Coastal Ballet USA

Professional Training Program serving dedicated students (ages 11-18). A conservatory quality of dance instruction embedded in a broader educational model, the new school will be grounded in the realities of the dance profession. Dancers must learn how they can spend a lifetime in the field they love. The length of performing careers in dance can be shortened by physical limitations. Understanding the means of staying healthy will prolong a performance career, and understanding the workings of the industry will allow dancers job options long after they have left the stage.

The program will provide a unique and exceptional private school experience that is purposeful in its design and always focused on what is in the best interest of the preprofessional dance student who wishes a flexible environment for academic study. The program is designed for self-driven, extraordinary, hard workers who excel physically and mentally.

In Inaugural year 2016-17, the Academic School will be added to Charleston Ballet Center for Dance Education. A highly skilled and professional Academic Coach works with each student individually to ensure that strengths are enhanced, weaknesses are improved, and learning styles are acknowledged and accommodated. The result will be a collaborative community of independent and responsible learners, eager to explore, problem solve and explore individual passions and interests.

The addition of the academic syllabus completes the dancer's grade 5-12 education, permitting time for artistic and educational development to happen concurrently. The program offers experiences for gifted and talented students that develop the intellect, encourage achievement, and nurture academic and personal goals. Our students participate in a more elaborate, in-depth study of major topics, and engage in problem solving that integrates knowledge across systems of thought. In addition, our teachers encourage students to demonstrate leadership qualities, high-level practical skills, and a capacity for creative thinking.

The Cantwell/Bahr partnership hosted national auditions and selected some of the finest dance artists to be in residence with Charleston Ballet Theatre. The company garnered and was given the licensing rights to perform the ballets of George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, and Jose Limon, the only South Carolina Company with this distinction. Although the CBT repertoire was rich with these masterpieces, the guiding forces were for this prominent company was the eclectic, diverse creations of Jill Eathorne Bahr.
The Cantwell/Bahr partnership recruits dancers at the top of their field who welcome the opportunity to work in Charleston’s rich cultural environment. Graduates of our education programs have gone on to perform with legendary dance companies such as the New York City Ballet. In a city that prides itself on an international reputation for artistic excellence, These Leaders have the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility, think strategically, and work with others in the organization to initiate changes that will create a viable and valuable future for the organization