Audition for the program on April 26, 2025. Returning students will be evaluated for placement and new students will be evaluated for admittance and placement for the 2025-2026 season. Parents may attend the interest meeting on Tuesday, April 1st at 7:15 PM.

Register for audition by clicking here.

About

Now in it's seventh year, Black Swamp Fine Arts School's Pre-Professional program provides anatomically informed and emotionally intelligent classical ballet education. Students can expect encouraging and compassionate instructors, seven levels of advancement with a student to instructor ratio that ensures individual attention, and a supportive, non-competative environment. 

Students are guaranteed a role in our original production, Mina and the Nutcracker, as well as numerous other performance opportunities during the dance year. Our choreography, costuming, and music choices will always endeavor to protect and honor student's minds, hearts, and bodies. 

Pointe Training

While students are not required to pursue pointe education at BSFAS, entry into our most advanced level is contingent upon a student's proficiency en pointe. We require all students interested in dancing en pointe to participate in and graduate our pre-pointe program, participate in a physical assessment by a dance physical therapist, and be cleared for pointe work by our Artistic Director and Ballet Mistress, Hayley Havener.

Unique Benefits

Students cross-train with our certified Progressing Ballet Technique faculty member and young ladies will train en pointe. This is a performance-focused program and not a competitive-focused program. Students benefit from our yearly “Career Week” with guest instructors and lecturers as well as hands-on workshops where they generate their resumes and prepare audition photos.

Commitment

Company members commit to train and perform for the entire season which begins in the summer and ends in the spring. Weekly, students in our beginning level commit to taking 1.5 hours of ballet each week. Training hours scales to require up to six hours a week in advanced levels. Our program is built to promote personal responsibility in our students, while endeavoring to not completely consume their lives. For students intent on a professional career, we offer additional training and support, taking each individual's goals into account. 

Performance Opportunities

Annually, members of the company present our beloved Mina& the Nutcracker and dance in our full-scale spring recital along with dancers in the Enrichment Program. Recent and upcoming performance opportunities include:

  • Firefly Nights Festival | August 2024

  • Westside Story with the Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra at the Toledo Zoo | August 2024

  • A Nutcrackers Christmas with the Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra | December 2024

  • Mina & the Nutcracker at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts | December 21, 2024

  • Music Under the Stars with the Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra | August 4, 2024

  • Masha & the Nutcracker | December 16th, 2023

  • Music Under the Stars with the Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra | August 13, 2023

  • Nutcracker Suite with the BGSU Philharmonia Orchestra

  • Bowling Green, OH Local Farmer’s Market

  • Nutcracker Sweets Tea | December 2, 2023

  • Firefly Nights Festival | July 21, 2023

Guest Teachers

  • Judy Reading—Artistic Director of Findlay Ballet

  • Brooke Fitzgerald—Renovate Ballet Company

  • Ashley Rollinson Sunada—Artistic Director of Light of the World Ballet

  • Lauren Garst Welker—Premier Highland Dancer

  • Anna Trumbo—dancer with Neos

  • Lydia Havener—freelance dancer

  • Kelly Korfhage—dancer with Verb Ballets

  • Rebekah Schmitz—dancer with Ballet Magnificat!

  • Audra Dryden—dancer with Ballet Magnificat!

  • Feather Weldon—freelance dancer

  • Lauren Woodward—dancer with Toledo Ballet

Program Overview Video. Click Image.