Pensacola Youth Ballet

Pensacola Youth Ballet offers ballet, tumbling, crafting, theatre, music, resume and self marketing, dance history, and cross training. The program is structured as a 6 week intensive at the Pensacola Youth Ballet Center.

• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: 6 week intensive

Pensacola Youth Ballet is a pre-professional program for children ages three and up, as well as adult classes and “Dance With Me.” It utilizes a progressive syllabus to prepare students for a professional career in the arts, with a focus on student growth and development in all areas, including building a diverse performance resume. The program states that each student has opportunities that challenge, encourage, and improve their overall confidence according to their technical and artistic level.

The program is directed by Michael Wardlaw, former Senior Soloist with Cincinnati Ballet and Soloist with Tulsa Ballet, and a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, whose career has spanned national and international stages. The studio serves as an audition hub for professional ballet summer programs, and students work with guest instructors. Students also have supplemental classes in theatre and music, resume and self marketting, dance history, and cross training, and they have opportunities to travel, train, and see performances of other companies.

Pensacola Youth Ballet offers two productions each year, including The Nutcracker and “Evening of Dance.” Students also perform at the Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival and an end of year story ballet. One testimonial notes “the values, the respect for each one of the students and their goals” and mentions “a high level of technique, pedagogy, and hard work,” attributed to Romel Frameda Castellon, Principle Dancer Ballet National De Cuba.

Last updated June 2, 2026.