Contra Costa Ballet Centre
Contra Costa Ballet Centre, 2040 N Broadway, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
About
Contra Costa Ballet Centre offers dance training that includes ballet training, coaching, a youth company, and performance opportunities. Students take part in professionally staged dance performances such as the Student Showcase, Spring Rep, and The Nutcracker, as well as a Summer Intensive Program.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: School-year sessions with fall and spring classes, periodic Parents’ Observation weeks, and a Summer Intensive Program that runs Monday 6/22 to Friday 7/17 in 2026
Founded in 1974, the Contra Costa Ballet Foundation is a non-profit organization that brings the art of dance to the East Bay and sponsors the Contra Costa Ballet Company and its activities. The Foundation states that it has provided world-class dance training in the East Bay for over 60 years and that Contra Costa Ballet Centre is the official school of the Contra Costa Ballet Company. The mission of the Foundation is to provide affordable, professionally staged dance performances to the community, support a regional dance company, and provide scholarships so deserving young dancers can be trained and gain performance experiences to prepare for a professional career in dance. Contra Costa Ballet Centre states that it is dedicated to providing the highest level of training possible by recruiting thoroughly trained and educated world-class teachers, and that it offers world-class training in a professional environment emphasizing hard work and respect. The school states that it is very inclusive, does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and judges only by work ethic, desire, and merit.
Contra Costa Ballet Centre describes its syllabus as truly American, taking the best of the Russian and Italian schools and based on extensive study of the Ceccetti (Italian) and Vaganova (Russian) systems. The Contra Costa Ballet Company is described as a pre-professional company of unusual stature, with only a few youth groups of this quality existing in America today, and company dancers perform in three professionally produced performances each year.
Contra Costa Ballet Centre is directed by Richard Cammack and Zola Dishong, and new leadership of Contra Costa Ballet Academy will be by Aaron Orza and Kristin Orza. Directors and faculty hail from American Ballet Theatre in New York City, San Francisco Ballet in San Francisco, New York City Ballet in New York City, the Royal Ballet in the United Kingdom, Ritsuko Kamo in Tokyo, and Matsuyama Ballet in Tokyo. Richard Cammack is a former San Francisco Ballet School director, Zola Dishong has more than 40 years of teaching experience, and Aaron Orza and Kristin Orza are described as two well trained and skilled ballet professionals.
The Company and its activities are sponsored by the Contra Costa Ballet Foundation, whose goal is to foster and develop the art of dance in Contra Costa County. Through various outreach events, the Foundation brings ballet to local schools and the public. Listed community partners include BayArea Dancewear in Berkeley, Don McCartney Graphic Arts, Jor Fine Art Gallery, Phoenix at 1716, Platinum Nail Salon, Sylvan Learning Centers, BeLocal Lamorinda & Diablo, and SF Dance Gear. Wellness partners listed include Dr. Selina Shah as Company Doctor and Meghann Oakes Rust, DPT, as Company Physical Therapist.
Last updated June 16, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: School-year sessions with fall and spring classes, periodic Parents’ Observation weeks, and a Summer Intensive Program that runs Monday 6/22 to Friday 7/17 in 2026
Founded in 1974, the Contra Costa Ballet Foundation is a non-profit organization that brings the art of dance to the East Bay and sponsors the Contra Costa Ballet Company and its activities. The Foundation states that it has provided world-class dance training in the East Bay for over 60 years and that Contra Costa Ballet Centre is the official school of the Contra Costa Ballet Company. The mission of the Foundation is to provide affordable, professionally staged dance performances to the community, support a regional dance company, and provide scholarships so deserving young dancers can be trained and gain performance experiences to prepare for a professional career in dance. Contra Costa Ballet Centre states that it is dedicated to providing the highest level of training possible by recruiting thoroughly trained and educated world-class teachers, and that it offers world-class training in a professional environment emphasizing hard work and respect. The school states that it is very inclusive, does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and judges only by work ethic, desire, and merit.
Contra Costa Ballet Centre describes its syllabus as truly American, taking the best of the Russian and Italian schools and based on extensive study of the Ceccetti (Italian) and Vaganova (Russian) systems. The Contra Costa Ballet Company is described as a pre-professional company of unusual stature, with only a few youth groups of this quality existing in America today, and company dancers perform in three professionally produced performances each year.
Contra Costa Ballet Centre is directed by Richard Cammack and Zola Dishong, and new leadership of Contra Costa Ballet Academy will be by Aaron Orza and Kristin Orza. Directors and faculty hail from American Ballet Theatre in New York City, San Francisco Ballet in San Francisco, New York City Ballet in New York City, the Royal Ballet in the United Kingdom, Ritsuko Kamo in Tokyo, and Matsuyama Ballet in Tokyo. Richard Cammack is a former San Francisco Ballet School director, Zola Dishong has more than 40 years of teaching experience, and Aaron Orza and Kristin Orza are described as two well trained and skilled ballet professionals.
The Company and its activities are sponsored by the Contra Costa Ballet Foundation, whose goal is to foster and develop the art of dance in Contra Costa County. Through various outreach events, the Foundation brings ballet to local schools and the public. Listed community partners include BayArea Dancewear in Berkeley, Don McCartney Graphic Arts, Jor Fine Art Gallery, Phoenix at 1716, Platinum Nail Salon, Sylvan Learning Centers, BeLocal Lamorinda & Diablo, and SF Dance Gear. Wellness partners listed include Dr. Selina Shah as Company Doctor and Meghann Oakes Rust, DPT, as Company Physical Therapist.
Last updated June 16, 2026.
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