Lafayette Ballet Theatre Dance Conservatory
201 Petroleum Drive, Lafayette, LA 70508
About
Lafayette Ballet Theatre Dance Conservatory offers classes in Ballet Technique, Pointe, Variations, Creative Movement, Adaptive Dance, Modern, and conditioning/strengthening. The program includes year round and summer programs that provide classical dance training and performance opportunities. The Conservatory currently supplies 90 percent of Lafayette Ballet Theatre’s dancers.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Lafayette Ballet Theatre is Acadiana’s professional ballet company and offers 28-week contracted positions to local artists. Leading Lafayette Ballet Theatre are Artistic Directors Shannon Heath and Mitzi Heath, who also serve as Co-Artistic Directors of the company and its official school, Dance Conservatory. Lafayette Ballet Theatre was founded in 1982, and its official school, Dance Conservatory, was established the previous year.
Mitzi Heath previously studied at The Harkness House (NY), The National Academy of Dance (Champaign, Illinois), American Ballet Theatre (NY), and the Joffrey Ballet (NY), where she advanced from apprentice to Corps de Ballet and then to Soloist. She has been a faculty member with the Joffrey Ballet School (NY), Colorado Ballet, and Ballet Director for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble in Denver, and she has pursued additional teacher training with organizations including the Vail International Teacher’s Workshop, Paris Opera Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Shannon Heath began her ballet studies under Gwynne Ashton’s Acadian Ballet Company and trained with American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Nubert Ballet Institution/Carnegie Hall, Harkness Ballet School, the Joffrey Ballet, and the National Academy of Dance, and as a teacher she has studied with Paris Opera Ballet School, Danish Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Bolshoi Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Lafayette Ballet Theatre presents full-length classical story ballets annually in the spring and stages The Nutcracker, a holiday tradition in Acadiana that includes over 140 local students. Its productions feature international principal guest artists, local contracted dancers, and area youth. The organization maintains an extensive complimentary ticket program called A Night at the Ballet for underprivileged children and adults and supports educational programs that reach over 2,500 children annually in schools and at the theater. It also offers special programs such as ADEPT (Adaptive Dance Education and Therapy Program) to serve the community’s youth.
Last updated January 19, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
Lafayette Ballet Theatre is Acadiana’s professional ballet company and offers 28-week contracted positions to local artists. Leading Lafayette Ballet Theatre are Artistic Directors Shannon Heath and Mitzi Heath, who also serve as Co-Artistic Directors of the company and its official school, Dance Conservatory. Lafayette Ballet Theatre was founded in 1982, and its official school, Dance Conservatory, was established the previous year.
Mitzi Heath previously studied at The Harkness House (NY), The National Academy of Dance (Champaign, Illinois), American Ballet Theatre (NY), and the Joffrey Ballet (NY), where she advanced from apprentice to Corps de Ballet and then to Soloist. She has been a faculty member with the Joffrey Ballet School (NY), Colorado Ballet, and Ballet Director for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble in Denver, and she has pursued additional teacher training with organizations including the Vail International Teacher’s Workshop, Paris Opera Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Shannon Heath began her ballet studies under Gwynne Ashton’s Acadian Ballet Company and trained with American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Nubert Ballet Institution/Carnegie Hall, Harkness Ballet School, the Joffrey Ballet, and the National Academy of Dance, and as a teacher she has studied with Paris Opera Ballet School, Danish Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Bolshoi Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, and Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Lafayette Ballet Theatre presents full-length classical story ballets annually in the spring and stages The Nutcracker, a holiday tradition in Acadiana that includes over 140 local students. Its productions feature international principal guest artists, local contracted dancers, and area youth. The organization maintains an extensive complimentary ticket program called A Night at the Ballet for underprivileged children and adults and supports educational programs that reach over 2,500 children annually in schools and at the theater. It also offers special programs such as ADEPT (Adaptive Dance Education and Therapy Program) to serve the community’s youth.
Last updated January 19, 2026.
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