OUR MISSION
Our mission is to train the whole dancer. We enable our students to reach their highest standards of technique and artistry. Inherent to our approach are nurturing supportive, caring people who want to elevate the art form and the audience. We want our students to grow as individuals in the process.
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Our HISTORY
In 1963, George Balanchine and Barbara Weisberger (at the urging of Balanchine, her mentor) established the School of Pennsylvania Ballet. In 1986, Bo Spassoff became Director of the school. After six years of steady growth, The Rock School became an independent, not-for-profit institution focusing intensely on its mission: excellence in dance education. Over the past 30 years, Bo, along with Co-Director Stephanie Wolf Spassoff and the Trustees of The School, have transformed a small regional school into an internationally acclaimed institution.
Throughout its 56-year history, the school has developed dancers for most premier dance companies throughout the world. Our faculty includes distinguished dancers, instructors, and choreographers. Additionally, The Rock School owns the best ballet training facilities in the Philadelphia area, with Rock Center in the city and the West Chester branch school, Rock School West, in the suburbs. To compliment The Rock School’s ballet training, Rock Academics provides flexible but rigorous 7-12 grade course work while Residence provides a nurturing and convenient home away from home for elite national and international ballet talent. All told, annual enrollment exceeds 1,200 students, with a budget in excess of $5.8 million. Because the Professional Division students are the dance stars of tomorrow, The Rock School awards more than $900,000 in annual scholarships to its dancers.
Our dancers are consistently awarded the highest ranks at Youth America Grand Prix, the largest ballet competition in the world. For an unprecedented fourteen consecutive years, The Rock School has been awarded “Outstanding School” by Youth America Grand Prix and was the only school asked to perform at the YAGP 15th Anniversary Gala in Lincoln Center, New York City in 2014. Rock students have competed and received honors in the Prix de Lausanne, World Ballet Competitions, USA International Ballet Competition, Moscow IBC, & Berlin Tanzolymp.
The Rock School for Dance Education is a 501(c)3 organization and depends on the generosity of donors to achieve its goals in training pre-professional dancers from around the world, making dance accessible to local communities through outreach programming, and continually expanding the School's repertoire. Your contribution is vital to the School's continued success and very much appreciated. There are many ways for you to support this world-renowned cultural institution.
ANTI-DESCRIMINATORY POLICY
The Rock School for Dance Education is committed to recruiting and fostering a diverse community of staff and students and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. The School prohibits discrimination based upon an individual's age, ancestry, citizenship, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state or local law. BIPOC individuals, LGBTQ+ individuals, and members of other historically disenfranchised and marginalized populations are strongly encouraged to participate in our programming and activities.
