New York City stands at the center of American ballet, offering some of the most rigorous and respected training programs in the world. For dancers living in the Greater New York area—including Long Island communities like Long Beach, NY—many of these institutions are accessible by train, making world-class instruction available to committed students willing to commute. This guide profiles five renowned programs, what distinguishes each one, and which type of dancer they best serve.
How These Schools Were Selected
Each institution listed below has shaped generations of professional dancers through exceptional faculty, distinctive training philosophies, and direct ties to major ballet companies or performance opportunities. They are not interchangeable: some operate as highly selective full-time conservatories, while others offer professional training centers or open-enrollment classes for teens and adults. Understanding these differences is essential for any dancer deciding where to invest their time and training.
1. American Ballet Theatre — Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School
Best for: Pre-professional students ages 12–18 seeking company-track classical training
The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School (JKO School), the official training school of American Ballet Theatre, is located at ABT's headquarters in Manhattan. Admission is by audition, and the full-time program demands intensive daily study in classical technique, pointe work, partnering, variations, and character dance. The curriculum follows ABT's National Training Curriculum, a codified method emphasizing anatomically sound alignment and artistic development.
Notable advantage: Direct pipeline to ABT's Studio Company and professional ranks. Students regularly perform in ABT productions at the Metropolitan Opera House.
Many Long Island families commute or arrange housing for their children to attend this program.
2. School of American Ballet
Best for: Highly gifted pre-professional dancers with professional company aspirations, particularly those suited to the Balanchine style
Founded in 1934 by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, the School of American Ballet (SAB) is the official school of New York City Ballet and the nation's leading conservatory for the Balanchine aesthetic. Located at Lincoln Center, SAB admits students ages 8–18 by audition only. Training emphasizes speed, musicality, expansive port de bras, and the distinctive neo-classical style that transformed American ballet.
The full-time program runs afternoons and Saturdays during the school year, with a highly selective summer course. Alumni fill the ranks of New York City Ballet and companies worldwide.
This is one of the most competitive programs to enter in the United States.
3. Joffrey Ballet School
Best for: Dancers seeking versatile training across classical ballet, contemporary, and modern disciplines
Established in 1953, the Joffrey Ballet School in Greenwich Village offers professional training programs that bridge traditional classical technique with contemporary and modern dance forms. Unlike the company-affiliated conservatories above, Joffrey cultivates versatility, preparing dancers for the increasingly eclectic demands of today's professional world.
Programs include year-round pre-professional training, a celebrated summer intensive, and a musical theatre dance program. The school does not require company affiliation for performance opportunities, and students work with a rotating roster of working choreographers and industry professionals.
4. Ballet Academy East
Best for: Young dancers ages 3–18 progressing through a structured conservatory model with strong Youth Division and Pre-Professional Divisions
Ballet Academy East (BAE), located on Manhattan's Upper East Side, has built a reputation for nurturing students from their earliest steps through pre-professional training. The school offers a carefully graded curriculum: the Youth Division provides foundational training for children, while the Pre-Professional Division serves dedicated older students with daily ballet classes, pointe, variations, modern, Pilates, and character dance.
BAE emphasizes both technical precision and individual artistic growth. The school fields a pre-professional ensemble, giving students regular performance experience in classical and contemporary repertoire.
5. Steps on Broadway
Best for: Teens and adults of varying levels seeking flexible, open-enrollment classes with elite faculty
Steps on Broadway operates differently from the other institutions on this list. It is not a graded conservatory with annual auditions and fixed cohorts; rather, it is a world-famous open-enrollment studio on Manhattan's Upper West Side where professional dancers, adult beginners, and everyone in between take drop-in classes.
The ballet program spans absolute beginner through professional levels, with additional offerings in contemporary, jazz, theater dance, and Pilates. The faculty roster reads like a who's who of former principal dancers and Broadway veterans. For working dancers maintaining technique, adult learners returning to ballet, or pre-professionals supplementing conservatory training, Steps offers unmatched flexibility and inspiration.
What Long Beach, NY Dancers Should Know
Long Beach, New York sits approximately 25 miles from Manhattan—roughly 50–70 minutes by Long Island Rail Road, depending on the train. For families and dancers in Nassau and Suffolk Counties,
