New American Youth Ballet has selected a new name for the organization: Project Ballet.

According to the Founding Artistic Director, Beth McLeish, “Our new name better reflects the vision, mission and operational methods of our organization. The word “Project” accurately describes the unique flexibility and adaptability of our organization. We work hard to constantly reevaluate and improve our curriculum and programming to best meet the needs and goals of our students. Further, our new mission statement, “providing superior ballet training for our region’s youth”, succinctly describes our student-focused operations.

Founded in 2004, Project Ballet has grown not only in numbers but also in reputation. We offer a full youth ballet curriculum for 3-18 year old dancers. Our ballet training program is often recognized as one of the finest in the country, with accolades and awards from some of the top ballet companies, universities, choreographers and master teachers in the field. This reputation has resulted in the establishment of a significant regional presence. According to Beth McLeish, “As our organization’s enrollment has grown we have also seen our regional influence expanding to populations outside of Allen County.”

Project Ballet also offers an onsite Academic Conservatory for students. Our student body is made up of ballet students, elite athletes, and those looking for a flexible and adaptable education. The Academic Conservatory boasts outstanding academic rigor, a student to teacher ratio of 5:1 and a phenomenal graduation rate and college placement record of nearly 100%.

According to McLeish, “It is our priority to maintain a family-focused environment with a respect for both the physical and mental health of our students. These core values permeate every facet of our organization.

This summer, Project Ballet has undergone a significant capital renovation and expansion resulting in a state-of-the-art 15,000 sq. ft. facility specifically tailored to our unique organizational needs.