Topeka Ballet

History

Excellent education relies on excellent instruction. In long-standing classical ballet tradition, only an experienced instructor who is accomplished in their own right can safely and effectively pass down information to the next generation of dancers. Topeka's own Stephanie Heston and Russian-native Alexander Smirnov have more than 35 years of combined experience as professional ballet dancers, instructors, choreographers, and directors. Their love for ballet has taken them all over the world, including 20 states and 15 countries, studying under and working with some of ballet's greatest dancers. Ms. Heston has been a principal guest artist with several companies and has toured extensively. Mr. Smirnov is also a highly sought after master class teacher. They've dedicated their lives to the pursuit of ballet excellence and feel privileged to share their experience, knowledge, and passion with the next generation of artists and athletes.

Specialties

Kansas Ballet Academy is committed to providing the highest quality classical ballet instruction to students of all ages and levels. We want to introduce everyone to the joy of dance. Learning the art of ballet requires a considerable amount of dedication, time, and practice. Through the nurturing guidance and individual attention of our experienced faculty, dancers from three to adult can enjoy the benefits of ballet in a way that is fun and challenging. Our syllabus is designed to safely develop the student through purposeful training while keeping long-term progress and overall health of each dancer in mind. Our program is divided into three divisions of study, including Young Dancer, Intermediate, and Advanced Divisions. We also offer an Open Division for teens, adults, and home-schooled children.