History of PRB
Founded in 1988 as Cumberland Dance Company, Pennsylvania Regional Ballet has grown into one of Central Pennsylvania’s leading institutions for classical ballet training and performance. In 2005, the organization adopted the name Pennsylvania Regional Ballet to better reflect its expanding regional presence, artistic reach, and commitment to serving dancers and audiences throughout the Northeast and beyond.
Located just across the Susquehanna River from downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Regional Ballet is housed in a beautifully converted church marked by its iconic red doors, a space that has become a familiar and beloved home for generations of dancers, families, and artists. Within those walls, PRB has built a longstanding reputation for excellence in dance education, pre-professional training, and artistic development.
Through a progressive curriculum and diverse repertoire, PRB provides rigorous instruction in classical ballet while also offering training in modern, jazz, tap, contemporary ballet, and musical theatre. Students benefit from exposure to internationally recognized master teachers and choreographers who enrich their education with professional experience and artistic insight.
From its founding, PRB’s mission has centered on more than technical achievement alone. The school and pre-professional company have remained deeply committed to nurturing each student’s artistry, individuality, discipline, confidence, and emotional well-being. This philosophy has created generations of dancers who not only excel in performance, but also carry with them the values and life skills developed through dedicated dance training.
The quality and impact of PRB’s programs are reflected in the accomplishments of its alumni. Graduates have gone on to attend prestigious university dance programs, perform with professional ballet companies, choreograph, teach, and serve as artistic directors throughout the country. Distinguished alumni and faculty members including Victoria Silva, Taryn Kaschock Russell, Kristen Weiser, Allegra Inch, Haley Baker, Joan Kilgore, Rosemary Forte, Elaine Blank, Jaime Thompson, and Christy Aumiller represent the lasting legacy of excellence fostered within PRB’s studios.
For many students, the impact of Pennsylvania Regional Ballet extends far beyond professional dance careers. Over the last three decades, dancers who trained within the walls of PRB have discovered discipline, resilience, creativity, and self-confidence that have empowered them to excel in countless fields and become leaders within their communities.
Today, Pennsylvania Regional Ballet continues its commitment to providing exceptional classical ballet training, meaningful artistic opportunities, and accessible arts education to students and audiences throughout Central Pennsylvania. Supported by dedicated faculty, staff, families, volunteers, and a passionate Board of Directors, PRB remains devoted to preserving the tradition of classical ballet while inspiring future generations through the transformative power of dance.
What We've Achieved
We’ve prepared numerous dancers for professional companies and competitive collegiate programs.
Member Regional Dance America/Northeast 1988-2020; Honors Company, Regional Dance America 1998-2020.
Scholarships have been awarded to our dancers at Regional Dance America Festivals; our selected choreographers have been awarded National Choreographic, Project Tier, Emerging, and Monticello Awards.
Resident Ballet Company of the Ned Smith Center for Nature & the Arts since 2008.
We’ve established educational outreach programs for the community including School Day Nutcracker Performances, Peter & The Wolf, and most recently, Gwendolyn the Graceful Pig.
For over 30 years, we’ve fostered an environment where young people learn and gain an appreciation for the arts!
Why Choose PRB?
Hear from PRB Families & school alumni
“I just wanted to post a quick thank you to the school, and specifically to Coach Beth and Miss Allegra.
My daughter started ballet class with PA Regional Ballet this year. Meadow is nearly 4, and has been shy and quiet since her first indications of personality. It’s been difficult to get her into things because she tended to turn inward and shut down when anything difficult or unexpected happened. When we started, she didn’t like it. She would cry, and want to leave the classroom. She’d refuse to participate and would watch from the doorway. It became such a fight that we considered withdrawing her for our own sanity.
Coach Beth encouraged us to keep her in and give her a chance. Her and Miss Allegra would work with Meadow each session and through a combination of compassion and gentle persistence, they slowly got her out of her shell.
Before I know it, I’m seeing this side of her I had never seen before: Meadow was confident, spoke more loudly and directly. She went from deferential to fiercely independent with daily tasks. She didn’t give up on things when she wasn’t successful immediately. It wasn’t just that she was improving at moving around gracefully or performing a memorized routine... it was a shift in personality.
Tonight, I got to watch her absolutely shine on that stage. I caught a glimpse of the amazing potential within her being realized as she demonstrated her victory over her internal struggles. As someone who’s never really gotten into “the arts” in much of any sense, it’s strange to say this, but tonight I finally realized the true power and value — and the importance — of these types of institutions.
Thank you for helping my daughter discover herself.”
Alumni
“...I wanted to say that I have a new understanding for what you all went through to put on all the performances PRB has done. The club I am president of has over 200 members, 119 of which chose to perform this semester, either in the Nutcracker, our Fall Showcase (which could be akin to Spring Gala), or both. My vice president and I had to organize rehearsal space, theater space, lighting, costumes, and more, as well as funding for all of those elements. We were in charge of about 30 choreographers, as well as other dance organizations at Penn State that were guest performers in the shows.
I am now the one in the theater that is giving people center, quarter, or eighth to stand behind, shouting for pointed feet, strong arms, and emotions from the dancers. When I was the dancer who didn’t always know her spacing or was doing weird things with her hands/arms, I thought I was still trying my best. But now I see the ballet club’s dancers on the stage, where I cannot be, and I understand the frustration of knowing they can do more, knowing I could give more. That’s something I thought I understood in high school, but I realize you can’t really feel that until you experience it first-hand.
The part that makes it all worth it, as I’m sure you all know, is when the dancers are proud of what they’ve done. Seeing that all my work has kept someone’s passion for dance alive is worth all the sacrifice...
My time at PRB made me the leader I am today and has had a huge impact on the growth and professionalism I expect from the PSU Ballet Club. I want you all to know that every time I stand I stand in front of a class and say things like “transitions make a dancer”, “a-la-sebesque”, or “finesse your feet”, or when I’m backstage spraying glitter on everyone, each one of you is on my mind and in my heart.”
“I want you to know that although it may have never shown, many of us dancers appreciate all you’ve done for us. Whether it be teaching us the proper way to prepare for the dreaded arabesque turn or the most polite of manners in and out of the studio. As I’ve moved on to a different part of my life, I feel it’s necessary to look back and appreciate who has shaped me into the person I am today. Yeah, I have a lot more life to live. But it’s never too early to tell people that you love them and care about them. With that in mind, I hope you always know how much you each influenced me. I’m sure I’m not alone on this either. Sometimes it just takes time away from something to realize how amazing it was. I am so grateful to have had such caring, influential people help raise me. I cannot thank you enough for everything you’ve done and I encourage you all to continue to shape the lives of the kids passing through PRB. ”