Santa Barbara Festival Ballet

Santa Barbara Festival Ballet offers classes in ballet, jazz dance, contemporary dance, modern dance, and acro, along with adult ballet and adult contemporary classes. The program also includes a Summer Intensive for intermediate dancers, an Anne Marie DeAngelo workshop intensive, and rehearsals for both a Nutcracker performance and a Spring performance.

• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: Weekly classes with options Monday through Saturday, including morning preschool classes, afternoon and evening youth levels, and daytime and evening OPEN teen and adult ballet classes

For nearly 50 years, Santa Barbara Festival Ballet has been training dancers and collaborating with the Santa Barbara Symphony at the Arlington Theatre, including its 50th Anniversary Nutcracker at the Arlington Theatre in December 2025. The mission of Santa Barbara Festival Ballet is to enrich the community through the art of dance, providing training and performance opportunities for dancers of all ages, with a focus on correct and age-appropriate ballet technique, artistry, musicality, and a supportive and nurturing environment. The organization is a 501(c)3 and is home of The Nutcracker at the Arlington, with students in Level 1 and above invited to audition for the Nutcracker each year and to perform in a Spring performance.

The leadership team includes Artistic Director Valerie Huston, Artistic Director Emerita Denise Rinaldi, and instructors Conor Adler, Georgia Goldsmith, Madeline Stiner, Bella Schwartz, and Meredith Ventura. Denise Rinaldi holds Fellowship (passed with distinction) in Cecchetti USA and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, is a member of Cecchetti International, serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Cecchetti USA, and is an examiner for the organization, and she holds a degree in Theater from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Valerie Huston is a Senior Lecturer on the dance faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara, holds a B.F.A. in ballet from the University of Utah, and has received a lifetime achievement award in dance from the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance. Other instructors hold degrees including a BA from UC Santa Barbara, B.A. in Dance from UC Santa Barbara, B.A. in Political Science from UC Irvine, BFA in Dance Performance from Butler University, and B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in Dance, with ongoing Ph.D. studies in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies at UC Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara Festival Ballet offers a complimentary trial or assessment class, uses a Student & Parent Portal for registration, and notes that payment plans may be available. Scholarships are available to those in need. Conditioning classes are required for students on pointe in Levels 6, 7, and 8, and previous experience is required for Level 2 and up, including all jazz, contemporary, and acro classes that are not labeled “Intro” or “Beginning.” OPEN classes are available for teen and adult dancers seeking exercise and the enjoyment of a traditional ballet class, and families are asked to contact the studio before attending the Beginning/Intermediate Acro class.

The studio’s community involvement includes the Friends of Clara program and numerous community outreach programs throughout the year, along with nearly 50 years of collaboration with the Santa Barbara Symphony at the Arlington Theatre. Parent testimonials describe individualized attention for young dancers, focus on classic ballet with structure and tradition, and experiences that include Nutcracker performances, company apprenticeships, and travel with Ballet Alliance.

Last updated March 25, 2026.