MISSION AND HISTORY

Ballet Chesapeake’s mission is to enrich the community by sharing the power and joy of dance— empowering dancers through high-quality dance education, inspiring audiences with exceptional artistic excellence, and expanding the accessibility and impact of dance through active community engagement.

Ballet Chesapeake, home to the Dance Conservatory of Maryland, has been recognized as Harford County’s premier school for classical dance training since its founding in 1996. Established initially as the Dance Conservatory of Maryland, the school created its performing group Harford Ballet Company in 2000, which was renamed Ballet Chesapeake in 2015 to reflect its growth as a leading regional nonprofit. 

Today, Ballet Chesapeake serves as both a resident pre-professional company and a training school, presenting two major productions each season—including the beloved holiday tradition of The Nutcracker and a spring fairy-tale ballet—while also engaging in extensive outreach programs that bring dance to schools, libraries, and community events across Northern Maryland.

With programs serving dancers from 18 months through adult, Ballet Chesapeake provides exceptional pre-professional training alongside opportunities for recreational dancers, all within a nurturing and inclusive environment. Together, the company and school enrich the community through performance, education, and access to the art of dance. Guided by a mission to foster artistic excellence, personal growth, and a lifelong love of dance, Ballet Chesapeake prepares its students not only for the stage but for success in life beyond the studio, while proudly upholding a policy of nondiscrimination.

BC offers a comprehensive curriculum through our conservatory in ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, and other disciplines, serving students from their earliest creative movement classes through advanced pre-professional levels. 

Faculty and Staff promote the highest standards of classroom behavior, assist students in discovering their strengths and challenges, and create a nurturing and professional atmosphere that supports all dancers in building leadership, mentorship, and friendships.

We strongly believe that ballet training is the basis for all other forms and genres of dance.  Dancers in other disciplines are well-served and have greater technical abilities when they have a solid core foundation of ballet training.  

For this reason, we strongly recommend that all dancers, regardless of their primary interest, enroll and continue with classical ballet training in addition to other genres to promote the technical advancement and overall quality of technique for each dancer.  

We are proud to support dancers who wish to pursue dance at the collegiate or professional level through our BC Launch Program. that includes coaching, mentorship, audition preparation, and portfolio building. As part of this commitment, BC also hosts a chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA), allowing students to earn national recognition for their artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement.

BC students have access to unique and meaningful performance experiences. The student company presents two major productions each year, including The Nutcracker and a full-length spring ballet, as well as community engagement performances. Dancers must audition to participate in our student company (age 11+) or our children's cast (ages 6+). These opportunities enable our dancers to perform in professional-caliber productions alongside guest artists and company members, thereby gaining valuable stage experience.

At Ballet Chesapeake, we uphold the highest standards of safety, wellness, and age-appropriate artistic practices. We are committed to ensuring that every dancer trains in an environment that prioritizes both physical and emotional well-being. Our faculty is dedicated to creating a healthy, respectful, and inspiring space where dancers can grow not only in technique and artistry but also in confidence, character, and community. Through mindful instruction and supportive mentorship, we empower each student to flourish on and off the stage. Nutrition, cross-training, and injury prevention seminars are offered regularly to our company members.