Academy of Ballet is offering children and pre-professional student classes on site following city health guidance and regulations, please contact us for information.
As the COVID-19 pandemic and the forecasts of health professionals continue to become more serious, we are prioritizing the health and safety of our community and will keep you updated if plans change.
We are streaming classes and recorded classes online for our students; contact us for information.
![](https://www.sfacademyofballet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DSC_3376b.jpg)
The Academy of Ballet offers training both for the student preparing for a professional career and those who are studying ballet for its many other benefits. All classes are carefully graded both for age and technical level and each student is given the individual attention so necessary for his or her progress.
Faculty
![](https://www.sfacademyofballet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Zory-e1428776272385.jpg)
Zory Karah, Director
Connolly Strombeck
A Bay Area native, Connolly Strombeck began dancing at an early age, studying Irish step dance, Argentine tango, tap, and various other disciplines before coming to the Academy of Ballet in San Francisco to begin his ballet training in earnest under Richard Gibson, Zory Karah, and Elizabeth Gravelle. He received supplemental training from such teachers as Trinette Singleton, Eleanor D’Antuono, and Willy Shives via the Joffrey Ballet, Johan Renvall and Leslie Browne from American Ballet Theater, and Damara Bennett, among many others.
He began his professional career at Missouri Ballet Theater in St. Louis, followed by several years with the Oakland Ballet Company and Company C Contemporary Dance in Walnut Creek before accepting a position as a principal dancer at Ballet Tucson, where he danced for four seasons before retiring in order to return to the Academy as a full-time staff member.
He has had the privilege of exploring choreography from a young age, starting with a number of ballets set on Chamberdance SF while still training, as well as winning Ballet Tucson’s first annual choreographic competition, Choreolab, in 2016, and presenting two works for the company the following year. Upon returning to the Bay Area, he accepted a choreographic residency with SAFEhouse for the Arts for the summer of 2019 and hopes to continue to present new works at the professional level in parallel to his career teaching young dancers and adult students alike.
![](https://www.sfacademyofballet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Richardbw.jpg)
Richard Gibson, Co-Founder
Richard is a former member of the Joffrey Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet. He began his teaching career in 1964 and, through the many professional dancers he has produced, he has built an international reputation as one of the most highly respected ballet masters in the United States.
His experience includes the directorship of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and the position of Ballet Master, company teacher for Nederlands Dans Theatre. He later became company teacher for the Joffrey Ballet and principal teacher for the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. He held the position of company instructor for the San Francisco Ballet for six years. As a guest teacher, Mr. Gibson has worked with the Stuttgart Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Scapino Ballet, Hungarian National Ballet, Irish National Ballet, Deutsche Oper Berlin, National Ballet of Canada, Frankfurt Opera Ballet, Aterballetto, Eliot Feld Ballet, North Carolina School of the arts and both the Bat Sheva and Bat Dor dance companies of Israel.
Past Guest Faculty Included
Joanna Berman, Donn Edwards, Pascal Leroy, Carmela Zegorelli, Zoltan Peter, Julia Adam, Kristine Elliott
![](https://www.sfacademyofballet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Elizabeth.jpg)
Elizabeth Gravelle, Instructor
Students trained by our faculty have gone on to careers with:
New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Nederlands Dance Theater, Paul Taylor Company, Houston Ballet, Ballet West, Stuttgart Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and others.
Melisande Amos
Sacramento Ballet
Connie An
Oakland Ballet, Peninsula Ballet Theater
Brendan Barthel
Robert Moses Kin
Sarah Blodgett
Ballet West, Connecticut Ballet, Metropolitan Opera, West Side Story International Tour and various musical and theater productions
Silas Campos
Tulsa Ballet, Ballet West
Roberto Cisneros
Smuin Ballet, Ballet Met
Michelle de Fremery
Michelle de Fremery- New Jersey Ballet, Numbus Dance Works, American Repertory Ballet
Aidan DeYoung
Ballet West, Smuin Ballet, Post:Ballet, Broadway By the Bay
Have a look at Aidan’s profile at Post:Ballet.
Sarah Esser
Era Dance, dancer and director
Ryland Early
Ballet West II, Boston Ballet II, Ballet Idaho, Ballet Arizona
Pedro Gamino
See Pedro’s profile at the Atlanta Ballet.
Hannah Gelfond
Carolina Ballet
James Gotesky
Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet
Have a look at James’ profile at the Houston Ballet.
Jung-min Hong
National Ballet of Korea, Alberta Ballet
Krista Kastner
Pittsburg Ballet, Smuin Ballet, San Francisco Opera, Dresden Ballet
Megan Kurashige
Liss Fain Dance
Edgar Lepe
Have a look at Edgar’s profile at Bay Pointe.
