The City of Savage—population 32,000—punches above its weight in ballet training. Located 20 miles south of Minneapolis, this suburban community offers surprising depth in dance education, from pre-professional conservatories to welcoming recreational programs. Within a 15-minute drive, dancers and their families can access training that rivals larger metropolitan areas, often at more accessible price points.
Whether you're seeking a first creative movement class for a toddler, rigorous pre-professional training, or adult beginner ballet, four distinct institutions serve different ambitions, budgets, and schedules. Here's what sets each apart.
Savage Ballet Academy: The Vaganova Traditionalist
Founded: 2008
Ages served: 4–18 (pre-professional track); adult open classes available
Methodology: Russian Vaganova syllabus
Performance venue: Burnsville Performing Arts Center
Savage Ballet Academy operates as the area's most technically rigorous program. Artistic Director James Okonkwo, who danced twelve years with Dance Theatre of Harlem before retiring from performance in 2016, structures training across twelve progressive levels. His faculty includes two former Boston Ballet members and one former soloist with Tulsa Ballet.
The academy produces two full-length productions annually. The December 2024 Nutcracker cast 120 students alongside guest professionals from Ballet Minnesota—a partnership now in its seventh year. Spring repertoire has included Coppélia and La Fille Mal Gardée. Students in levels 7–12 may audition for the "Junior Company," which performs lecture-demonstrations at elementary schools throughout Scott County.
Tuition range: $1,200–$3,800 annually depending on level, plus costume and performance fees ($200–$400/year). Need-based scholarships cover approximately 15% of enrollment.
Best for: Students seeking structured progression toward college dance programs or professional training; families valuing classical technique over recreational flexibility.
City Ballet School: The Balanced Approach
Founded: 2014
Ages served: 3–adult
Methodology: Combined Cecchetti and American ballet styles
Performance venue: Ames Center (Burnsville); occasional Twin Cities showcases
City Ballet School emphasizes performance experience across all levels—not just the advanced students. Director Sarah Lindberg, a former Minnesota Dance Theatre principal, designed the curriculum to introduce pointe work at age 11–12 following comprehensive pre-pointe assessment, rather than by age alone.
The school distinguishes itself through adult programming. Evening "Ballet Basics" and "Intermediate/Advanced" classes run year-round, with drop-in rates ($22) and 10-class cards ($180) that accommodate unpredictable schedules. The adult cohort performs in an annual informal showing each June.
Youth students participate in two staged productions: a November "Fall Repertory" showcase and a spring story ballet. Lindberg commissions one original work annually from emerging choreographers, giving students exposure to contemporary ballet beyond the 19th-century classics.
Tuition range: $950–$2,600 annually; adult drop-in or monthly memberships ($140–$180) available. No registration fees.
Best for: Families wanting classical training with performance opportunities at every level; adult learners seeking serious instruction without pre-professional intensity; dancers interested in both classical and contemporary repertoire.
Minnesota Ballet Conservatory: Intensive Pre-Professional Training
Founded: 2019
Ages served: 12–19 (audition required)
Methodology: Vaganova-based with cross-training in contemporary and modern
Performance venue: Tour regionally; Twin Cities theater rentals for major productions
Note: This institution operates under a hybrid conservatory model, distinct from recreational dance schools.
The Minnesota Ballet Conservatory represents the most intensive option within the Savage area, requiring minimum 15 hours weekly training for enrolled students. Founder and Director Elena Vostrikov, formerly of the Bolshoi Ballet Academy's teaching faculty, established the program specifically to prepare students for company auditions and university BFA programs without requiring relocation to major dance centers.
The conservatory's distinctive feature is its "Pre-Professional Division," which functions as a day program for homeschooled or online students. Academic coursework occurs 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., followed by technique, pointe/variations, pas de deux, and conditioning until 5:30 p.m. Students take master classes with visiting artists from Milwaukee Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, and occasionally European companies.
Graduates have been accepted to Indiana University, Butler University, and University of Oklahoma dance programs; two current students train as apprentices with Ballet Minnesota.
Tuition range: $7,500–$9,200 annually (day program); $4,800–$6,200 (after-school track). Housing assistance available for out-of-area students.
Best for: Serious students aged 12+ committed
