Ballet

Take your passion for ballet to the next level

If you dream of a career in ballet—whether as a performer, choreographer, teacher, or administrator—you’ll get the technical, artistic, and academic training you need to succeed as a student here.

You’ll study with experienced ballet teachers—all of whom have worked with major professional companies. You’ll be exposed to the very best in traditional and contemporary ballet styles and repertoire. And you’ll perform in four productions each year on the stage of the Musical Arts Center (MAC)—the nation’s largest university performance space.

Plus, when you graduate, you’ll take your place within our large network of talented alumni currently working and performing all over the world.

Want to experience what it would be like to work with our faculty, while learning more about our program and facilities? Check out our Ballet Summer Intensive.

If you are interested in the IU Contemporary Dance program, click here.

Perform on a regular basis

Male ballet dancer mid-jump
Nutcracker performance in the Musical Arts Center.
Contemporary ballet performance at the Musical Arts Center.

As a ballet major, you’ll take part in the IU Jacobs School of Music Opera and Ballet Theater season, including four ballet productions performed with live music on the stage of the MAC. But that’s only the beginning of the opportunities that await you.

Each year, there are a number of collaborative productions within the Jacobs School and with the university at large. that provide you with additional chances to perform. You could be part of an opera, help bring a fellow student’s artistic vision to life, or enhance an ensemble performance. These performances showcase a wide variety of musical styles, giving you the chance to explore new ways to express yourself.

Ballet for non-majors

Whether you’ve been taking ballet for years, or you want to explore something new, we have a ballet class to suit your needs.

Open to all IU students, our classes are taught by ballet department faculty at our studios in the Musical Arts Center. The classes include Ballet Elective/Secondary, Conditioning for the Ballet Body, and Contemporary Ballet. Five levels of Ballet technique are offered and meet twice a week: Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Intermediate, and Advanced.

What class should I register for?

No auditions are necessary, but you can take part in a placement class the semester before you begin your studies, if you wish. Otherwise, you can register for the class you think best suits your experience level or ask our elective ballet coordinator for help. And don't worry—if, after starting class, it becomes apparent another level would work better for you, we’ll be happy to help you make the switch.

View available ballet courses

For more information, contact Sarah Wroth at swroth@iu.edu.

Support the Ballet Department

Help support activities of the Ballet Department and students enrolled in a degree program in Ballet at the Jacobs School of Music.

Give Now button.

Take the first step toward a Jacobs education