Pre-Professional Ballet Training
Ballet Academy
of Chapel Hill.
A pre-professional ballet training program for serious, dedicated dancers. Built for artistry, technique, and discipline at the highest level — under the direction of Ballet Mistress Rossana Nesta.
About the Program
A Lineage Connected to the World's Best
The Ballet Academy of Chapel Hill is Renner Dance's pre-professional ballet training program, offering rigorous instruction in Ballet, Pointe, Variations, and ballet-specific conditioning. Under the direction of Ballet Mistress Rossana Nesta, dancers train in a lineage that connects directly to the world's leading ballet institutions.
Operating under the Renner Dance Company umbrella, Academy students benefit from an immersive classical foundation while remaining versatile, well-rounded performers across other styles. Dancers who are also RDC company members train additional nights per week in Academy ballet on top of their regular RDC ballet classes, reflecting the program's serious commitment to classical technique.
Whether training toward a professional ballet career or deepening artistry as a well-rounded performer, Ballet Academy dancers benefit from a rare depth of classical training, delivered by instructors with international pedigree.
Progressive Training Structure
Levels A, B, C & D
The Ballet Academy of Chapel Hill is organized into four progressive levels — from foundational classical technique through pre-professional artistry. Each level builds upon the last technically, artistically, and physically. Placement and level advancement are evaluated under the direction of Ballet Mistress Rossana Nesta.
Exact weekly schedules vary by season. Placements are evaluated annually with mid-season evaluations. Contact us for current class times and placement evaluations.
On Stage, Twice a Year
Performance Opportunities
Ballet Academy dancers take the stage twice a year, performing in Renner Dance Company's annual production of The Nutcracker each December, and in a dedicated Spring performance each May.
Academy dancers are also welcome to attend dance conventions under the Renner Dance Company name, offering further opportunities to train alongside peers from across the country and gain exposure to the broader professional dance community.
Performed each December. Rehearsals run on select Saturdays from September through December, leading into the full production.
Each May, Academy dancers perform in the annual Spring showcase. Spring rehearsals are incorporated into regular Ballet Academy class time throughout the season.
For Our Most Advanced Dancers
Competitive Variations Track
For dancers with the drive and discipline to take their training further, the Ballet Academy offers an invitation-only competitive variations track. Selected dancers work in dedicated private coaching to prepare classical and contemporary solos for some of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the country.
Invitation-Only Selection
Participation in the variations track is by invitation of the Ballet Mistress, based on technical readiness, artistic maturity, and commitment to the program's rigorous demands.
One-on-One Coaching
Invited dancers receive regular private coaching sessions with Academy instructors to refine both Classical and Contemporary variations before competition.
National Competitions
Academy dancers compete at regional and national ballet-specific events, including Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), American Dance Competition (ADC), and UBC.
Competition Track Record
Between 2013 and 2019, Ballet Mistress Rossana Nesta received numerous Outstanding Teacher, Outstanding Coach, and Outstanding Ballet School honors at international competitions including YAGP and ADC.
Where Our Dancers Go
The Artists Behind the Academy
Meet the Faculty
Ballet Mistress & Academy Director
Rossana Nesta
Rossana Nesta brings a lifetime of classical ballet pedigree to the Ballet Academy of Chapel Hill. Born in Rome, she graduated from the Balletto di Roma school and went on to earn her Bachelor's in Teaching Ballet from the Accademia Nazionale di Danza in Rome — the highest level of ballet teaching credential sponsored by Italy's Ministry of Public Instruction.
Her international teaching career has taken her through prestigious institutions and companies across Italy, including guest teaching engagements in Messina, Agrigento, Catania, and Venice, and formative training at Milan's Carcano Theater under Anna Maria Prina, then Director of the Scuola di Ballo of Teatro alla Scala.
After relocating to the United States, Rossana taught at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Point Park University, performing with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's production of Swan Lake. In 2002, she became a partner of the School of American Ballet (SAB) in New York. She later served as Ballet Mistress at the Cary Ballet Conservatory in North Carolina, and in 2011 founded and served as Artistic Director of the International Ballet Academy in Cary, NC — during which time she received licensing from the George Balanchine Foundation to stage New York City Ballet repertory works.
Between 2013 and 2019, Rossana received numerous Outstanding Teacher, Outstanding Coach, and Outstanding Ballet School honors at international competitions including YAGP and ADC. Her students have gone on to join major professional companies and prestigious professional schools worldwide. Rossana joined the Ballet Academy of Chapel Hill in 2019, teaching Cecchetti and Vaganova method ballet, Classical Repertoire, Variations, and Pilates. Her teaching philosophy centers on discipline, dedication, and mentoring students throughout their training and beyond.
Ballet Academy Assistant Director
Rachel Carr
Rachel Carr grew up training and performing with The Fairfax Ballet, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance with a concentration in Ballet from Point Park University. As Assistant Director of the Ballet Academy of Chapel Hill, Rachel assists the Ballet Mistress with program administration, choreography, and instruction — collaborating closely with Ms. Rossana to guide dancer development, teach classical technique and pointe, and coach students for performance and competition variations.
Ready to Learn More?
Is the Ballet Academy Right for Your Dancer?
Reach out to discuss whether the Ballet Academy is the right next step. We are happy to answer questions about training expectations, placement evaluation, and scheduling.