By Jenna Bodnar

PITTSBURGH, PA (Jan. 25, 2022) – Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) is pleased to announce the return of the apprenticeship program, which offers dancers exceptional professional experience and exciting performance opportunities with the PBT company, as well as optional academic courses. Two paid apprenticeship positions are available for the 2022 – 2023 performance season for dancers ages 18 – 21. Positions include the cost of health benefits and academic tuition, and apprentices will be under the same guidelines as the company dancers by the American Guild of Musical Artists. Apprenticeship positions have been made possible through a generous gift from Leslie Fleischner and her late husband Hans. 

“We enjoyed great success with the inaugural year of the apprenticeship program,” said PBT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe. “It was wonderful to see last year’s apprentices grow as well-rounded dancers throughout the course of the program, and we are thrilled to be providing this opportunity again this year.” 

Two apprentices (one male and one female) will be chosen via video audition, which will open February 14, 2022, and close March 14, 2022. Applicants must be high school graduates in order to be considered. PBT expects to announce recipients of the paid apprenticeship positions in April 2022.

During this one-year program, dancers will build their professional experience while having the opportunity to continue their academic studies. Apprentices will train and perform alongside the PBT company under the instruction of Artistic Director Susan Jaffe and will have the option to pursue certificate or college degree programs through partnerships with Seton Hill University, Community College of Allegheny County, and Chatham University.

Visit pbt.org/apprentice for details on the program and required audition materials. PBT is grateful to Leslie Fleischner and her late husband Hans for their thoughtful support of young dancers pursuing careers in the arts.

About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has been Pittsburgh’s premier professional ballet company since 1969. Today, PBT is a nationally recognized ballet company of 30 professional dancers, a training institution for over 1,200 students of all ages, and an incubator for education and accessibility programs in classrooms, libraries, and community centers throughout the region. The company performs a wide-ranging repertoire of classical ballets, contemporary masterworks, and new commissions in more than 50 performances annually at home and on tour.