The Washington Ballet at THEARC

Specialties

TWB@THEARC is housed at the Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Center (THEARC), a multi-​disciplinary facility in Southeast Washington where music, art, and social services are offered in an environment that inspires both adults and children to learn, share, discover, and flourish. TWB@THEARC’s state-​of-​the-​art facility includes two studios, dressing and locker rooms, and a 365-​seat theatre, where The Washington Ballet performs its famed Nutcracker with select students from The Washington School of Ballet in the production.

History

Established in 1944.

Co-​founded in 1944 by the late Mary Day and Lisa Gardiner, The Washington School of Ballet (TWSB) is recognized nationally and internationally for its classical training and dedication to excellence in dance and dance education. The school trains more than 700 students each year at its Northwest Campus studios on Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest and an additional 350 students at its Southeast Campus housed at The Town Hall Education, Arts and Recreation Center (THEARC). The Athenaeum in Alexandria, Virginia, provides a third campus for the school, serving 50 more young students.

The Washington School of Ballet curriculum includes pre-​ballet, boys’ classes, and a graded program for children through young adulthood, many of whom wish to pursue dance as a career. The school also offers a Professional Training Program that brings together especially talented students from around the world for intensive training under The Washington School of Ballet’s renowned faculty. All three campuses share