Business Details
Atlanta's Premier Dance Education Center
Atlanta Academy Of Ballet & Dance (AABD) has been dedicated to cultivating excellence in dance education since its founding. Our programs span from preschool to adult learners, offering comprehensive training in classical ballet, contemporary, hip hop, tap, and more. We are proud to be a licensed studio for the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum and Leap N Learn Preschool Ballet, ensuring students receive technically rigorous and developmentally appropriate instruction. Our faculty comprises highly experienced professionals who regularly attend industry workshops to maintain cutting-edge teaching methodologies. AABD provides performance opportunities through annual productions and partnerships with professional companies like Moscow Ballet, while also preparing students for competitive platforms such as Youth America Grand Prix.We maintain a family-friendly environment with transparent policies, including scholarship opportunities for male dancers and military families. Our facility supports both recreational and pre-professional tracks, with the latter requiring audition and offering daily training in multiple disciplines. Through Traveling Tutus partnerships, we foster community engagement by repurposing donated dance costumes globally. Our commitment to safety and longevity in dance is demonstrated through specialized programs like Progressing Ballet Technique. With structured class levels and placement options, AABD ensures personalized growth for every student's unique goals.
Services
Ballet Training
Contemporary Dance
Hip Hop Classes
Tap Instruction
Pre-Professional Academy
Adult Dance Programs
Musical Theater
Pas de Deux
Progressing Ballet Technique
Summer Workshops
Highlights and features
- We offer ABT National Training Curriculum with classical ballet foundations
- Our faculty includes nationally recognized instructors with ongoing professional development
- We provide 50% tuition scholarships for male dancers in all programs
- Our partnership with Traveling Tutus supports global dance community engagement
- We maintain rigorous safety standards through Progressing Ballet Technique integration
Associations and certifications
- American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum
- Leap N Learn Preschool Ballet
Services
Ballet Training
Our ballet program follows the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, integrating French, Italian, and Russian techniques. Students develop proper alignment, strength, and artistry through progressive levels. Classes emphasize musicality, precision, and performance readiness for both recreational and professional pathways.
Pre-Professional Academy
This audition-only program prepares dancers for professional careers or college dance programs. Daily classes include ballet, pointe, variations, and contemporary. Students receive personalized coaching and performance opportunities with professional companies, plus competition preparation for major platforms like Youth America Grand Prix.
Adult Dance Classes
We offer beginner-friendly ballet, jazz, and tap classes for adults aged 16+. No prior experience required. Sessions focus on fitness, technique development, and artistic expression in a supportive environment. Drop-in options available for flexible participation.
Progressing Ballet Technique
This specialized program develops muscle memory and injury prevention through ballet-specific exercises. Designed for ages 7+, it enhances technical proficiency in pointe work, jumps, and turns using evidence-based conditioning methods to improve performance longevity.
Leap N Learn
Developmentally appropriate ballet curriculum for ages 3-5. Focuses on motor skills, coordination, and creativity through playful movement activities. Classes incorporate storytelling and music to build foundational dance skills in a joyful, non-competitive environment.
People
Susan Banks-Beebe
Owner & Artistic Director
Susan Banks-Beebe founded AABD to provide technically rigorous dance education in a supportive environment. With decades of experience, she has trained dancers who've performed with Moscow Ballet and entered professional programs. She maintains ABT certification and oversees curriculum development.
Hope Duncan
Instructor
Hope teaches contemporary, hip hop, jazz funk, and ballet. She brings industry experience from national dance conventions and specializes in creating dynamic choreography that challenges students while maintaining technical precision in multiple dance styles.
Cassie Broussard
Instructor
Cassie instructs ballet academy classes, musical theater, jumps & turns, contemporary, and pop ballet. She combines performance experience with pedagogical training to develop versatile dancers capable of excelling in various genres and competition settings.
Michelle Chamberlain
Instructor
Michelle teaches Beyond Barre, ballet, PBT, and modern classes. She focuses on progressive training methods that build strength and flexibility while maintaining classical technique, working with students across all skill levels.
Mandy Evans
Instructor
Mandy leads ballet academy, ballet, contemporary, lyrical, and contemporary ballet classes. She emphasizes artistic expression combined with technical mastery, preparing students for both performance opportunities and advanced training pathways.
Questions
What dance styles do you offer besides ballet?
We offer contemporary, hip hop, tap, lyrical, modern, musical theater, and pas de deux partnering classes alongside our core ballet curriculum.
Do you accept adult beginners with no dance experience?
Yes! Our adult classes welcome complete beginners. Many students start as adults and successfully develop technical proficiency through our structured, supportive programs.
Are there performance opportunities for recreational students?
All students participate in annual productions including Christmas shows, spring recitals, and community outreach performances through our Traveling Tutus partnership.
What are the pre-professional program requirements?
The Ballet Academy requires daily training, pointe work approval, and minimum 3-5 weekly ballet classes. Admission is by audition for students entering 6th grade or above.
Do you offer military family discounts?
Yes, we waive $25 of the registration fee for active duty and retired military families as a token of appreciation for their service.
What should adults wear to class?
Adults may wear any comfortable dance attire including leotards, tights, ballet shoes, or casual dancewear. Local dance stores can assist with appropriate footwear selections.
