The Washington Ballet

What The Washington Ballet does

The Washington Ballet (TWB) is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating two integrated business lines: a professional ballet company and The Washington School of Ballet (TWSB). Founded in 1944 as a school by Mary Day and Lisa Gardiner, and formalized as a professional company in 1976, TWB presents a five-production season including the DC-themed Nutcracker, contemporary works, and world premieres at premier regional venues (Warner Theatre, Sidney Harman Hall, The National Theatre, Wolf Trap, and the Kennedy Center). The organization is currently celebrating its 50th Anniversary Season (2026/27) under Artistic Director Edwaard Liang, the first person of color and first Asian American to lead a major American ballet company.

The Washington School of Ballet is a core operating subsidiary serving 3,000+ students annually across two campuses (NW at Wisconsin Avenue, SE at THEARC) and 14 studios, generating tuition revenue from youth programs (ages 1.5-18), the trainee program, and adult open classes. TWB monetizes through a hybrid revenue model: subscription and single-ticket performance sales (Full Series, Choreograph Your Own, Jeté Society tiered subscriptions with 10-30% savings), group sales at tiered discounts (10-25% for parties of 10+), school tuition, studio rentals ($10-$150/hour by user type), special fundraising events (Annual Gala, Nutcracker Tea Party), and a multi-tiered development program covering individual giving, corporate support, institutional grants, planned giving (Mary Day Society), and matching gifts.

TWB extends its reach through community engagement programs — Dance DC (in-school Pre-K-12 workshops), Dance For All (free city-wide events), Dance for PD (Parkinson's therapeutic classes as the Mark Morris Dance Group's Mid-Atlantic hub), and student matinees — positioning the organization as both a performing arts institution and a community asset serving the DC metropolitan and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Name

The Washington Ballet

Legal name

The Washington Ballet

Website

https://washingtonballet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Washington Ballet is a DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a professional ballet company and The Washington School of Ballet, serving 3,000+ students, regional audiences across multiple DC venues, and community members through performances, training, and outreach programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts (Ballet)

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Dance Companies (71112), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire) (MPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Professional ballet performances
• Ballet training programs
• Performing arts education
• Dance school services
• Community dance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Performance Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets, subscriptions, and group sales for ballet performances at Warner Theatre, Harman Hall, The National Theatre, and Wolf Trap
2. School Tuition: Fees from The Washington School of Ballet training programs: 900+ students at NW Campus, 350 at SE Campus, 1600 adults through Open Classes
3. Individual Giving: Donations from individual donors including Leadership Giving, Mary Day Society planned giving, and matching gifts
4. Corporate Support: Sponsorships and corporate partnerships supporting productions, community programs, and special events
5. Studio Rentals: Rental fees for studios at NW and SE campuses for rehearsals, auditions, and events; rates vary by organization type
6. Special Events: Fundraising events including Annual Gala and Nutcracker Tea Party generating revenue and donor engagement

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Washington Ballet operates a professional ballet company that produces and performs classical and contemporary ballet at major DC-area venues, and runs The Washington School of Ballet, which provides pre-professional ballet training to over 3,000 students annually at NW and SE campuses. The organization also delivers community engagement programs, adult open classes, summer intensives, studio rentals, and special fundraising events.

