International Ballet Academy: Building Ballet Foundations Through Excellence

International Ballet Academy, a world-class Vaganova-based ballet academy right here in Greenville, SC, trains students to not only excel in ballet but also develop life skills to help them flourish. Every class at the academy is a stepping stone, crafted so students learn the essential building blocks of ballet, from first movement to graceful mastery.

Find out about all the classes offered at International Ballet, plus information about their scholarship opportunities, so that any child passionate about ballet has the opportunity to learn.

Special thank you to International Ballet for sponsoring this article.

Adair Kempf, the Academy Director at International Ballet, believes that these foundational classes give students a very good, sound technique that’s going to take them far into the future if they decide to be professional dancers or pursue dance as a career. “Classes in dance also teach many life lessons and skills that can help a student throughout their life, if they do not pursue a career in dance, including time management, organization, and etiquette,” says Kempf. Classes include:

• Pre-Ballet (ages 3–6) focuses on creative movement, musicality, basic positions, movements, and terms of classical ballet through mat and center-based exercises to develop foundational skills. Classes are 45 minutes, once per week. Students must be potty-trained, and placement is determined by age as of September 1.
• Ballet 1 builds strength, coordination, proper form, and flexibility while learning classical ballet terminology. Classes are 1 hour and meet once per week. Students must be ages 7 or older.
• Ballet 2 follows Ballet 1, and further develops students’ skills by integrating conditioning exercises with introductory barre work and expanded center-work. Classes are 1.5 hours. Students are required to attend 2 classes per week, but may attend more. Students must be 8 or older to enroll in Ballet 2.

Students in Ballet 1 and 2 can choose to participate in Studio Performance Group and Nutcracker auditions (For Nutcracker, you must be 8 years old).

• Ballet 3A introduces beginning pointe work as part of the technique class. Students are required to attend three times per week, with the option to attend more. Supplemental classes include Jazz, Contemporary, and Conditioning. 
• Ballet 3B focuses on building strength and technical growth, especially in pointe work. Students are required to attend three times per week, and are encouraged to attend more. Supplemental classes include Jazz, Contemporary, Conditioning, and Variations.
• Ballet 4 is considered an Intermediate-Advanced level. Students in Ballet 4 take classes 3 to 4 times per week, but are encouraged to take more. Supplemental classes include Contemporary and Variations.
• Ballet 5 is the highest level. Here, students take classes 5 to 6 times per week. Supplemental classes include Contemporary and Variations. 

Scholarships & Financial Support with IB

International Ballet annually hosts an Academy Scholarship Audition (Next audition: August 2026). The scholarship is open to students ages 7–17, and the audition process allows dancers to showcase their talent, focus, and love for dance, whether brand-new to ballet, building on some experience, or already training at an advanced level.

Thanks to community partners, scholarships provide tuition from September through May, offering young dancers the chance to grow, shine, and be part of a supportive ballet community. Additional scholarships include the Jurgen Forster Boys Scholarship for male students in Ballet 2A–5 and the Cassandra Gary Memorial Scholarship, which is a merit-based award for members of the Pre-Professional Youth Company.

International Ballet 2025/2025 Season

Upcoming Performances and Special Events with International Ballet to help introduce your kids to ballet:

• L’Automne — October 23-25, 2025 at IB Theatre
• The Nutcracker with Greenville Symphony — December 5-7, 2025 at Peace Concert Hall
• Coppélia — May 1, 2026 at 7:30 pm; May 2, 2026, at 3:00 pm at Gunter Theatre

Community Events with International Ballet

• Nutcracker Tea — November 30, 2025, at Westin Poinsett Hotel
• Storytime Ballet (various Greenville County libraries):
  • November 8, 2025: 10 am and 11 am
  • November 22, 2025: 10 am and 11:30 am
  • February 28, 2026: 10 am and 11:30 am
  • May 9, 2026: 10 am and 11:30 am