Welcome!
As you consider all of your options, be assured that at School of Ballet 5:8, you will be valued as a whole person, challenged to pursue your personal best achievement in dance, and equipped with the tools you need to get there.
Hear more about our belief in character, kindness and vision in the video below.
The School of Ballet 5:8, the official school of Ballet 5:8, is a cultural cornerstone in Chicago, serving over 400 students annually with world-class, faith-rooted dance education that fosters artistic excellence, integrity, and personal growth. Drawing students from 35 neighborhoods—and advanced dancers from across the nation—our alumni have earned scholarships and placements in top programs, colleges, and companies, including Alonzo King LINES Ballet, The School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and even Broadway. Led by Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager, a 2023/24 National Visiting Fellow with the School of American Ballet, our faculty is trained in her signature Vaganova and School of American Ballet-based syllabus, emphasizing technically sound training, musicality, and individual expression. With campuses in Beverly and Orland Park, the School of Ballet 5:8 equips aspiring artists to inspire through their craft and make a lasting impact on the world.
Our advanced training programs, including our Pre-Professional Program, Conservatory and Studio Company, attract dancers from throughout the Chicagoland area, in addition to those from throughout the U.S. and Canada. After their training, these budding artists go back out into our local communities and across the nation: whole, healthy, strong and creative artists who can continue Ballet 5:8’s work of taking the beauty of dance and heartfelt conversation to everyday people.
History
Ballet 5:8 was founded in 2012 based on a passion to combine innovative storytelling and breathtaking dance with our faith. Ballet 5:8’s name references Romans 5:8. This captures the inspiration for our mission and for everything we do here. Everyone is welcome regardless of their religious beliefs. We cherish each individual dancer and are committed to valuing the health of the whole dancer: mind, body and spirit.
Ballet 5:8’s professional company tours its acclaimed original repertoire across the nation, touching the lives of more than 20,000 people each performing season. The company’s talented professional artists also invest in upcoming generations of artists right here at School of Ballet 5:8 as they share their wealth of experience and knowledge with students as instructors, and embolden students to pursue their dreams and goals in dance through access to professional performances, including many held inside Ballet 5:8’s state-of-the-art studios.
Regardless of your age, experience, background, or goals for your dance training, we hope that you can envision yourself thriving in one of the programs at School of Ballet 5:8: that is our vision too.
You can learn more about us from pages like What Makes Us Unique and Directors & Staff; you are always welcome to contact us for an audition, free trial class or with any questions you may have.