Vision

Sparking imagination, passion, and skill through movement, music, and community

Berkeley Ballet Theater is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Bay Area dancers of all backgrounds and skill levels with a safe space to ignite curiosity, integrate creativity and physicality, and cultivate a passion for movement. BBT believes that dance is a meaningful experience that inspires individuals, connects communities, and changes our world for the better.

BBT provides rigorous classical ballet training to students of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities in an inclusive and nurturing environment. BBT maintains that every body can dance, and that by moving together we cultivate empathy, create lasting bonds, and bring individuals and communities together in transformative ways.

VALUES

The faculty, staff, leadership, dancers, and community of Berkeley Ballet Theater maintain values that collectively express our principles, support our mission, and are the standards to which we hold ourselves and our actions accountable.

Inclusivity - Founded with a commitment to diversity, BBT strives to create a safe space for everyone. We affirm all people, regardless of their age, culture, abilities, ethnic origin, gender, gender identity, marital status, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

Dedication - BBT believes in the value of disciplined, rigorous training at all levels and ages. We see perseverance as a skill that both youth and adults can cultivate in the dance studio and apply to all parts of their lives.

Relevance - We're dedicated to maintaining relevance in the ballet world by empowering each dancer to impact our community in thoughtful, creative, and unexpected ways. BBT follows a curriculum informed by the most current pedagogical and physiological information, encouraging dancers to train safely and mindfully, and to use their training as a means of self-expression.

Community - The BBT community is made of individuals who embrace diversity, strive to learn from one another, and support fellow dancers and families through decades of life changes. We expect our community members to support one another, celebrate the successes of others, and find ways to learn from experiences regardless of their particular roles or placement.

Individuality - BBT values each student’s unique constellation of personality, talents, physique, and approach to the art form, encouraging all dancers to realize their full potential as individuals and as a collective.

Inspiration - BBT brings ballet, live music, visual art, and a variety of other art forms together under one roof to foster collaboration and creativity. BBT believes that a dynamic arts experience can have a profound impact on people, providing them with a deeper connection to others as well as to their own artistic voice.

Curiosity -  BBT believes that nurturing curiosity leads to creative breakthroughs and meaningful self-discovery. We allow our opinions to change as new information is presented, learning from one another and using dance as a means of exploring our shared humanity.

Appreciation - Each day we strive to appreciate and remember the value of our audiences, fellow dancers, volunteers, staff, faculty, donors, parents/guardians, leadership, and Board for continuing to provide the gift of dance and movement to our community!