HISTORY & Mission

History

Acton School of Ballet, the official school of Commonwealth Ballet Company, was founded in 1966 by Terre Burke at the Minuteman Building on Windsor Avenue in Acton. Kathryn Anderson, a former Soloist with Boston Ballet, took over the school in 1983 and in 1985 moved it to its current location in an historic building at 3 Spruce Street.

In June 2004, Ms. Anderson turned the directorship over to Chip Morris, currently the Artistic Director of Commonwealth Ballet and a long-time instructor at ASB. Ms. Anderson retired from active teaching in Spring 2006.

In June of 2018, Lindsay Moncrieff, former ASB student of both Ms. Anderson and Mr. Morris, took over the directorship of the school. Mr. Morris continues as a faculty member at the school.

Mission

Our goal at Acton School of Ballet is to provide the finest quality training in classical ballet for all levels, Fairy Tale Dance through Level 10 (Pre-Professional), and to teach an appreciation for the beauty and discipline of this magnificent art form.

The school provides a serious pre-professional program for the exceptionally talented dancer as well as providing top quality instruction in ballet and modern dance for all level dancers. Students will progress at a rate equal to their commitment to learn and their ability to master the technical challenges of each level. Students taking more than the required number of classes per week increase their opportunities for improvement. Our esteemed faculty will provide a solid technical background and nurturing environment for each student at every level.

Acton School of Ballet encourages and expects respectful and courteous behavior from every student, in or out of the classroom. Parents may request a special meeting with their child’s instructor at any time to discuss a student’s progress.

Alumni

Over the past 50+ years, Acton School of Ballet students have gone on to join top-level ballet companies and attend college dance programs across the country, as well as a variety of prestigious summer programs. Companies and colleges include Colorado Ballet, Ballet West, Boston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Portland Ballet, State Street Ballet, Butler University, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Columbia University, Fordham/Ailey, University of Utah, Muhlenberg College, and many more! Summer programs include The School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Miami City Ballet, Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Ellison Ballet, Boston Ballet, Chautauqua, Kaatsbaan Extreme Ballet, Alsonzo King LINES Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Kirov Ballet School, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and many more.