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= The Boston Ballet School (BBS) = The Boston Ballet School (BBS) is an American ballet school based in Boston, Massachusetts. With three campus locations, the studio serves male and female ballet students, starting at age 3, across the greater Boston area. Founded by E. Virginia Williams in 1963, The Boston Ballet School was formerly the New England Civic Ballet.

"The official School of Boston Ballet and largest dance school in North America, provides unique dance experiences in a creative environment, under the direction of professional dance education experts with three convenient locations in Boston, Newton, and the North Shore."

Early History
1956

E. Virginia Williams moves her ballet school from a studio in Back Bay to 186 Massachusetts Avenue, across from the Lowes State Theatre in Boston. The School at this point offered classes starting at a children's level all the way to a Professional Division. The schools “fundamental purpose" was "to provide its students with a training equivalent to that offered professional dancers by the great European schools.

1958: Out of her Boston School of Ballet, sometimes called The New England School of Ballet, E. Virginia Williams created a small dance group named The New England Civic Ballet. The New England Civic Ballet primarily performed at small local festivals and venues around New England.

Between 1958 and 1962

The New England Civic Ballet performed regionally, dancing various pieces such as a 3 Act Nutcracker, Les Syphides, and repertory works by E. Virginia Williams, Sydney Leonard, Lev Ianov, Jean Paige.

Aug 14, 1962

New England Civic Ballet performed as part of the 30th year of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. At this point New England Civic Ballet was considered a semi-professional company, and called themselves “The Boston Ballet”. The performance was reviewed for Dance Magazine in October 1962 by Doris Hering. She stated: "The Boston Ballet dancers perform with a cohesiveness of style that one rarely encounters even in a seasoned professional company...there is no artifice. Instead there is an ease of communication between them and the audience."

Dec 15, 1963

"A Ford Foundation grant of $144,000 to the Boston Ballet School has given birth to Boston's first and only professional ballet company." announced The Boston Globe on Monday, December 30,1963. The Ford Grant, which had been officially announced on December 15, was a historic $7,756,000, the largest private subsidy made to single art form at the time. In part, based on the recommendations of GEORGE BALANCHINE and McNeil Lowry, the grant provided for the formation of several professional ballet companies, including the Boston Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, and Washington Ballet. Balanchine was a strong supporter of this initiative, he would serve as Boston Ballet's artistic advisor for several years and as a further gesture of support gave the new company several of his works."

Studios
Marblehead Boston Ballet School:

Located on the second floor of the Lynch Van Otterloo YMCA in Marblehead Massachusetts, the third studio was opened in 2009. It is the smallest of the three studios.

Newton Boston Ballet School

Originally based in Norwell, Massachusetts, the new Newton studio opened its doors in August of 2017.

"Designed by global architecture firm Gensler, the 26,550-square-foot facility features seven studios (two more than the previous location), expanded common areas for families, increased locker room space for students, a physical therapy room, family restrooms, and dedicated areas for studying and stretching. Boston Ballet School leadership partnered with Gensler and solicited input from more than 400 constituents to inform the design."

"In response to growing demand for high-caliber dance education and the need to ensure a long-term home in the suburbs, Boston Ballet School is expanding and relocating its Newton Studio. With a range of personas to consider (child/adult student, students with disabilities, families, and faculty) the design team considered each user’s experience and focused on how to simultaneously respect the rigor of ballet training while creating a welcoming setting for all."

Clarendon Street Boston Ballet School Headquarters:

The original studio location of the Boston Ballet School. The Clarendon Street Studio also acts as the Headquarters for the school and the greater company, including administrative offices and the marketing team.The Clarendon Street Studio is also home of the Pre-Professional Program. Pre-Professional Program at Boston Ballet School:

The pre-professional program at the Boston Ballet is the stepping stone to the professional company. Accepting only about 80 students a year, this program is highly exclusive and competitive. Students move from all over the US and Internationally to participate in this program and to train directly under the head of the Boston Ballet School, as well as the professional company members.

Boston Ballet School and Walnut Hill School For Performing Arts

Although now put on pause, as of autumn 2020, Walnut Hill Academy for the Performing Arts will utilize Boston Ballet School’s teachers and students while offering access to Walnut Hill School’s academic curriculum, housing, and facilities. "A year and a half in the making, the new partnership focuses exclusively on Boston Ballet School’s pre-professional division, currently made up of 81 students — the school’s smallest branch. The BBS is the official school of the Boston Ballet company and is among the largest ballet schools in the United States, enrolling more than 4,000 students at locations in Boston, Newton, and Marblehead."