School of Richmond Ballet Children’s Division
407 East Canal Street, Richmond, VA 23219
About
The School of Richmond Ballet Children’s Division offers dance and ballet classes that include Invitation to the Dance, Pre-Primary Ballet, and Primary Ballet. Students dance Richmond Ballet's signature ballet syllabus in classes with live music played by a ballet pianist. During the session, students may observe company dancers in rehearsal, meet company dancers, study the costumes, scenic elements, and music of story ballets, learn about the story, music, costumes, and scenery of a ballet, and see a live performance at the theatre.
• Ages: 4–8 years old
• Schedule: Children’s Division Ages 4–7 runs September 4, 2025 – May 30, 2026, with class options on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
• Price: A $45 annual registration fee is charged in addition to quarterly tuition; quarterly tuition ranges from $211.50 to $241.50 depending on class level, and tuition is non-refundable except in the case of serious illness or injury with written verification from a physician.
All students must be the required age by September 1, 2025. Tuition for Invitation to the Dance 4 includes two tickets to the SRB Ensembles performance, The Sleeping Beauty Suite. Tuition for Invitation to the Dance 5 and Pre-Primary includes two tickets to The Nutcracker, and tuition for Primary includes two tickets to Giselle. Students in the Children’s Division train with teachers who were formerly professional dancers and are part of a larger School structure that also includes Lower, Middle, and Upper Divisions. SRB students who are at least 7 years old and registered for SRB classes are eligible to audition for The Nutcracker.
Richmond Ballet states that it is a premier dance organization championing ballet and beyond and is dedicated to awakening, uplifting, and uniting human spirits through the power of dance. Richmond Ballet is referred to as “The State Ballet of Virginia,” and Dance/USA describes Richmond Ballet as “a jewel among U.S. dance companies,” while The Washington Post calls it “a company to which dance fans everywhere ought to pay attention.” Richmond Ballet also offers Community programs that make the joy of dance accessible for all.
Students in the School of Richmond Ballet follow a specific dress code that includes leotards, tights or socks, and ballet shoes, or a fitted t-shirt with black knit shorts and black leather ballet shoes, depending on class level and option chosen. Dancewear must be laundered and in good repair, tights must be worn under a leotard, and dance shoes are not worn outside the building. Hair is kept neat and secured, jewelry is limited to small earrings at the instructor’s discretion, and students wear street clothes and shoes when entering and leaving the building, with a cover up over dance attire outside. Students may bring non-breakable water bottles, food and other beverages are limited to designated snack areas, and gum is not allowed in the School of Richmond Ballet building. The School of Richmond Ballet dress code attire can be purchased at Ellman’s Dancewear in the Beverly Hills Shopping Center at 8524 Patterson Avenue.
The leadership and administrative team for Richmond Ballet and the School of Richmond Ballet includes Ma Cong, Artistic Director; Igor Antonov, Rehearsal Director; Lauren Fagone, Artistic Associate and Répétiteur; Hannah Mixon, Artistic Operations Coordinator; Judy Jacob, Professional Training Program Director; Tara Penick, School of Richmond Ballet Director; Anne Sidney Hetherington, SRB Artistic Associate; Deanna Seay, Trainee Program Coordinator; Gabor Szigeti, Studio Company & Men’s Program Coordinator; Cecile Tuzii, Ensembles Coordinator; Amanda Brook, SRB Administrative Manager; Jamie Eagle, SRB Programs Administrator; Maren Topp, SRB Student and Family Administrator; Kathleen Holman, Executive Director; Tracy Skinner, Human Resources Director; Donna Lynne Carter, Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director; Monica Ross, Facilities Administrator; Susan Collet, Operations & HR Coordinator; David Sandborn, Senior Accountant; Jason “Blue” Herbert, Technical Director; Maggie O'Donnell, Production Director; Christopher Devlin Hill, Master Electrician; Christi Owen, Costume Shop Manager; Dave Watkins, Audio/Visual Supervisor; Jordan Glunt, Minds in Motion Director; Katherine Smothers, Minds in Motion Artistic Associate and Teaching Artist; Carrie Bilek, Marketing & Communications Director; Jessie Buford, Box Office Manager; Audrey Fain, Public Relations & Content Manager; Ashton Clevenger, Graphic Designer; Brooke Bates, Director of Major Gifts & Donor Relations; Jennifer Chapman, Strategic Partnerships Manager; and Holly Foster, Annual Giving Coordinator.
