Verb Ballets welcomes students wishing to study dance with its Dance For Everyone Community Dance Program. We offer a diverse array of ballet, stretch and jazz classes for adults and teens seven days a week. To commemorate the occasion Verb Ballets will offer a FREE Musical Theater Dance class on October 19, 2018 from 4:15-5:15pm class taught by Tony Award winning dancer, David Alvarez, who won for the role of Billy Elliott. The full schedule of classes is available here.

David Alvarez studied dance on a full merit scholarship in the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre. When David was cast to play Billy in the Broadway production of Billy Elliott the Musical for two years on Broadway, won the Tony Award for best actor in a musical at the 62nd Tony Awards ceremony. He has received numerous awards, including the Astaire Award for best male dancer. After Billy, David continued his education and served in the US Army for two and a half years. He then returned to Broadway in a production of On the Town. Most recently, David came to Cleveland from Mexico City to complete his degree at Case Western Reserve University. While in Mexico, he trained and mentored the boys chosen as finalists for the first Mexican production of Billy Elliott the Musical.

With a rich 30-year history, Verb Ballets is one of the oldest dance companies in the region. The internationally acclaimed and regionally loved professional ballet company engages audiences to experience the beauty of movement and stimulate creativity. In addition to renowned performances the company cultivates dance appreciation through community classes, educational residencies, senior movement classes, and college course partnerships. The company has been named one of Five Great Tiny Troupes in America by Dance Magazine and was one of the 25 dance companies in America to watch. Under the director of Dr. Margaret Carlson, Producing Artistic Director and Richard Dickinson, Associate Artistic Director the company mounts exciting projects that embrace diversity, history and cultural exchange.

Construction is finished! The drywall has been hung, walls have been primed, the sprung floors and marley have been installed. It’s official, the new home is open!  Located at 3558 Lee Road in the rear garages of The Dealership, The Verb Ballets Center For Dance features large open air studios. You can find us near the intersection of Lee Road and Lomond Boulevard south of Chagrin Boulevard.

In addition to serving as the new company home, Verb Ballets welcomes the community into the studio with classes and workshops through the Dance For Everyone Walk-In Dance Program. Dance For Everyone (DFE) offers a variety of dance classes for a range of ability levels from beginner to advanced. Beginning October 15th DFE will expand its schedule to offer a diverse array of ballet classes plus new classes in Stretch and Musical Theater Jazz.

Special thanks to our generous funders the Cleveland Foundation, the City of Shaker Heights and the Shaker Heights Development Corporation who made this phase to convert the facility possible.

Verb Ballets’ Directors, Dr. Margaret Carlson and Richard Dickinson are proud to be part of the American Dance Abroad U.S. Delegation attending the internationale tanzmesse NRW in Germany from August 28- September 1, 2018. They will be working with American Dance Abroad hosting the American Corner booth #38, which includes U.S. organizations: Agatha Wright, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Soham Dance Space, Heidi Duckler Dance, Verb Ballets, Palissimo, ChristineBonansea Company, BODYART, Valerie Green/Dance Entropy, Patricia Noworol Dance Theater, ODC, Clairobscur Dance, White Bird, zoe|juniper and inkBoat. The delegation consists of artists representing American dance.