French Academie of Ballet

Our mission at the French Academie of Ballet is to introduce the beauty of movement that exists in the French ballet and instill the tradition of classical ballet in our dancers.

Our vision is to train our dancers with the curriculum of the French School of Classical technique, promoting ballet in its purest form by placing an emphasis on cleanness and elegance.
The French Academie of Ballet is a unique pre-professional program that does not currently exist in the United States.
Students selected to participate in our program are expected to work to their fullest potential to meet the high demands of the Academie's curriculum.
Our goal is to create and honest environment for both students and artistic faculty that will foster respect and continuous growth and learning.

Founded in 2011 by François Perron, the French Académie of Ballet is a unique pre-professional training program that had not previously existed in the United States. Based on the French School of classical technique, the French Académie of Ballet trains pre-professional dancers in the tradition of classical technique, promoting ballet in its purest form; placing emphasis on cleanness and elegance.

Beginning this Fall, the Académie will officially begin its year-round pre-professional program with three levels of training, Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced.  Each level will be closely supervised by François and taught by himself and his faculty.



About François Perron

François Perron is a graduate of the Paris Opera  Ballet School where he studied under the direction of Claude Bessy.  Before moving to the United States, François danced with La Scala in Milan, where Maurice Béjart invited him to Brussels as part of Les Ballets Du XXe Siecle.  François has had principal contracts with the Northern Ballet Theatre of England and Ballet Du Nord as well as principal roles with the Joffrey Ballet in New York City.  François danced with the New York City Ballet for six years and briefly with American Ballet Theatre. He has appeared with numerous companies worldwide as a guest artist and served as Ballet Master for New York Theatre Ballet as well as for Florence, Italy’s Maggio Danza.

In 1997, François accepted a full faculty position at Studio Maestro (now Manhattan Youth Ballet) and from 2001- 2011 was Managing Artistic Director of the school and youth company. François is regularly invited to guest teach at major dance schools including Miami City Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and American Ballet Theatre Young Dancer Summer Workshop.  François’ students have been accepted at the Paris Opera Ballet School and as company members at American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet and North Carolina Dance Theatre. François is part of the Juilliard faculty and is currently coaching the boys for the Tony Award Winner Broadway show Billy Elliott.

Recently, François was the invited guest at the Titas Gala in Dallas, Texas.  While in Dallas, François guest taught at The Dallas Conservatory.   François will be teaching a master class via satellite for the Barcelona Competition.  François was on the faculty this summer at American Ballet Theatre's Young Dancer Summer Workshop and will be guest teaching for the Studio Company and the top levels in 2011. 



The French Academie of Ballet admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, with all rights and privileges, to programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin in administration of its education policies, admission policies, scholarship programs or any other school-administrated programs.