Academy History

Career Preparatory Academy

Since1987, California DanceArts has been dedicated to the purpose of grooming and nurturing the talents of its students. The school's humble beginning near Hollywood California, offered private and semi-private ballet lessons for Los Angeles area dancers who wanted high caliber training.

In order to accommodate its growing student roster, the academy moved in 1998 only several miles from Glendale, California. Its current location in beautiful La Canada is nestled among several schools and recreational facilities. Located within the La Canada School Complex, this facility once served as the town's junior high school and the Academy now enjoys the space that was previously used by the schools' gymnastics programs.

Today, the school provides three large studio spaces featuring sprung floors designed to prevent injury, 20-foot high ceilings geared for unobstructed jumping, wall mirrors and air conditioning. To illustrate its versatility, our largest studio is often turned into a theatre for intimate performances utilizing drop-down backdrops, theater stereo equipment, state of the art theater lighting and more.

The Academy's dance curriculum has expanded over the years by providing classes for all ages, pre-school through adult. While every child may not possess the desire to become a professional dancer, we believe that quality dance training of a professional caliber will ultimately benefit students of any skill level and at any age. Even the recreational dancer will gain all of the benefits offered by a top-rate dance education program In particular; the school has established a reputation as a career preparatory school for dancers transitioning to the professional level. In keeping with the philosophy established at its inception, the school continues to place severe limits on class size enrollment, in an effort to provide individual attention to students. By providing fundamental core training in classical ballet enhanced with all major styles of dance and giving attention to important attributes such as musicality, rhythm and dramatic skills, students are given the tools with which to achieve their goals and to pursue their passion and dreams. Supporting such dreams has been the vision of the Academy since its beginnings.

In addition to establishing California Contemporary Ballet, which serves as the school's resident non-profit performing company, California DanceArts has affiliations with ballet companies internationally. Students have successfully secured scholarship awards for dance and theatre, gone onto television careers and Broadway style musicals as dancers, choreographers or directors. Students have entered performing arts schools and Universities to complete their credentials for careers in dance. California DanceArts ballet students have been accepted and secured opportunities or positions internationally with:

Universal Ballet
American Ballet Theater
Pittsburg Ballet
Atlanta Ballet
Pennsylvania Ballet
Kansas City Ballet
Kaatsbaan
Alonzo King's Lines Ballet
Salzburg International Ballet, Austria
Ostrava Ballet, Czech Republic
and more.

We are most proud of our many students who have gained opportunities and experience by performing within the California Contemporary Youth Ballet Company and continue to pursue careers within the professional ranks of California Contemporary Ballet.