Ballet Tech Forms The Future Through Dance

There are dance schools and then there is Ballet Tech. This unique New York City public school contains a conservatory-style dance program for fourth to eighth grade students. It’s a place where movement meets mission. Where young people get a robust academic education combined with rigorous dance training all in one building just north of Union Square in Manhattan. And it’s all tuition free.

“There are not many schools of its kind,” says Ballet Tech artistic director Dionne Figgins. “I always say here at Ballet Tech, dance is the lens through which we view the world. And I’m a firm believer in the transformative power of dance. Through this unique educational experience, I have watched children become more confident, more resilient, and seen them develop discipline and integrity that transcends the dance studio.”

Figgins, who also has a thriving performing career and recently starred as Louis Armstrong’s wife Daisy Parker in A Wonderful World on Broadway, first learned about Ballet Tech when she was dancing with Dance Theatre of Harlem. One of her colleagues was a Ballet Tech alumna.

“I fell in love with the mission of increasing access to high-quality dance training,” says Figgins, whose credits also include the original Broadway companies of Memphis, Motown the Musical and the hit show Smokey Joe’s Cafe. And with her versatile experience as a dance artist, she could provide the torch to lead the organization in new and innovative ways when she became artistic director in 2021.

Ballet Tech is the brainchild of choreographer/performer/educator Eliot Feld and legendary arts administrator, Cora Cahan. Feld, who danced on Broadway in West Side Story and choreographed works for American Ballet Theatre, the Joffrey Ballet, the Juilliard School, New York City Ballet, the New York City Opera, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and his own Feld ballet, passionately believed that all children should have access to dance training, regardless of a family’s income.

In 1978, Feld established the training program and, with the blessing of the New York City Department of Education, began auditioning kids in public schools throughout the city to participate in his dance program. Then in 1995, Ballet Tech was birthed as an independent public school.

“Eliot Feld had the vision to see that New York City is brimming with talented young people who may lack the access to opportunities to cultivate that talent,” says Figgins. “As a choreographer, Eliot Feld created 149 ballets. In addition to ensuring that his work continues to be performed by our students and alumni, I also want to continue his legacy of creating new works for young dancers.” She also views Ballet Tech, with its vast and state-of-the-art studios and facilities, as the perfect incubator for new works by budding choreographers, including those who are Ballet Tech alumni.

To that end, Ballet Tech students will be performing a-wide ranging program at the Joyce Theater from June 12 to June 15. Called Kids Dance, the show includes a mosaic of genres including ballet, tap, and jazz. Alumnus Edgar Peterson will choreograph a premiere for Ballet Tech alumni. Plus, the 1956 dance battle returns, expanded to include new sections to the musical stylings of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. In addition to classical ballet with selections from Paquita, there’s also KYDZNY, the urban folk dance choreographed by Feld.

Figgins adores her Ballet Tech students and feels a deep sense of joy when she sees them embracing and excelling in their studies. “I get so excited for their futures and the future of art and dance,” she says. And Figgins is grateful that she is able to connect with them about the reality of being a working artist.

“This allows my students to go on the ride with me, and experience firsthand the ups and downs of this profession,” she says. “I can’t think of any more impactful pathway than to be a teacher and a mentor. And by educating my students, I am also re-educating myself.”

Like Feld, she is devoted to ensuring that dance endures by training the next generation and preparing them for their futures. Figgins hopes to create a space where training to be a dancer is safe and nurturing but also requires discipline and rigor necessary to cultivate students’ talents.

“I want to leave a legacy of joy, generosity, confidence and professionalism—one that inspires others to embrace the values of integrity, creativity, community, diversity, and humanity,” she says. “So that dance becomes a practice where people can express themselves freely and fearlessly.”

Jeryl Brunner: In addition to the New York City public school program, Ballet Tech also goes to public elementary schools to offer free dance classes to students through the Ballet Tech Across New York (BTANY) program. Why is that important?

