On a Tuesday evening at the Paramount Civic Center, a line of parents stretches past the fountain, coffee cups in hand, waiting for the studio doors to open. Inside, teenagers in worn pointe shoes are running through fouetté turns while a pianist plays Tchaikovsky from the corner. This scene plays out nightly across this small Los Angeles County city—an unlikely concentration of serious ballet training for a community of roughly 54,000 people.
Paramount's density of dance institutions reflects its position at the intersection of working-class Southeast LA neighborhoods and the professional performance economy of downtown and Hollywood. For families unwilling or unable to commute to the Westside's elite academies, three programs have emerged as established options, each with distinct philosophies and outcomes. Here's how they compare.
How These Programs Were Selected
The institutions below were chosen based on longevity (minimum 15 years of continuous operation), range of programming (from children's creative movement through pre-professional training), and demonstrable alumni outcomes. All three are members of Regional Dance America/Pacific or hold accreditation with national dance education organizations. Tuition figures and faculty credentials were verified through direct inquiry and public records.
Paramount Ballet Academy: The Community Anchor
Founded: 1992 | Artistic Director: Margaret Chen-Liu | Notable Alumni: dancers with Sacramento Ballet, BalletMet, and LINES Contemporary Dance
Margaret Chen-Liu established her academy in a converted warehouse on Alondra Boulevard after leaving a soloist position with Oakland Ballet. The space remains unglamorous—exposed ducts, a floor that creaks in humid weather—but the training is methodical and unapologetically classical. Chen-Liu teaches Vaganova technique with the rigor of her own training at the Shanghai Dance School, adapted for bodies that often arrive without preschool dance backgrounds.
The academy's annual Nutcracker draws audiences from Downey and Bellflower, but its more distinctive production is the spring Student Choreography Showcase, where advanced students present original works on their peers. "Margaret makes you build the dance yourself," says Diego R., 17, now training at Boston Ballet's summer program. "You understand ballet differently when you've tried to set steps on someone else's body."
Best for: Students seeking structured progression with performance opportunities; families valuing longevity and community reputation over facilities.
Quick facts: Monthly tuition $185–$340; need-based scholarships available; open enrollment for children 4+; pre-professional track by audition at age 12.
City Ballet School: The Inclusive Specialist
Founded: 2008 | Director: James Okonkwo | Distinctive feature: Largest adaptive dance program in Southeast LA County
James Okonkwo founded City Ballet School after a decade teaching in Paramount public schools, and his institutional memory shows in the demographic range of his student body. The school runs parallel tracks: a conventional pre-professional program and a substantial adaptive division for students with Down syndrome, autism spectrum conditions, and physical disabilities. Both tracks share performance space in the June recital, a programming choice that has drawn coverage from Dance Teacher magazine and occasional grants from the California Arts Council.
The pre-professional faculty includes Okonkwo himself (former Dance Theatre of Harlem ensemble member) and three additional instructors with current or former company affiliations. The curriculum blends Vaganova fundamentals with contemporary and Horton modern, reflecting Okonkwo's belief that "versatility is survival in today's market."
Best for: Families prioritizing inclusive environment; students interested in contemporary and modern alongside classical training; dancers with disabilities seeking quality instruction.
Quick facts: Monthly tuition $160–$295; sliding scale widely used; no audition required for general enrollment; pre-professional track audition in August; adaptive program enrollment ongoing.
Paramount Dance Conservatory: The Pre-Professional Pressure Cooker
Founded: 2015 | Artistic Director: Elena Vasilieva | Notable alumni: trainees at San Francisco Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and Juilliard Pre-College
The newest and most selective of the three, the Conservatory represents a deliberate attempt to create a feeder program for tier-one professional companies. Elena Vasilieva, former first soloist with the Stanislavsky Ballet in Moscow, arrived in Paramount through marriage and found a donor base among local business owners with ties to Eastern Europe. Her facility—purpose-built in 2019 with sprung floors and physiotherapy rooms—contrasts sharply with the converted spaces of her competitors.
Training runs six days weekly for serious students, with mandatory Pilates and character dance. Vasilieva stages full-length classics (Giselle, Coppélia) with professional guest artists in principal roles, a strategy that provides students with partner experience while drawing paying audiences. The acceptance rate for the pre-professional division hovers near 30%; prospective students submit video auditions year-round.
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