Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy is the official school of Cincinnati Ballet, serving the greater Cincinnati area. The Academy operates from the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance, which opened in 2021 as a community center for dance. Students train in the same spaces used by Cincinnati Ballet’s professional dancers and may perform in mainstage Company productions.
The Academy offers programs for ages 2 through adult. The Children’s Division serves ages 2–7 with classes including Petite Pas de Deux for ages 2–3 (taken with a parent or caregiver) and Creative Dance classes for ages 3–4. The Preparatory Division introduces classical ballet and other dance disciplines. The Young Dancer Division includes pointe work as students advance. The Advanced Division provides pre-professional training. Open Electives offer flexible class options for ages 10–17. The Professional Training Division is a full-day program for students transitioning to professional careers, with participants performing alongside Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company.
The Academy also offers adult dance and fitness classes, dance education programs for K–12 schools, adaptive dance programs, and a Master Class Series for intermediate and advanced students ages 13 and up. Students are placed through assessment, though Open Electives do not require formal placement.