Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn

Covenant Ballet Theatre (CBT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in South Brooklyn, New York, where cultural resources are limited. Founded in 1987 by Artistic Director Marla Hirokawa, CBT provides serious classical ballet and modern dance training for children and adults taught by highly trained and accredited instructors who are strongly committed to their students’ health and safety. In a uniquely accepting yet rigorous environment, CBT fosters a love of the art of dance through pre-professional training, educational programs in the schools, and original ballet productions.

CBT’s Gravesend location in South Brooklyn is distinct: it has the largest Ukrainian and Arab populations in the U.S., as well as African, Caribbean, Latino, Chinese, Russian, Jewish, Greek, Turkish, and Indian populations. Students enrolled at CBT are equally diverse, and thirty percent are immigrants. They range in age from three years old to over sixty. Together, they are the beneficiaries of CBT's "harmony of interests" philosophy, which combines the rigor and discipline of the art form with genuine love and concern for every individual. Scholarships are offered annually based on merit, potential, and need.

Each year, CBT serves over 4,000 diverse academy students, public school students, and concert attendees who come from Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Westchester, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Our alumni have gone on to study at virtually every major dance school in New York and beyond. They have also attended the top high schools of performing arts in New York City. They have apprenticed and danced professionally with renowned dance companies throughout the US and in Europe and established their own dance companies. CBT students have also earned college degrees in fine arts, dance, and/or physical therapy. Most importantly, all CBT students learn the valuable life lessons of perseverance, patience, and hard work that can be applied in a wide range of settings and circumstances.