Dionne Figgins: Through our BTANY program, we expose thousands of children a year to the beauty, joy, and integrity of dance. We send teams of teaching artists into New York City public elementary schools throughout the city and teach dance enrichment classes to second and third grade students.

Students who demonstrate an appetite and aptitude for dance are then invited once a week for a six-week school-time release program called the Introduction to Ballet Program, where select students are able to take class in our studios with our teaching artists. From within that program, we further identify students who we believe will thrive in our full-time program. And we invite them to audition in hopes of enrolling them in the fall.

Brunner: Not only are you a guiding light at Ballet Tech, you also have an incredible career as a dancer, choreographer, and actor. How does the performing piece enrich your life?

Figgins: I feel most like myself onstage. It is there where I can bring to life all the emotions buried deep inside, particularly those more challenging emotions that are not so socially acceptable to express. Performing allows me to harness all my life experiences into something beautiful and then enrich the lives of others through my performance.

It is a space of collaboration, where I get to be in community with other people, all brought together to bring a story or dance to life. It is a space of great creativity, where I can let my imagination run free without the restraints that society places on people under the guise of respectability and political correctness. It is a place where being “too much” is not only acceptable but appreciated.

Brunner: How did you first discover dance?

Figgins: Dance provided discipline and structure, in addition to giving me a space for expression and creativity. I fell in love with dance while a student at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet. As a student, we attended performances at the Kennedy Center, which later became one of my home theaters, and often my instructors were performing, with companies like Dance Theatre of Harlem and Alvin Ailey. Being in the tutelage of professional dancers allowed me to envision myself as a professional because there was evidence that one could make a career out of dance. Once I determined it was what I wanted to do, there was no other option.

Brunner: What was it like to perform at Dance Theater of Harlem?

Figgins: Performing with Dance Theater of Harlem, (DTH), has been one of my proudest and most rewarding experiences. Growing up, many of my mentors and teachers danced with DTH, so being able to follow in their footsteps has been incredible. Working with Mr.[Arthur] Mitchell changed my life and my work ethic. I have never worked so hard in my life as I did as a dancer with Dance Theatre of Harlem, and that early experience has shaped how I approach my work and my artistry.

Brunner: Why did you branch out to Broadway and not solely remain in the ballet world?

Figgins: I have always wanted to be a triple threat, someone who acts, sings, and dances. Growing up on movie musicals, and eventually Broadway shows, I found the most fulfillment in watching people utilize all their talents. When I was 18, I understudied Debbie Allen in a production of Brothers of the Knight at the Kennedy Center. Ms. Allen was even so kind as to let me perform the role.

And once I had that experience, I knew that that was exactly what I wanted to do with my talent. I also realized that I wanted to experience more of dance than the ballet world was going to be able to offer, and wanted to become as versatile as a dancer as I could so I could leverage that versatility into more diverse opportunities. By branching out, I have performed in multiple genres of dance across multiple performance mediums.

Brunner: What inspired you to establish Broadway Serves, the nonprofit dedicated to creating community service opportunities for theater professionals?

Figgins: In April 2012, me and Broadway professionals, Dana Marie Ingraham and Kimberly Marable, recognized there was a need​ for a platform​ for theater professionals to take an active role in social issues and current events. ​Following an earlier meeting of minds ​at the Million Hoodie March, responding to the murder of Trayvon Martin, we quickly realized that ​we could create a real opportunity for change. Moreover, to “be the change​ ​beyond the stage” ​by partnering with service organizations in order to provide volunteer opportunities to our theatrical peers.​

Since the beginning, the aim has of Broadway Serves has been to engage theater professionals in the art of giving back. Through our programming, our volunteers— theater-makers from all over New York City and the country—have engaged in acts of service under our banner. Like many organizations working with vulnerable communities, we continue to reflect on how we engage in the community as a team and as individuals in hopes of providing impactful and meaningful support where needed.