Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts



Richmond Ballet Trainee Program

BFA DEGREE CONCENTRATION FOR THE RICHMOND BALLET TRAINEES

VCU Dance offers a four-year degree concentration within the BFA specifically designed for Richmond Ballet Trainees. The two-year trainee program of the Richmond Ballet provides intensive study and opportunities to perform in concert with the Richmond Ballet Company. Within this degree track, Richmond Ballet Trainees enroll as full-time VCU Dance Majors when they enroll in the Richmond Ballet Trainee Program. Students must pass auditions for both programs and meet VCU Academic requirements for admission. Once admitted into this special program, students receive VCU Dance credit for their pre-professional training at the Richmond Ballet and take general education courses and modern dance technique at VCU. Upon completion of the two-year trainee program, those students who do not join the company can become full-time dance majors at VCU, on track to finish a BFA in Dance in two more years. They then have the opportunity to continue to refine their dance performance skills at VCU while enjoying the range of educational opportunities offered by University. This program is also designed to enable Richmond Ballet Trainees to expand their potential through VCU Dance course offerings such as Improvisation, Composition, Dance Science, Anatomy for Dancers, Dance History, Music and Dance Forms, Contact Improvisation, Teaching Methods, Dance Management, Video/Choreography, Lighting Design for Dance and Dance Production.

Click here for details on the Richmond Ballet Trainee curriculum at VCU.

Please note:

  • Students in the VCU Dance Degree Track for Richmond Ballet Trainees must pay tuition for both VCU and the Richmond Ballet Trainee Program during the first two years of the degree.
  • Students auditioning outside of Richmond are strongly encouraged to visit VCU Dance for an audition.
  • For information about VCU admissions and the applications process, visit VCU Admissions.
  • Students accepted into this program are encouraged to apply for financial aid for VCU Tuition. Click here for more information.
  • Richmond Ballet Trainee Tuition: $5600 per year including summer.
  • Merit scholarships for accepted Richmond Ballet Trainee students are awarded at auditions.

VCU Dance

The mission of the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Dance and Choreography is to create an invigorating educational environment in which students experience the demands and challenges of a professional career as an artist in the field of dance. The program provides students with numerous opportunities for individual artistic growth in a community setting where communication, mutual respect and self-motivation are encouraged.


Richmond Ballet

Richmond Ballet’s mission is to awaken and uplift the human spirit, both for audiences and dancers. It is dedicated to the promotion, preservation and continuing evolution of the art form of ballet. Richmond Ballet strives to keep meaningful works of dance alive and to produce and foster new works that remain true to these values.

Virginia Commonwealth University
Department of Dance & Choreography
P.O. Box 843007, 1315 Floyd Avenue
Richmond, VA 23284-3007
p. 804-828-1711 f. 804-828-7356
http://www.vcu.edu/arts/dance
dance@vcu.edu
Martha Curtis, Professor

Richmond Ballet
407 East Canal Street
Richmond, VA 23219
p. 804-344-0906 f. 804-344-0901
http://www.richmondballet.com
Judy Jacob, Director of the School of the Richmond Ballet