Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Your Premier Ballet Academy in Bethpage, NY
Founded in 1961 by legendary New York City Ballet principal dancer Andr Eglevsky, our organization has long been recognized as a premier ballet academy and company on Long Island. We are dedicated to inspiring and enriching lives through the transformative power of dance, rooted in the artistry and discipline of classical ballet. Our mission honors the legacy of our founding director while nurturing the next generation of dancers and arts enthusiasts through professional training, community engagement, and performances. With a faculty of distinguished educators and artists, we provide rigorous classical training alongside opportunities for artistic growth, serving students of all ages and abilities. Our programs bridge cultural divides, uplift underserved communities, and strengthen the creative spirit that unites us, making ballet accessible to all.As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, we rely on public and private support to continue our tradition of excellence in the arts. Our alumni have gone on to perform with renowned companies worldwide, and our outreach initiatives, such as the Jump Start! program, expand access to dance education. We produce annual performances like The Nutcracker, showcasing both emerging talent and professional artists. With over six decades of experience, we remain committed to fostering an environment where students thrive, artistry flourishes, and the legacy of classical ballet endures. Our leadership team, including Artistic Director Peter LeBreton Merz and Executive Director Rebecca Schmidt Castka, continues to build upon our founder's vision of artistic excellence.
Services
Ballet Training
Summer Intensives
Community Outreach
Performance Programs
Faculty Development
Details
- Year established: 1961
Highlights and features
- We have over 60 years of experience training professional dancers and arts educators
- Our faculty includes internationally recognized ballet instructors and former professional dancers
- We offer programs for students of all ages and abilities, from beginners to pre-professionals
- Our outreach initiatives make ballet accessible to underserved communities
- We produce annual professional performances including The Nutcracker at Tilles Center
Services
Ballet Training
Our comprehensive ballet curriculum trains students from beginner to pre-professional levels using Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dance, and Balanchine methods. Classes focus on technical mastery, artistic expression, and performance preparation. With daily technique classes and specialized instruction in pointe work, modern dance, and repertoire, our program develops well-rounded dancers ready for professional careers.
Community Outreach
Through initiatives like our Jump Start! program, we bring ballet education to underserved communities across Long Island. These programs provide free or low-cost instruction, performance opportunities, and arts enrichment activities. Our outreach efforts aim to make classical dance accessible to all children regardless of socioeconomic background.
Professional Performances
We produce annual professional performances including The Nutcracker at Tilles Center and our Student Workshop Performance. These productions feature both emerging talent from our academy and guest artists from major dance companies. Our performances showcase classical repertoire alongside contemporary works, maintaining artistic excellence while innovating for modern audiences.
Faculty Development
Our faculty development programs include master classes, continuing education workshops, and mentorship opportunities for dance educators. Certified instructors receive specialized training in ballet pedagogy, child development, and injury prevention. This ensures our teachers maintain the highest standards of classical ballet instruction.
Summer Intensives
Our summer programs offer immersive ballet training with guest instructors from major dance companies worldwide. Students receive daily technique classes, pointe work, and repertoire instruction alongside performance preparation. These intensive programs attract participants from across the country and provide valuable networking opportunities within the professional dance community.
People
Peter LeBreton Merz
Artistic Director
Peter LeBreton Merz brings a distinguished career in ballet education and artistic administration. He previously directed Ballet West's Academy and served as Director of Regional Tours for the American Dance Competition. His leadership continues Eglevsky Ballet's legacy of artistic excellence.
Rebecca Schmidt Castka
Executive Director
Rebecca Schmidt Castka oversees the organization's strategic operations and community engagement initiatives. With extensive experience in nonprofit management, she ensures the organization maintains its commitment to artistic excellence while expanding access to ballet education across Long Island.
Meagan Ahern
Ballet Faculty
Meagan Ahern, a graduate of SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance and the Royal Academy of Dance program in London, specializes in classical ballet instruction. She founded Eglevsky Ballet's Jump Start! outreach program and brings expertise in both performance and pedagogy to her teaching.
Christy Ahn
Master Ballet Instructor
Christy Ahn holds a Master of Arts in Dance from York University and is accredited by the Royal Academy of Dance and Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She specializes in Vaganova, RAD, and Cecchetti methods, offering comprehensive ballet training to students of all levels.
Benjamin G. Bowman
Rehearsal Director
Benjamin Bowman, a former New York City Ballet dancer, serves as rehearsal director and repetiteur. He has staged works for Twyla Tharp at major ballet companies nationwide and brings extensive professional experience to his teaching and coaching roles.
Questions
What age groups do you accept for ballet training?
We offer programs for children as young as 3 through adult learners, with placement based on ability rather than age.
Do you offer professional development opportunities for dance educators?
Yes, we provide faculty development programs and master classes led by renowned educators and industry professionals.
Are there performance opportunities for students?
All students participate in annual performances, including our Student Workshop Performance and The Nutcracker at Tilles Center.
What ballet techniques do you teach?
Our curriculum combines Vaganova, Royal Academy of Dance, and Balanchine methods with modern and contemporary techniques.
Do you offer financial assistance for students?
As a nonprofit, we provide need-based scholarships and outreach programs to ensure accessibility for all students.
How can I audition for your pre-professional program?
Auditions for our Pre-Professional Training Program are held annually, with invitations also extended based on faculty recommendations.
Videos
Reviews (4)
Tina Marie Gallagher
Feb 04, 2020
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My daughter has been at Eglevsky for two years now and moving to Eglevsky was the best decision we could have made. The instructors are all knowledgeable and caring. They know how to make the child feel good even when critiquing them. They treat all students the same and do not have favorites. All the dancers support one another and I believe that is because of the atmosphere that they are learning in. I could also always tell when the director Mr Curry has taught my daughters class because she comes out all smiles. As a teacher and retired coach myself I give Eglevsky my highest recommendation
Daniella Fedorczak
Jan 19, 2020
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If you are looking for a NYC caliber ballet studio outside of the city, look no further. Eglevsky Ballet studios have a lofty, spacious quality that is hard to come by and a faculty that is top notch. The studio is of the highest quality in education, professionalism and moral values you can find. The teachers are well-versed in educating children (which can be an art form on its own) and many of them are plucked weekly directly from the city. The Artistic Director not only makes the studio his first priority, but is skilled at picking a guest faculty that has a direct finger on the pulse of what
Alan Levin
Jan 15, 2020
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My daughter has been studying ballet at Eglevsky ballet for the past three years. In that time my wife and I have been continually impressed with the high caliber of instruction she is receiving at Eglevsky. The teachers are truly professionals with years of experience who love what they do. They are not only knowledgeable and accomplished, but also kind, supportive and caring. Mr. Curry, the artistic director, and all of the staff are always professional and courteous. The productions, including the annual Nutcracker at the Tilles center, are always artistic, innovative and beautiful. There are
Karen X.
Jan 11, 2020
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My 7 years old daughter has been take class here for 2 years. She been told me a "wired yellow thing" has blocked the dressing room and she can't use it several times . I was not pay attention. Today I was so disappoint and mad about it. Take a close look at that notice. Because some kids eating in the dressing room ,So Mr Cary (the Director ) of the studio decide to punishment all girls by not allowing they to change in a private ladies dress room. They are kids have no choice to can take turns to change in the that only 1 ladies bathroom in this facility which allows one each time
