Each year PNB School selects upper level students to participate in established two to six-week exchanges at four elite ballet schools: Canada’s National Ballet School, the Royal Danish Ballet School, the Paris Opera Ballet School , and the Palucca School  in Dresden, Germany.

Students chosen for the National Ballet School in Toronto, Ontario participate in the school’s four-week summer program. Established in 1959, NBS is one of the world’s foremost training institutions providing dance training, academic instruction, and residential care on one campus. The summer exchange program was started in 1998 by Francia Russell and NBS artistic director Mavis Staines

Students chosen for the Flemming Halby Dance Student Exchange program between PNB School and the Royal Danish Ballet School, will travel to Copenhagen for the Royal Danish Ballet School’s three-week program. The exchange, made possible by Support from Scan|design Foundation by Inger and Jens Bruun and the Northwest Danish Association, was initiated in 2007 to honor Flemming Halby, longtime PNBS faculty member and former Royal Danish Ballet dancer.

“I was, and am, immensely grateful to have been chosen for such a unique opportunity: three weeks in Copenhagen, studying with the Royal Danish Ballet and its school. At first, I was unsure of what to expect. I had little knowledge of the Royal Danish Ballet. At least, I could expect to learn something new—to benefit from a new perspective.”

-Isaac Bates-Vinueza, 2016 exchange student

The exchange with the Palucca School Dresden in Germany started in 2007. Founded in 1925 by Margarethe Palucca, the Palucca School Dresden is the only independent college for dance in Germany. The school offers year-round four to five-week training and performance opportunities with the Dresden Semperoper Ballet.

PNB School initiated its newest exchange program with the Paris Opera Ballet School’s summer intensive program in 2018. Created in 2013 for the Tercentenary of the Paris Opera School, this summer intensive is a unique opportunity for young dancers from all over the world to train at the world renowned ballet school. The Summer School faculty includes teachers and pianists from the Paris Opera School and dancers from the Paris Opera Company.

In addition to the four reciprocal exchanges, PNB School also hosts two students from Bulgaria each summer, to participate in PNB’s annual Summer Course. Bulgarian students are chosen through the Iliev Dance Art Foundation, directed by PNB Summer Course guest faculty member, Petur Iliev.

At this time, we only have confirmed details for the National Ballet School in Canada.

National Ballet School
Students chosen for the National Ballet School in Toronto, Ontario participate in the school’s four-week summer program. Established in 1959, NBS is one of the world’s foremost training institutions providing dance training, academic instruction, and residential care on one campus. The summer exchange program was established by Francia Russell and NBS artistic director Mavis Staines in 1999.

2023 NBS Program Dates
July 4-28 (4 weeks)

Expenses Covered by Exchange
Full Tuition Scholarship

Student is Responsible for
Housing
Meals
Airfare
Incidental Expenses

Housing Information
NBS has not yet confirmed whether dormitory housing will be available for Summer 2023. Exchange students may be placed with a host family or find alternate housing for the summer.

Age Requirements
15-18 at the time of Summer program
Applications for NBS are due February 1, 2023.