About

Our Mission. Our Story.

Our Vision

Access to Quality Ballet Training For All

Our goal is to help people improve their lives through the art of practicing ballet. Our online and in-person ballet programs are dedicated to providing high-quality, live ballet classes with individualized corrections and feedback.

Runqiao Du

Dancer

Runqiao Du was born in Shanghai, China. At the age of 11, he was selected and awarded a scholarship to study at the famed Shanghai School of Dance.

Upon graduating with honors in 1989, Mr. Du moved to the United States to begin his performing career with The Washington Ballet, where performed various leading roles including Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Albrecht in Giselle, Prince Charming in Cinderella, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Prince in Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, and the Cavalier in The Nutcracker.

In 2000, while maintaining his principle position with The Washington Ballet, he accepted an invitation from the legendary ballerina, Suzanne Farrell, to join her brand new company The Suzanne Farrell Ballet as a principle dancer. Under her coaching, Mr. Du danced some of the most important works created by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Maurice Bejart.

Teacher

In 2008, after his illustrious performing career, Mr. Du accepted a lecturer position from the Dance Department of Towson University where he teaches Ballet Technique to the top-level BFA Majors. Mr. Du joined the American Dance Institute faculty in 2009 and was the Artistic Director of the ADI School from 2010 to the spring of 2015. He has also taught at Berrend Dance Centre since 2015

In 2018, Mr. Du was invited to join the renowned Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC as a master teacher. He went on to serve as the Artistic Director of Kirov Academy from 2019 to 2021.

Mr. Du has been a guest artist, master teacher, repititeur, and adjudicator nationally and internationally.

Choreographer

He has choreographed over 30 classical and neoclassical works for various companies, schools, and universities, including his own version of the full-length ballet, Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker.

His choreographic work has also been presented in festivals and competitions, including Youth America Grand Prix, VelocityDC Dance Festival, New Jersey Youth Ballet Competition, and the Millennium Stage at The John F. Kennedy for the Performing Arts Center.

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Awards & Recognition

Outstanding School Award

NYC REGIONAL 2020

Outstanding School Award

NYC REGIONAL 2021

Outstanding Choreographer Award

NYC REGIONAL 2020