Product overview

The Washington Ballet is a performing arts organization consisting of a professional ballet company and The Washington School of Ballet. The professional company presents classical and contemporary ballet productions on major DC-area stages, while TWSB provides rigorous ballet training to students ages 1.5-18+ across two campuses. The organization also offers community engagement programs (Dance For All, Dance DC, Dance for PD), adult open classes, group experiences, the Jeté Society young professionals program, studio rentals, and summer programs. The 2026/27 Season marks the company's 50th Anniversary with productions including Go-Go 50, The Nutcracker, Dracula (world premiere), Romeo & Juliet, and Made in Washington at Wolf Trap.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Washington Ballet Professional Company The professional ballet company performing classical and contemporary repertoire on major stages throughout the DC area, including the John F. Kennedy Center, Warner Theatre, Sidney Harman Hall, The National Theatre, and Wolf Trap.
• The Washington School of Ballet (TWSB) A dance school providing classical ballet training for students ages 1.5–18 at NW and SE campuses, with programs including creative dance, pre-ballet, lower division, upper division, and a trainee program. Trains more than 900 students at the NW campus, 350 at the SE campus, and 1,600 adults through Open Classes annually.
• 2026/27 Season Productions Season performance offerings including Go-Go 50 (opening celebration featuring DC's Go-Go music heritage), The Nutcracker (holiday production), Dracula (world premiere), Romeo & Juliet, and Made in Washington: A 50th Season Finale at Wolf Trap.
• Community Engagement Programs Programs including Dance For All (free city-wide events across DC quadrants), Dance DC (in-school creative movement workshops for Pre-K through 12th grade), Student Matinees, Lecture Demonstrations, and Dance for PD (Parkinson's disease classes offered free of charge).
• Adult Open Classes Ballet classes for adults of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned dancers, offered at NW and SE campuses.
• Summer Programs Intensive summer programs for ages 1–18+ including summer intensives, young dancers programs, and children's programs at both NW and SE campuses.
• Group Experiences Group ticket experiences for parties of 10 or more attending performances such as The Nutcracker, Moving Forces, and Go-Go 50, with tiered discounts up to 20–25% for parties of 20+ and a dedicated personal group sales liaison.
• Jeté Society Membership Young professionals membership program (ages 21–40) providing season subscription, behind-the-scenes access, social events, exclusive event pricing, and sponsorship opportunities to collectively sponsor a company dancer. Requires subscription plus $250 donation.
• Studio Rentals Rental of ballet studios at NW and SE campuses for rehearsals, auditions, and events, with rates for independent artists ($40/hr), nonprofits ($85/hr), commercial users ($150/hr), TWB/TWSB alumni ($25/hr), and current TWSB youth program ($10/hr).
• Special Fundraising Events Signature fundraising events including the Annual Gala and Nutcracker Tea Party, supporting ballet for future generations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3000+ students trained annually across both campuses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Dance for PD Mid-Atlantic HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Washington Ballet serves as the regional hub for Dance for PD, an award-winning program for people with Parkinson's, with instructor Lucy Bowen McCauley leading classes and coordinating regional efforts
• Institutional Partners (DC Community)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity programs possible through generous support of Institutional Partners who fund community engagement activities; contact Katie Harding at [email protected]
• Warner TheatrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary performance venue for main productions including Go-Go 50 and The Nutcracker; located at 513 13th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004
• Sidney Harman HallcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPerformance venue for Dracula world premiere; located at 610 F Street, NW
• The National TheatrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPerformance venue for Romeo & Juliet; located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW
• Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing ArtsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOutdoor venue for 50th Season Finale celebration; located at 1551 Trap Rd, Vienna, VA 22182
• Dupont UndergroundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImmersive performance venue for Dance For All events and special showcases celebrating new Artistic Director
• THEARC (Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSE Campus location and performance venue for The Nutcracker; community center hosting TWSB Southeast Campus
• Cathedral Commons StudiosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNW Campus location for adult classes and Dance for PD programming at 3308 Wisconsin Ave

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Atlanta Ballet: Atlanta-based professional ballet company with affiliated Centre for Dance Education — provides both performance and tuition revenue streams in a single metropolitan market, comparable in scale to TWB.
• Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre: Mid-size U.S. professional ballet company operating in a single metro with affiliated school (PBT School) and annual Nutcracker — directly comparable mid-size benchmark for nonprofit company-plus-school.
• Boston Ballet: New England professional ballet company with affiliated school (Boston Ballet School); comparable nonprofit company-plus-school structure, mid-large budget scale, and education/community programs.
• American Ballet Theatre: Major U.S. professional ballet company with affiliated training programs and national touring; directly comparable as a large classical ballet organization combining performance, school, and community engagement.
• New York City Ballet: One of the largest U.S. ballet companies with its own training school (School of American Ballet lineage) and a multi-venue performance model — direct structural peer combining professional company and educational programming.
• Houston Ballet: Mid-to-large U.S. ballet company operating both a professional company and the Houston Ballet Academy; operates in a single-anchor metro and runs a major Nutcracker — closely analogous scale and business model to TWB.
• Joffrey Ballet: Chicago-based professional ballet company with an affiliated academy and high subscriber/Nutcracker-style annual tradition; comparable mid-large size, school-plus-company structure, and metropolitan dependence.
• San Francisco Ballet: Oldest professional U.S. ballet company with affiliated San Francisco Ballet School; broader peer that demonstrates the upper end of the comparable scale spectrum for company-plus-school ballet nonprofits.
• Pacific Northwest Ballet: Seattle-based professional ballet company with an affiliated school (PNB School) operating from a single metro with a sizable annual Nutcracker run — a strong operational analog to TWB.

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Major New York-based professional dance company operating in the same nonprofit company-plus-school paradigm with broad national and international touring, used as an upper-scale benchmark for how a U.S. nonprofit dance company scales beyond a single metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/washingtonballet
• Xx.com/twballet
• Facebookfacebook.com/thewashingtonballet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-washington-ballet

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Washington Ballet