Academy Newsletter: February 2026

It’s hard to imagine with snow still on the ground, but summer will be here before we know it. We hope you’ll continue dancing with us this summer!

Summer and Collegiate Intensives

With our national audition tour wrapping up this month, registration is moving quickly for Cincinnati Ballet’s Summer and Collegiate Intensives. Academy students placed in these programs received registration invitations in late January, and we hope you’ll consider joining us! Summer is an opportunity to train more intensely with our resident faculty while broadening your horizons with exposure to renowned guest instructors, as well as Cincinnati Ballet Company dancers and Artistic leaders. It's such a joy to see Academy students enrolled in these intensives serve as ambassadors for the many visiting students who join us in Cincinnati each summer. If you plan to participate, we encourage you to register soon via the link in your placement letter.

June 15 - July 24, 2026
Three- and six-week session options
Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance (SI)
University of Cincinnati (CI)

Youth Summer Intensive

Youth Summer Intensive provides young, aspiring dancers with an entrée into intensive summer training at a pace designed specifically for their unique stage of technical development. Students have the option to join our full four-week program or one of the two-week sessions. Current Academy students will receive division placement via email in February.

July 6 – 31, 2026
Two- and four-week session options
Monday - Friday from 9:30 am - 3:00 pm
School for Creative and Performing Arts

Kids Dance Camp

Kids Dance Camp is a creative exploration of dance, music and art through beloved stories for students ages 4 - 8. Exclusive priority registration will open this month to current Academy families, for a limited window before opening to the public. This popular program sells out every year, so be sure to secure your spot before this program goes on sale to the public!

June 1 - 5, 2026
June 8 - 12, 2026
July 27 - 31, 2026
Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance

Summer Dance Workshop

Summer Dance Workshop is a week-long summer dance experience featuring daily engagement in ballet technique, exposure to diverse dance styles and specialty workshops. Summer Dance Workshop is for dancers who have completed Preparatory Division Level 1. Current Academy students will receive placement and priority registration access later this month.

June 1 - 5, 2026
June 8 - 12, 2026
July 27 - 31, 2026
Monday - Friday from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance

Variations Workshop
June 1 - 5, 2026

This popular program is designed to inspire young dancers interested in taking a deeper dive into variations from some of classical ballet's most iconic masterpieces. Whether your goal is to take center stage at a ballet competition or discover new ways to shine in the studio, this one-week program will develop your technique and style as a solo artist. Dancers ages 11 and up with at least one year of pointe experience are eligible, and registration will open later this spring.

It’s that time again! Our faculty is eager to begin working on choreography and in-class rehearsals this month for our season culminating Spring Production! This year’s performances will be held on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16, 2026:

Preparatory, Young Dancer and Advanced Division Spring Production
Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, 2026
All dancers in these divisions perform on both evenings.

Children's Division Spring Production
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Children's Division dancers will perform in one of three daytime performances.
Includes students in Creative Dance, Pre Ballet, and CD Tap.

Specific times will be announced later this spring, and we’ll be in touch with much more information in the months to come… but if you haven’t yet, you can mark your calendars for those dates now! We can’t wait to see our dancers shine on stage!

Swan Lake
February 13-21
Cincinnati Music Hall

Experience the breathtaking romantic tragedy, Swan Lake, at Music Hall, February 13-21. Hailed as one of the greatest ballets of all time, this production features virtuosic choreography after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, with additional choreography by Kirk Peterson and live music performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Special Ticket Offer Exclusively for Academy Families!

We are pleased to offer Otto M. Budig Academy families a special opportunity to experience Swan Lake at an exclusive discounted rate. From the grace of the White Swan to the power and drama of the Black Swan, Swan Lake is a cornerstone of classical ballet and an unforgettable experience for dancers and audiences alike. This is a wonderful chance for students and families to see the artistry, musicality, and storytelling they study come to life on stage.

Join us for an inspiring afternoon of ballet on Sunday, February 15th, at 1:00pm. Limit of up to 4 tickets at $25. Valid on zones 2-4 and standard fees apply. Offer available 2/2-2/13. Please note: This is an exclusive offer for Otto M. Budig Academy families and may not be shared on social media or outside of the Academy community. Use the link below to redeem this offer!

This month our Community Division and CB Moves classes will begin preparing for
this year’s Community Division Showcase, scheduled for Saturday, April 11. This annual showcase will feature a variety of dance styles including ballet, musical theater, and contemporary, as well as selections from our CB Moves adaptive dance classes.

For students enrolled in participating classes, performing in the Showcase is
optional but encouraged. Additional details will come your way later this month.

Community Division Showcase 2026
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance

For the rest of our Academy community, we hope you’ll mark your calendars
and join us in the audience!

Complexions Contemporary Ballet Tours to Cincinnati this March!
Former Complexions dancers include our very own Thomas Dilley, Tatiana Melendez, and Simon Plant.

Led by dance icons Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet has awakened audiences to a new, exciting genre with their singular approach of reinventing dance and contemporary ballet. Armed with a rich Alvin Ailey lineage and a cadre of 16 stunning dancers, Complexions has been hailed as a “matchless American dance company” by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet presents STAR DUST
Thursday, March 19, 2026 @ 7:30 pm
Aronoff Center, Procter & Gamble Hall

The dance program opens with favorites from Retro-Suite, a series of short works that celebrate the company’s thirty years. The second half is STAR DUST, an utterly transfixing tribute to the life and music of David Bowie, full of glitter and glam. This ballet takes an array of his hits and lays a visual imprint, inspired by his unique personas and his restless invention artistically, to create a rock-opera style production in his honor.

Special Discount Offer from our Friends at CAA
50% OFF four or more tickets! Use Promo Code: CBALLET50
Use the link below or call (513) 621-ARTS [2787]