Pre-Professional Mentor/Apprentice Program

For serious students ages 16 – 24. Acceptance to the Mentor/Apprentice program is by invitation or audition only.

ARC School of Ballet - SeattleThe Mentor/Apprentice program focuses on preparing dancers for a professional career in dance and is structured to provide a supportive transition from completion of high school training to full-time pre-professional practice. Graduates of ARC’s Foundation Student program and other students who have reached an appropriately advanced level of training may apply for this program.

Our graduates have worked with companies such as:

Mark Morris Dance Group, Nashville Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theater, City Ballet of San Diego, Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Eugene Ballet, Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, Alberta Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Cirque du Soleil and ARC Dance Company.

The Mentor/Apprentice Program runs from September to June. 

Students take a variety of classes including Ballet technique, Pointe/Variations, Modern (Graham and Horton), as well as Contemporary Repertoire, Job field preparation, Nutrition, Anatomy, Choreography, and Music Theory throughout the program.

Students in our Mentor/Apprentice program (both auditioning and returning) are responsible for their own accommodation and meals throughout the program.

The Mentor/Apprentice program is competitive to 6 – 8 selected number of students annually. Acceptance to the program is by invitation or audition only. The average number of years in the Mentor/Apprentice Program is two to three years. Mentor/Apprentice students are members of the Arc Youth Dance Company (AYDC) in performances throughout the school year and the ARC Company performance season.

Classes are offered in:

Ballet technique, Pointe/Variations, Modern (Graham and Horton), as well as Contemporary Repertoire, Job field preparation, Nutrition, Anatomy, Choreography, and Music Theory throughout the program.

Private classes and workshops in Specific Techniques, Répertoire, Artistry, Style, Musicality, Movement Connection, Gyrotonic®, Gyrokinesis ®, Pilates, and other supplemental movement modalities

Prior to registration, written admission and consent to the program must be acknowledged.

This program is no longer enrolling. Please check back for the audition announcement/application for the 2026/27 School year.

  • Full Year (September- June) and Summer commitment opportunity

  • Two 16- week semesters (Fall and Spring)

  • Intensive summer training and performing program opportunity

  • Number of classes per week: 19+

  • Performance opportunity: AYDC and ARC Dance Company’s performance season.

TuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
* Technique12:00 - 1:30 pm
5:45 - 7:00 pm		10:30 - 12:00 pm
5:45 - 7:00 pm		10:30 - 12:00 pm
5:45 - 7:00 pm		10:30-12:00pm12:45 - 2:00 pm1:30 - 2:15 pm
* Pointe/Variations/ Men's7:00 - 8:00 pm12:15 - 1:15 pm
* Pas de Deux1:30 - 2:30 pm
Repetoire/Choreography
& Coaching		3:00 - 4:00 pm7:00-8:30pm3:00 - 5:00 pm2:30 - 4:30
Supplemental/Conditioning2:00 - 3:00 pm12:30 - 1:00 pm12:30 - 3:00 pm
* Jazz/Modern
*Tap		7:00 - 8:15 pm2:30 - 4:00 pm2:00 - 3:00 pm

* Possible combined classes
Class/LevelClasses Per Week18 Week SemesterMonthly *
(5 payments/installments)
Academy Program19+$6900*$1456
* A $35 non-refundable annual registration fee will be applied to the first session.
Tuition is non-refundable.
All installments are taken on the 1st of each month (a $50 late fee for payments after the 10th of the month.)

Ballet Technique

Female:

TURQUOISE leotard (BLOCH #L5607), ballet pink seamed footed tights (BODY WRAPPERS #A45 or #A46 Convertible Mesh Tight With Back Seam or TotalSTRETCH Mesh Back Seam Convertible Tight classic mesh seamed/transition; Color- Theatrical Pink) and pink leather or canvas ballet slippers. Additional items for learning: Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant; Spiral notebook/journal to write in; 60″ theraband; Yoga Mat

Ballet wrap sweaters in PINK or BLACK (BLOCH #Z0910) are allowed for class if the temperature is cold.

Male:

Any color t-shirt, nude dance belt ( WEAR MOI #WM131 thong back dance belt/CAPEZIO #N5930 Men’s quilted dance belt) BLACK footed tights ( WEAR MOI #WM124 Mens “Hamada” Tights/BODY WRAPPERS #M92 Mens Seamless Convertible Tights) black leather/canvas ballet shoes. Additional items for learning: Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant; Spiral notebook/journal to write in; 60″ theraband; Yoga Mat

Long sleeve shirts are allowed for class if the temperature is cold.

Jazz/ Musical Theater:

Female: class level uniform, black Jazz pants (Theatricals Nylon #TH5117C/#TH5117 or Cotton #TH5522C/#TH5522 Boot cut pants), black *lace up* jazz shoes

Male: class level uniform, black Jazz pants (Body Wrappers #B191/ #M191 Boot cut pants), black *lace up* jazz shoes

Tap/Broadway Musical Theater

Female:  class level uniform, minimum 1.5″ heel black/beige TAP heels (Theatricals 1.5 heel #19800/Capezio 2.5″ heel #657).

Male: class level uniform, TAP shoes (lace up tap shoes Theatricals #19500/Capezio #443).

Modern

Female: class level uniform, technique shoes or bare feet

Male: class level uniform, technique shoes or bare feet

Hair for all classes:

Female: Please have hair securely tied neatly away from the face. Students with long hair should put hair in a nice secure ballet bun.

Male: Hair should be secured away from the face. Products (i.e. hair spray, mousse) or bandana/head bands may be used.