ARC Ballet School

Mission

ARC Ballet School’s mission is to provide high-quality classical ballet training that combines age appropriate scientific principles with influence from classical French, Italian, Russian, British, and Danish schools of ballet. Our curriculum is designed to train students to use their bodies correctly by educating them in anatomy, kinetics, coordination, and alignment in an encouraging atmosphere, thus promoting personal growth and artistic self–expression. Artistically, our school strives to provide our students with the knowledge of classical ballet technique so they may adapt to all forms of dance.

Contributing a wealth of knowledge to the school, the professional faculty at ARC are dedicated to dance education and instilling invaluable qualities in their students that extend beyond their dance training: self–confidence and discipline, respect, work ethic and a sense of tradition.

ARC Ballet School shares common goals with its resident professional dance company, ARC Dance, to provide opportunities for the public to explore the joy and beauty of dance.

ARC School of Ballet - Seattle

 Programs

ARC Ballet School offers comprehensive programs of exceptional quality to dancers of all ages and backgrounds.The variety of classes works to meet students’ varying interests in dance, ranging from beginning to adult education/fitness to the professional career bound.

Location

ARC Ballet School and ARC Dance Company occupy over 9,000 square feet of the former Crown Hill School in the North Ballard/Crown Hill neighborhood of Seattle. Abundant parking surrounding the building is free and many Seattle Metro bus routes pass within walking distance.

Upcoming Events

Faculty

Marie Chong

Director, Choreographer, and Dance Educator

Marie Chong is an accomplished dancer, director, teacher, and choreographer who has worked in Europe, Asia, Canada, and the US. After her work as a professional dancer in both classical ballet and contemporary dance with companies such as Pacific Northwest Ballet, Eugene Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and Spectrum Dance Theater, Chong founded ARC Dance Productions in Seattle in 1999 and opened the School in 2004. She was the Director of Cirque du Soleil’s big top touring show KOOZA in Japan and the US and has integrated new artists into additional Cirque du Soleil’s shows at its headquarters in Montreal. She has also worked with Walt Disney Theatricals as a teaching artist.

Chong is an active choreographer, teacher, mentor, and movement coach. Her choreography has been critically acclaimed, and she continues to work within the entertainment industry. From 2019-2022 she was bicoastal, working between Seattle as Artistic Director of ARC Dance Company and New York as Rehearsal Director for Dance Theatre of Harlem.

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ARC Youth Dance Company

In the spring of 2013, ARC Dance launched ARC Youth Dance Company. It offers artistic and personal growth for dancers ages 11-19+ years old who desire to further excellence in dance performance and further their knowledge of classical ballet-possibly aimed towards a professional dance career (or a college dance education.) AYDC members are students enrolled in the School in the Intermediate 1 level or higher as selected by annual audition.

Scholarships

ARC Dance offers two distinct scholarships for students training in our school. All scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need and merit. Scholarships are granted for no longer than one academic year.