Photos by Katie Ging Photography
The Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh is committed to the belief that experiencing the performing arts is a vital element in the education of our children. We hope to enhance the lives of children and the community through the beauty and discipline of classical ballet.
We provide the highest-quality classical ballet instruction in the greater Pittsburgh area to children ages 18 months & up, preschool through advanced. Starting with our Mommy and Me Ballet class, and continuing through to our High School program, we offer classes to all ages and levels. Classical ballet is the foundation of all forms of dance, and while some schools offer ballet in a supplemental capacity, at the Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh, it is our specialty!
We are conveniently located in the heart of the South Hills on Library Road (Route 88) in Castle Shannon, only minutes from locales such as Baldwin/Whitehall, Bethel Park, McMurray, Mt. Lebanon, Pleasant Hills/West Jefferson Hills and Upper St. Clair. We are also easily reached via routes 19 & 51, and are directly adjacent to the St. Anne’s Trolley station for those taking public transportation.
Annual performance opportunities for our students include the holiday-favorite The Nutcracker, and our Spring Gala series featuring such timeless classics as Coppelia, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, in addition to works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins and Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh faculty. Participation in all performances is optional, and rehearsals are separate from class.
Garielle Whittle - repetiteur for The George Balanchine Trust, The Jerome Robbins Trust, and Christopher Wheeldon.
"I have had the pleasure of staging ballets created for young students by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins at The Ballet Academy of Pittsburgh for Artistic directors Lindsay and Steven Piper. The Academy is exceptionally organized and professional. Students have been taught the specific etiquette, discipline and respect crucial for a serious ballet student, in an environment that is nurturing and caring. Both Lindsay and Steven are excellent, knowledgeable, and experienced teachers. Many of their well trained students have been accepted into elite summer programs and have gone on to professional careers in major ballet companies.
Both Lindsay and Steven danced with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre under the direction of the great NYCB Ballerina Patricia Wilde who cast them in Balanchine’s ballets and shared her in depth knowledge of him. Both Balanchine and Robbins choreographed complex and challenging works for children. I have found the BAP students to be prepared and ready to go, eager to learn (which they do very quickly), well-trained, serious and respectful. Because of this, rehearsals have always gone very smoothly. The Piper’s have created a superior school and are always such a pleasure to work with."
