Pre-Professional TRACK

Boulder Ballet School continues to grow and strengthen our Pre-Professional Track. Conservatory students ages 14+ are invited to audition for placement within this specialized training pathway.

The Pre-Professional Track is designed for serious, dedicated dancers who are interested in pursuing a professional dance career. These students prioritize their dance training and are seeking a more rigorous, focused, and immersive experience.

To support individualized coaching and meaningful mentorship, we intentionally maintain a low student-to-teacher ratio. As a result, program size for the 2026–2027 season will remain limited per group. Please note that participation in the audition process does not guarantee acceptance. Accepted dancers will be placed into groups based on age, maturity, and ability:

  • Pre-Pro Intro // Pre-Pro 1 // Pre-Pro 2

Dancers in the Pre-Professional Track refine their technique and expand their artistry through more intensive training, personalized coaching, and increased performance opportunities. Classes are held twice weekly in the evenings and include variations, contemporary work, pointe, and repertory, as well as our comprehensive wellness curriculum, the Five Point Dancer Method.

Students will also participate in 2–3 competitions each year, gaining valuable stage experience while developing discipline, accountability, time-management skills, and a deeper understanding of goal-setting and the artistic process.

Preparation for the Pre-Professional season begins before the start of the academic year. Pre-Pro Prep Weeks will take place during the first two weeks of August. During this time, accepted dancers will attend scheduled coaching and rehearsal sessions, which are required to determine choreography and performance placements for the upcoming season. Final schedules will be determined based on accepted dancers.

Pre-Professional Track Overview

Audition for our 26/27 Season

  • Audition classes will be taught by Kevin Thomas from Colorado Ballet. 

  • The audition will be between 12-6pm on May 2, 2026 (after receiving registrations, we will create specific class times based on age and ability)

  • Audition may include ballet technique, variations, contemporary, and pointe (depending on age and experience) 

For non-BBS students, please read carefully and complete this registration form by April 30, 2026, to join this audition. If this date is missed, please reach out to andrea@boulderballet.org to inquire.

WHAT SETS OUR PROGRAM APART

Many dancers seek the depth and rigor of a pre-professional program but are unable to commit to daytime training. Our program is designed to meet that need—offering high-level training within an evening schedule that allows dancers to pursue serious goals while maintaining balance in their academic and personal lives.

Students benefit from meaningful performance opportunities, as well as the opportunity to explore the competition experience without it becoming the central focus of their training. This creates a well-rounded environment where artistry, growth, and individual goals remain at the forefront.

As part of our continued evolution, the Pre-Professional Track is organized into three primary focus areas:

  • Trainee Focus – for dancers with professional company aspirations

  • Versatility Focus – for dancers interested in performing across multiple genres

  • BFA Focus – for dancers pursuing collegiate dance programs

These focus areas are designed to provide direction while maintaining flexibility. Many dancers may move between areas or embody aspects of more than one, allowing their training to evolve alongside their goals.

The five point dancer method

At the core of our program is the Five Point Dancer Method, developed by our School Director in 2016. This distinctive, multi-faceted approach centers on dancer wellness and long-term development. Through mentorship, goal setting, and education across all five pillars, dancers are supported in a training environment that is both nurturing and empowering—encouraging them to take an active role in shaping their own artistic journey.

This method integrates education and training across five key areas:

  • Mindset

  • Work Ethic

  • Risk Reduction

  • Nutrition

  • Cross-Training

Performance Opportunities

Performance opportunities vary by season and Pre-Professional Track group placement, and may include:

Boulder Ballet Nutcracker (company and school) -

Competition Season - BCA, YAGP, YDC, ADC/IBC, NYCDA, NUVO (Jan-March depending on dates/competitions chosen each year)

Boulder Ballet Company spring production (pending BB company repertory each year)

BBS Spring Showcase - end of the year BBS performance (May)

Ballet In the Park - Boulder Ballet company show (June)

Pre-Professional Directors and Coaches

Andrea Basile

School Director

Andrea Basile is a dance educator, director, and choreographer, originally from Albuquerque, NM. Ms. Basile began her dance training under the direction of Karen Alwin and Lynn Cox, continuing at the San Francisco Ballet School prior to her professional career. Over her eighteen-year career in the Bay Area, Ms. Basile performed with dance companies including San Francisco Ballet, ODC Dance, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Kate Weare Company, Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, Smuin Ballet, The Lawrence Pech Dance Company, and The Foundry.