Naomi Martisius
Smuin Ballet
Carlos Narvaez-Duran
Peninsula Ballet Theater, Bay Pointe Ballet
Have a look at Carlos’ profile at Bay Pointe.
Rika Onizuka
Smuin Ballet, Ohio Ballet, San Jose Ballet
Kaleena Opdyke
Ballet San Jose
Erin Parsley
Chicago Ballet
Beau Pearson
Have a look at Beau’s profile at Ballet West.
Benoit Piernot
David Taylor Dance Company
Samuel Pott
Martha GrahamDance Company, American Repertory Ballet, Oakland Ballet, director of Nimbus Dance Works
Buddy Rekoert-Valdez
Luna Negra Dance Theater, Riedel Dance Theater, ennifer Muller/The Works, and ZviDance
Tracy Redman
Bat Dor Dance Company
Shawn Rouse
Bat Dor Dance Company
Noe Serrano
Ballet Puerto Rico, Oakland Ballet, Smuin Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, San Francisco Opera
Oliver Shock
Boulder Ballet, David Taylor Dance Company
Aaron Simunovich
Oakland Ballet, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Dance Theater
Colin Stilwell
Metropolitan Opera, Doug Verone and Dancers
Connolly Strombeck
Company C Contemporary Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Missouri Ballet Theater
Joshua Trader
Eugene Ballet, Tulsa Ballet
Oscar Trujillo
Capacitor, Margret Jenkins Dance Company
Michael Vester
Ohio Ballet, Sacramento Ballet
Ethan Watts
Ethan recently represented the National Ballet of Canada in the Erik Bruhn Competition. Have a look at Ethan’s profile at the National Ballet of Canada.
Schedule of Classes 2024-25
Effective August 2024
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 12:45 pm 4:15 pm 4:30 pm 5:45 pm 6:00 pm
Mon
- Ballet III, 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm
- Ballet V, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
- Ballet V Pointe, 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Tue
- Ballet VI, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet IV, 4:30 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet VI Pointe, 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm
Wed
- Ballet III, 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm
- Ballet V, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
- Ballet V Pointe, 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Thu
- Ballet VI, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet IV, 4:30 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet VI Pointe, 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm
Fri
- Ballet VI, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet II, 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm
- Ballet V, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet VI Pointe, 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm
Sat
- Pre Ballet, 10:00 am to 10:45 am
- Ballet VI, 10:00 am to 11:30 am
- Ballet I, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
- Ballet VI Pointe, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Classical Rep, 12:45 pm to 1:45 pm
Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10:00 am | ||||||
11:00 am | ||||||
11:30 am | ||||||
12:45 pm | ||||||
4:15 pm | ||||||
4:30 pm | ||||||
5:45 pm | ||||||
6:00 pm |
Mon
- Ballet III, 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm
- Ballet V, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
- Ballet V Pointe, 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Tue
- Ballet VI, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet IV, 4:30 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet VI Pointe, 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm
Wed
- Ballet III, 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm
- Ballet V, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
- Ballet V Pointe, 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Thu
- Ballet VI, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet IV, 4:30 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet VI Pointe, 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm
Fri
- Ballet VI, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet II, 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm
- Ballet V, 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm
- Ballet VI Pointe, 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm
Sat
- Pre Ballet, 10:00 am to 10:45 am
- Ballet VI, 10:00 am to 11:30 am
- Ballet I, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
- Ballet VI Pointe, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Classical Rep, 12:45 pm to 1:45 pm
Schedule of Classes Adult 2024-25
Effective July 2024
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 3:00 pm 6:30 pm 6:45 pm 7:30 pm 8:00 pm
Mon
- Adult Advanced, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- Adult I, 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm
- New Adult Beginning, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
- Adult II, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Tue
- Adult Elementary, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- Adult Intermediate, 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
- Adult Beginning, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Wed
- Adult Advanced, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- Adult I, 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm
- New Adult Beginning, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
- Adult II, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Thu
- Adult Elementary, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- Adult Intermediate, 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
- Adult Beginning, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Sat
- Adult Advanced, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3:00 pm | ||||||
6:30 pm | ||||||
6:45 pm | ||||||
7:30 pm | ||||||
8:00 pm |
Mon
- Adult Advanced, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- Adult I, 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm
- New Adult Beginning, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
- Adult II, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Tue
- Adult Elementary, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- Adult Intermediate, 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
- Adult Beginning, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Wed
- Adult Advanced, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- Adult I, 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm
- New Adult Beginning, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
- Adult II, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Thu
- Adult Elementary, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- Adult Intermediate, 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
- Adult Beginning, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Sat
- Adult Advanced, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
![Academy of Ballet Street View](https://www.sfacademyofballet.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/StudioFront.jpg)
Academy of Ballet
2121 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94114 415.552.1166