Last updated February 9, 2026.
• Ages: 4–8 years old
• Schedule: Children’s Division Ages 4–7 runs September 4, 2025 – May 30, 2026, with class options on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
• Price: A $45 annual registration fee is charged in addition to quarterly tuition; quarterly tuition ranges from $211.50 to $241.50 depending on class level, and tuition is non-refundable except in the case of serious illness or injury with written verification from a physician.
All students must be the required age by September 1, 2025. Tuition for Invitation to the Dance 4 includes two tickets to the SRB Ensembles performance, The Sleeping Beauty Suite. Tuition for Invitation to the Dance 5 and Pre-Primary includes two tickets to The Nutcracker, and tuition for Primary includes two tickets to Giselle. Students in the Children’s Division train with teachers who were formerly professional dancers and are part of a larger School structure that also includes Lower, Middle, and Upper Divisions. SRB students who are at least 7 years old and registered for SRB classes are eligible to audition for The Nutcracker.
Richmond Ballet states that it is a premier dance organization championing ballet and beyond and is dedicated to awakening, uplifting, and uniting human spirits through the power of dance. Richmond Ballet is referred to as “The State Ballet of Virginia,” and Dance/USA describes Richmond Ballet as “a jewel among U.S. dance companies,” while The Washington Post calls it “a company to which dance fans everywhere ought to pay attention.” Richmond Ballet also offers Community programs that make the joy of dance accessible for all.
Students in the School of Richmond Ballet follow a specific dress code that includes leotards, tights or socks, and ballet shoes, or a fitted t-shirt with black knit shorts and black leather ballet shoes, depending on class level and option chosen. Dancewear must be laundered and in good repair, tights must be worn under a leotard, and dance shoes are not worn outside the building. Hair is kept neat and secured, jewelry is limited to small earrings at the instructor’s discretion, and students wear street clothes and shoes when entering and leaving the building, with a cover up over dance attire outside. Students may bring non-breakable water bottles, food and other beverages are limited to designated snack areas, and gum is not allowed in the School of Richmond Ballet building. The School of Richmond Ballet dress code attire can be purchased at Ellman’s Dancewear in the Beverly Hills Shopping Center at 8524 Patterson Avenue.
The leadership and administrative team for Richmond Ballet and the School of Richmond Ballet includes Ma Cong, Artistic Director; Igor Antonov, Rehearsal Director; Lauren Fagone, Artistic Associate and Répétiteur; Hannah Mixon, Artistic Operations Coordinator; Judy Jacob, Professional Training Program Director; Tara Penick, School of Richmond Ballet Director; Anne Sidney Hetherington, SRB Artistic Associate; Deanna Seay, Trainee Program Coordinator; Gabor Szigeti, Studio Company & Men’s Program Coordinator; Cecile Tuzii, Ensembles Coordinator; Amanda Brook, SRB Administrative Manager; Jamie Eagle, SRB Programs Administrator; Maren Topp, SRB Student and Family Administrator; Kathleen Holman, Executive Director; Tracy Skinner, Human Resources Director; Donna Lynne Carter, Executive Assistant to the Artistic Director; Monica Ross, Facilities Administrator; Susan Collet, Operations & HR Coordinator; David Sandborn, Senior Accountant; Jason “Blue” Herbert, Technical Director; Maggie O'Donnell, Production Director; Christopher Devlin Hill, Master Electrician; Christi Owen, Costume Shop Manager; Dave Watkins, Audio/Visual Supervisor; Jordan Glunt, Minds in Motion Director; Katherine Smothers, Minds in Motion Artistic Associate and Teaching Artist; Carrie Bilek, Marketing & Communications Director; Jessie Buford, Box Office Manager; Audrey Fain, Public Relations & Content Manager; Ashton Clevenger, Graphic Designer; Brooke Bates, Director of Major Gifts & Donor Relations; Jennifer Chapman, Strategic Partnerships Manager; and Holly Foster, Annual Giving Coordinator.
Last updated February 9, 2026.
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