Triangle Youth Ballet

Business Details

31 Years

experience

Premier Ballet Training for All Ages in Chapel Hill, NC

Triangle Youth Ballet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ballet repertory company and school dedicated to training dancers aged three to adult since 1995. Our mission focuses on spreading knowledge and awareness of dance arts through comprehensive programs that emphasize technical excellence, artistic expression, and community engagement. With faculty boasting decades of combined experience from prestigious institutions like UNC-Greensboro and Fordham University, we offer structured training across five progressive stages.

Our affiliation with Regional Dance America - Southeast since 2005 and membership in the NC Center for Nonprofits underscore our commitment to professional standards. We provide performance opportunities through annual productions like The Nutcracker while maintaining flexible policies for illness make-ups and tuition assistance. Our programs combine rigorous ballet training with modern techniques, musical theater, and drama, serving over 300 students annually through both in-person and drop-in adult classes.

Services

Ballet Classes Adult Dance Programs Nutcracker Performances Tuition Assistance Summer Intensives

Details

Year established: 1995

Highlights and features

30+ years of experience training dancers from age 3 to adult
Faculty includes graduates from Fordham/Alvin Ailey and UNC-Greensboro
Live orchestral accompaniment for major productions
Tuition assistance and male merit scholarships available
Affiliated with Regional Dance America since 2005

Associations and certifications

NC Center for Nonprofits
Regional Dance America - Southeast

Website

Update Listing

Services

Ballet Training

Our progressive ballet program trains students from age three through adult with five distinct stages. Each level builds technical proficiency while emphasizing artistic expression and musicality. Our curriculum combines classical ballet with modern techniques and character dance to develop well-rounded performers.

Adult Classes

Designed for returning dancers and beginners, our adult ballet program focuses on proper alignment and injury prevention. Classes emphasize anatomy-based instruction to build strength while maintaining a welcoming environment for all skill levels seeking fitness and artistic growth.

Nutcracker Production

This holiday tradition since 1995 features live orchestral accompaniment by the Tchaikovsky Virtuosi. The production offers performance opportunities for local dancers while providing cultural enrichment through professional-grade theatrical experiences at Carolina Theatre in Durham.

Tuition Assistance

We offer need-based tuition assistance and male merit scholarships to ensure accessibility. Applications undergo board review with confidential processing, demonstrating our commitment to making quality dance education available to all qualified students regardless of financial circumstances.

Summer Intensives

Our summer programs provide concentrated training with guest instructors from renowned institutions. These sessions focus on technical refinement and artistic development through specialized workshops in ballet, modern techniques, and performance preparation for serious dance students.

People

Lauren Lorentz de Haas

Artistic Director

A UNC-Greensboro dance MA graduate with 35+ years teaching experience, she founded Triangle Youth Ballet in 1995. Her background includes training at Virginia Intermont College and North Carolina School of the Arts.

Kate Currin

Associate Director

A Fordham University summa cum laude graduate, she brings expertise from the Fordham/Alvin Ailey B.F.A. program. With Galumpha tour experience, she has served on faculty since 2007 and contributes choreography to regional festivals.

Edie Hopfenberg

Office Manager

Since 2014, she has managed operations with a Boston University master's degree background. Her experience includes homeschooling two children and supporting dance families through administrative leadership.

Abbie Stone

Instructor

A University of South Florida ballet major with professional experience as a De la Dance Company soloist. She graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Exercise Science and has taught since 2015.

Ellin Porterfield

Office Assistant/Instructor

With an M.F.A. in Children's Theater from UNCG, she teaches drama and arts classes. Her 30-year career includes public school teaching and Montessori program development, emphasizing creative storytelling.

Questions

What age groups do you accept?

We accept students starting at age three through adult programs with progressive levels based on age and skill.

Are there performance opportunities?

Yes! Annual productions include The Nutcracker and Dracula, with company performances at Carolina Theatre.

Do you offer financial assistance?

We provide need-based tuition assistance and male merit scholarships through board-reviewed applications.

What class options exist for adults?

Adult classes focus on technique refinement with drop-in options and regular registration available.

How are faculty qualifications?

Our instructors hold advanced degrees from institutions like Fordham and UNC-Greensboro with professional performance experience.

What performance requirements exist?

Nutcracker participants must attend mandatory rehearsals and performances as specified in audition guidelines.

Reviews (7)

Write a Review

Tisha M.

Oct 05, 2021 Report

No wiggle room for under 3 years old no matter how socially and intellectually developed. Must be 3 yrs old "by September". not 2yrs and 11months. My granddaughter was heart broken. They were in the parking lot of the facility and they would not accept her. She cried a lot. Come on man!

Mihaela Mitran

Jun 09, 2020 Report

Positive:Communication,Professionalism,Quality,Value
My daughter and me love triangle youth ballet! Not only is it a great dance studio, but when there it feels like one big family. We also like how they are keeping safe with protocols in this pandemic. (Checking temperatures, wear masks, stay distant, use hand sanitizer frequently)

Maren Anderson

Oct 20, 2017 Report

We have been at Triangle Youth Ballet since they opened in 2003 and will remain there until our third child leaves for college (that's a total of 22 years!!). Our children have learned ballet, contemporary, and modern techniques and absolutely love the instructors and wouldn't consider dancing anywhere else. The instructors are what keep my girls coming back since they learn so much and are motivated to keep pushing themselves and to do their best. There are numerous performing opportunities and the Nutcracker is now a family tradition!! I have recommended this place to numerous other students

Christopher Parker

Sep 07, 2017 Report

We brought my daughter to TYB for the first time a little over a year ago for one of the summer ballet camps, and she loved it so much we stayed for classes during the fall. This year she is excited to come back. She appreciates the positive feedback from the teachers compared to other ballet studios, that dance theory and dance history are taught along with the dance practice, and her technique has improved by leaps and bounds.

Chris Ferguson

Aug 19, 2017 Report

I've had the pleasure of not only attending two TYB shows ("Dracula" and the "Nutcracker"), but doing poster design work for those events. Everyone involved in the process was wonderful to work with, and the performances were top-notch. Would absolutely bring my family again and again!

Amy Cooke

Jul 28, 2017 Report

My daughter has been attending ballet classes at the Triangle Youth Ballet for nearly 10 years and has been a part of TYB's Nutcracker since she was old enough to audition. It is her happy place and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Lauren is a saint. Every Nutcracker season I am shocked that she doesn't yell at anyone when 100+ girls are all over the place! Instead she creates and nurturing and supportive environment for young dancers to develop both their dancing and their ability to work together.

Cindy Bennett

Jun 06, 2017 Report

My niece has been with Triangle Youth Ballet for several years now and it's been a wonderful place for her. Her skill level has increased very nicely, but along with that she has learned professionalism and grace. The instructors there are skilled and are very hands on with the students, with lots of individual attention. Their performances are spectacular!