Founder and Artistic Director of LINES Contemporary Ballet, Alonzo King, choreographed “Pas” for Ms. Basile and Homer Avila, which premiered with Axis Dance Company, toured to the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, and was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine. Ms. Basile’s teaching career spans 27 years. She has been an instructor at many dance schools, including LINES Ballet School, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Cincinnati Ballet Academy, Marin Dance Theater, the ODC School, and Magnify Dance Center. Ms. Basile moved back to New Mexico in 2015 and became a co-owner of Magnify Dance Center and the Artistic Director of Magnify Dance Ensemble. In 2016, Ms. Basile founded The Five Point Dancer Method. This method cultivates wellness and prioritizes the mental and physical health of dancers in the studio with a track record of creating positive changes for dancers, faculty, and parents. Ms. Basile is thrilled to bring her knowledge and passion for dance education to Boulder Ballet. 

Laura Malpass

Assistant School Director

Laura Malpass is a ballet and contemporary dance teaching artist, dancer, and choreographer, interested in the ways dance can transcend all boundaries we perceive or feebly construct, empowering individuals and transforming communities for the better. She creates dance work rooted in story and identity to unpack how our physical bodies hold the memory of our emotional, relational, and experiential lives. Laura’s work has been presented around the San Francisco Bay Area and across the Front Range in Colorado. Recently, her dance film shorts have been featured at Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema, ACDA, and CODEO.

Originally from Roanoke, VA, Laura studied formally at Southwest Virginia Ballet, the School of the Grand Rapids Ballet, and le Centre de Danse du Marais in Paris. After graduating with a major in Psychology and minors in Dance in French from Hope College, she danced professionally with contemporary company Moving Arts in the SF Bay Area, touring throughout the Southwest, as well as with contemporary ballet Coco et Compagnie and other freelance projects. In 2019, Laura completed her MFA in Dance at CU Boulder, with a secondary emphasis in Somatics and a Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies. Laura is an ABT® Certified Teacher in Primary through Level 7 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum and was named a Teaching Fellow in 2015.

Master Teacher + Pre-Professional Advisor and Mentor

Christina Johnson

Christina’s performance career began at age seventeen with Boston Ballet. She then joined Dance Theatre of Harlem and, within four years, became a principal dancer. Christina is an original member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet and has been invited to perform with companies nationally and internationally, including the Royal Ballet of London. She danced in Switzerland for seven years with Le Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve and Ballet Basel. Christina was featured in the Broadway show, The Red Shoes. After her performance career, Christina held the position of Rehearsal Director for Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Washington Ballet, Armitage Gone! Dance, Trey McIntyre Project, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Most recently, she was on faculty at Marin Ballet in San Rafael, CA, as well as Adjunct Faculty at Dominican University in the Alonzo King LINES BFA in Dance Program.

Christina is currently a sought-after teacher and coach who works with dance schools, universities, and professional dance companies across the USA and internationally. She is also a master teacher and judge for various dance competitions. Christina is a certified life coach with the Coaches Training Institute and holds a Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Hollins University.

Christina will work closely with our School Director to advance our Pre-Professional Track, offer coaching, master classes, parent support, and mentorship for our Pre-Professional students. We are thrilled to have her join us!

Pre-Professional Coach

Marian Faustino

Marian Faustino began her career in the Philippines with the country’s two premiere dance organizations, Ballet Manila and Ballet Philippines.  While there, she performed principal roles in full-length classics such as Don Quixote (Kitri), La Bayadere (Gamzatti), and Swan Lake (Odile).  Marian was also the Philippine representative to major international ballet competitions in Moscow and Nagoya, where she earned semi-finalist and finalist certificates, respectively.   Upon moving to Denver, Colorado, in 2011, Marian spent 5 seasons with the contemporary ballet company Wonderbound.  As a freelance artist, she has traveled the country dancing with Washington National Opera at The Kennedy Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Dance Aspen, Owen Cox Dance Group, and The Rosin Box Project. Marian is currently a company dancer at Boulder Ballet.

In addition to her extensive experience as a professional dancer, Marian graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Science in Family Life & Child Development. She has furthered her development as a dance educator by attending the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Teacher Training Program, holds certification in Progressing Ballet Technique, Discover Dance Education for Preschool Age Children, and has completed 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.