, Dec. 14 | Nutcracker Story for Young Audiences |
| Dec. 15 - Jan. 4 | CLOSURE Winter Break |
Spring Semester: Jan. 5 – June 6, 2026
| Monday, Jan. 5 | First Day of Classes |
| Monday, Jan. 5 | First Day of Pre-Primary and Adult Ballet Spring 15-wk. Session |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | First Day of Intermediate Adult Ballet 15-week Spring Session |
| Monday, Jan. 19 | CLOSURE MLK Day |
| Saturday, Feb. 7 | First Day of Jazz and Performance Ensemble |
| Friday, Feb. 27 - Sunday, March 1 | CLOSURE UNCSA Festival of Dance |
| Monday, March 2 - Saturday, March 7 | Family Observation Week |
| Monday, March 9 - Saturday, March 15 | CLOSURE WSFCS Spring Break |
| Wednesday, April 22 | Last Day of Pre-Primary Wednesdays 15-wk. Spring Session |
| Monday, April 27 - Friday, May 1 | Exam Preview Classes (select class) |
| Monday, April 27 | Last Day of Adult Ballet Monday 15-wk. Spring Session |
| Saturday, May 2 | Last Day of Pre-Primary Saturday and Adult Intermediate Ballet 15-wk. Saturday Spring Session |
| Monday, May 4 - Friday, May 8 | Primary - Level 5 Assessment Class Week |
| Saturday, May 16 | Last Day of Classes: Jazz 13 wk. Spring Session |
| Saturday, May 16 | Primary A-C Ballet Presentations |
| Saturday, May 23 - Monday, May 25 | CLOSURE Memorial Day Break |
| Thursday, May 28 | Celebrate Dance! Lower and Upper Division Graduation and Upper Division Solo Showcase |
| Saturday, May 30 | Last Day of Primary A - C Classes |
| Monday, June 1 - Friday, June 5 | Level 1 - ATP Spring Performance Production Week |
| Saturday, June 6 | Spring Performance |
Links and Documents
- 2025-26 Preparatory Dance Student Handbook
- 2025-26 Class Schedule
- 2025-26 Important Dates Calendar
- 2025-26 Withdrawal Policy and Tuition Rates
- 2025-26 Uniform Information
For more information about the Preparatory Dance Program, visit Facebook and Instagram.