Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy
Ballet school in Houston, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy is a ballet training school affiliated with the Houston Ballet. The academy is housed in Houston Ballet Center for Dance in Houston, Texas.
| Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Name | Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy |
| Local name | Houston Ballet Academy |
| Year founded | 1955 |
| Founder | Tatiana Semenova |
| Principal venue | Houston Ballet Center for Dance |
| Website | houstonballet |
| Senior staff | |
| Director | Jennifer Sommers |
| Artistic staff | |
| Ballet Master | Claudio Muñoz |
| Associate Director of Programs and Productions | Beth Everitt |
| Other | |
| Parent company | Houston Ballet |
History
During the 1950s,[1] Houston Ballet Academy was established under the leadership of Tatiana Semenova, a former dancer with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.[2][3] In July 2003, Houston Ballet Academy was renamed Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy in honor of Ben Stevenson, former artistic director of the professional company and director of the academy.[citation needed] Shelly Power has been the Academy's director.[4]
Divisions
Main School Division
Children age seven and older may audition for admission into Levels 1-8 of the Main School program. Auditions are held twice a year. Students follow a structured sequence of training stages designed to increase their technical skills, stamina and discipline in accordance with their age and physical development.
Pre-Professional Division
Houston Ballet II (HBII) is the top level and pre-professional division of the Academy, and students attend daily class taught by instructors from both the Academy and the Houston Ballet company.