Barriskill Dance Theatre School

New Teacher Workday Camp taught by Barriskill’s older students! Come explore different dance styles and learn from the dancers you see onstage at Barriskill! Proceeds from the camp go to supporting student opportunities for our dance company. Sign up with the link in our bio or the link in the September studio email!

Congratulations to Barriskill ballet faculty Kevin on being named an School of American Ballet National Visiting Fellow!

Mr. Kevin will soon get to travel to NYC to attend curricula and technique demonstrations with SAB students and faculty.

We are so excited for him to bring what he’s learned back to our students here in Durham! Congrats! 💜

We are SO HAPPY to see so many smiles during our first week of dance! We are so glad you’re here at Barriskill! 💜

Thank you to everyone who showed up for Open House yesterday! We had so much fun seeing both new and familiar faces! One more week until we get the 26-27 year started, and we can’t wait!

More fun from this week … musical theatre, and a visit from some stuffed friends from Snuggle Buddy Adventures Camp! 🩷

Our dancers have been working hard in our Conservatory and Studio intensives this week! Exploring Fosse jazz and hip hop yesterday was so much fun!

Our Open House is coming up next Friday, and we’d love to see you there!

📅 Friday, August 21
⏰ 4:00–6:00 PM

Come meet our instructors, tour our studio spaces, and grab some BDTS swag as we get ready for another exciting year of dance!

And don't forget — registration for our 2026–2027 dance season is OPEN! If you haven't signed up for your child's classes for the new season yet, now is the perfect time to get registered.

We'll officially kick off the season with our First Day of Dance on Saturday, August 29!

We can't wait to welcome everyone back to Barriskill!

Join us next week for our Conditioning Workshop designed for dancers ages 10+. Spend the week building strength, flexibility, endurance, and body awareness while learning conditioning exercises you can take into every dance class.

The best part? Drop-ins are welcome! Come for the week or join us for the days that fit your schedule.

📅 Monday–Friday
🕐 Classes at 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM
👯 Ages 10+

Keep your body performance-ready and finish the summer feeling strong! Email us to let us know you'd like to drop in!

Today we are visiting NYC to check in with Charlie, who is studying at Broadway Artists Alliance!

Charlie shares: “Hi! My name is Charlie and I just did a weeklong intensive at Broadway Artists Alliance in New York City! It was so cool to learn from professionals in this craft and to rehearse in Broadway studios! My favorite part of BAA was meeting all of the amazing people a part of this program and meeting people involved in the industry! It was awesome to take master classes with people like Randy Graff who originated the role of Fantine in Les Mis on Broadway, and Desi Oakley whose been in Wicked maybe a million times! At first I thought it was going to be a very competitive atmosphere, but everyone was so supportive and I made the best friends from this weeklong intensive! One of the main things I took away from BAA was to always trust yourself because no one else can do a song or monologue just like you, and that storytelling is even more important than hitting high notes. I am also so grateful that BAA gave me the opportunity to see the outsiders on Broadway and to do a Q&A with the cast afterwards! I had the best time at BAA and it really helped me be more confident in myself and I can’t wait to use the things I learned back at Barriskill!!“

Today we are checking in with Barriskill student Caroline, who is studying in sunny Florida at Sarasota Ballet!

Caroline shares: “Hi! My name is Caroline and this summer I’m spending 3 weeks with the Sarasota ballet for their Summer Intensive. With only 3 days left I’ve absolutely loved my experience here. Latin dancing being a constant part of my schedule was definitely as much surprise as it was a challenge, but it’s turned out to be so much fun. I think my favorite class I’ve taken however is variations. It’s always great to have the opportunity to do steps that wouldn’t ordinarily show up in class. And of all the variations we learned, Silver Fairy has in my opinion, been the best.
Outside of dance my favorite activity was definitely our day at Disney. It was exhausting but so magical. I also loved getting to go out on the water for a sunset cruise in the Sarasota Bay. I’ve had such an amazing time and I feel like I’ve grown so much in my technique and artistry. I’m sad but excited to come home and be back at Barriskill.”