COMPANIES

CLARKE DANCE GROUP & JENNIFER PICART-BRANNER BALLET COMPANY

At Northwest School of Dance, we provide mulitple opportunities for dancers to grow and experience dance. Our additional programs include Clarke Dance Group competition dance team and Jennifer Picart-Branner Ballet company.

CLARKE DANCE GROUP COMPETITION TEAM

CDG

JBP

The Clarke Dance Group is the elite dance competition team for Northwest School of Dance. This group of dancers is chosen through an audition process and represents NSD at dance competitions and conventions throughout the state. In addition, they will have more performance opportunities at local events throughout the year. Clarke Dance Group is intended for those who wish to pursue dance more seriously and competitively. Dancers will be required to strive for and maintain a higher level of technical skill and a diverse training which may include Lyrical/Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop and Tap. The team is best suited for ages 7 through 19 years old. Dancers will learn to explore the artistry of dance, thereby becoming better artists themselves. They will be challenged with new styles and choreography. At the end of the season, dancers will walk away with a new sense of personal growth as a student, performer and individual.

Several team members have been recognized at conventions and competitions with special awards, such as "Top Dancer", "Elite Performer", and "Dancer of the Year", for their outstanding performance and showmanship and received scholarships for National events and programming as well. As a result of their participation in Clarke Dance Group, some members have traveled to New York, Las Vegas and California to take part in special dance intensives and conventions, and have also gone on to pursue dance professionally at the college level and beyond. Clarke Dance Group continues to represent their studio well receiving overall high score awards, judges choice awards and cash prizes.

If you have a dancer who is interested in building a career as a dancer, the competition world can give them several tools to better prepare them. CDG dancers will grow as performers, build self-confidence and learn about dedication & commitment. They will be pushing for personal growth, while also learning to work as a team unit. If you have an interest in pursuing competition dance or would like more information about CDG, please call the studio directly.

JPB Ballet Company at Northwest School of Dance

Where Passion Meets Excellence

The JPB Ballet Company is the premier youth ballet company at Northwest School of Dance, designed for dancers who are committed to advancing their technical skills and preparing for future professional opportunities. Membership is by invitation only, reserved for dancers who demonstrate a strong work ethic, and a serious dedication to the art form.

The company is divided into Junior and Senior levels, with dancers given the opportunity to perform in local events throughout the year. Beyond these performances, many JPB dancers also participate in prestigious local and national competitions, further honing their craft and showcasing their talent.

JPB Petite & Junior Programs

Developing the Next Generation of Ballet Artists

The JPB Petite Program (ages 9–11) provides young dancers with a focused and supportive environment to develop strong ballet technique, discipline, artistry, and performance skills. As JPB Ballet Company has grown, so has our training program. Dancers who begin as JPB Petites have the opportunity to continue their development through our JPB Junior Program (ages 11–15), with many of our Juniors being former JPB Petites who have grown alongside the company.

Training for the Future

JPB dancers have gone on to pursue advanced training at prestigious institutions throughout the United States and internationally, including:

American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet School, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Ballet West, Nutmeg Conservatory, Pittsburgh Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Cary Ballet Conservatory, Ballet Rhode Island, Sacramento Ballet, Whitman College, Finnish National Ballet School, Palucca School in Germany, Paris Opera Ballet School, Royal Ballet School in London, and John Cranko School in Germany.

Competitive & Performance Excellence

JPB Ballet Company dancers have earned recognition at prestigious competitions including: Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), ADC IBC, and World Ballet Arts Competition (WBAC), competing alongside talented dancers from across the country and around the world.

Our dancers also have opportunities to perform beyond the studio, including annual invitations to the Boost Me Up Dance Festival in Seattle, where they work with and perform choreography from a variety of choreographers. JPB dancers have also performed works by choreographers such as Sam Picart, who was featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Success Beyond the Stage

We are proud of the many JPB dancers who have continued their education and careers in dance. Alumni have attended programs including: Cornish College of the Arts, AMDA, Utah Valley University, University of Utah and Whitman College, and have gone on to professional opportunities with Ballet West, Grand Rapids Ballet, Estonia National Ballet, Olympic Ballet Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, Ashani Dances, Ballet Melange and Texas Ballet Theater.

Most recently, we are proud to have a former JPB dancer join Texas Ballet Theater as a professional company member, continuing the tradition of JPB dancers moving on to professional careers

Building Future Artists

At Northwest School of Dance, we are proud to provide serious young ballet dancers with the training, mentorship, performance opportunities, and artistic development needed to pursue their goals.

From JPB Petites, to JPB Juniors, to the JPB Ballet Company, we are proud to help develop the next generation of ballet artists.