Ordway Conservatory of Classical Ballet

09/24/2026

🎉 A slightly belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ms. Hayden! 🩰💕

Her birthday was last week and, well… apparently we’re still working on keeping track of the calendar over here. 😂

Ms. Hayden graduated from OCCB just last year, and this season we’ve been so happy to welcome her back in a new role — as a teacher! She’s now sharing her love of ballet with the next generation of OCCB dancers, and we couldn’t be prouder of her.

Watching a student grow up in our studios, graduate, and then come back to pour into the dancers coming behind her is pretty special. We’re so proud of Ms. Hayden’s dedication to ballet, the hard work she continues to put into her own training, and the care she brings to her students.

Please help us wish Ms. Hayden a very happy (belated 😬) birthday! 🎂🩰💕

09/24/2026

Our founder and director, Ms. Sara, was recently featured by Boss Mama CEO, sharing the story behind Ordway Conservatory of Classical Ballet—and the journey that shaped both her and the studio. ❤️

From a career as a professional ballet dancer to building OCCB, navigating profound loss and divorce, going through IVF, and ultimately becoming a solo mom by choice, Sara shares how the studio remained a constant through some of the hardest and happiest chapters of her life.

She also shares the philosophy at the heart of OCCB: that exceptional ballet training doesn't have to come at the expense of a child's confidence or well-being. Excellence and empathy can—and should—exist together.

We're incredibly proud to see Sara's story shared, and so grateful to every dancer, family, and staff member who has been part of building OCCB along the way.

“Do what you love, and you'll always be able to find happiness.” ❤️

Read the full feature below!

Where do I even begin? This introduction will never do Sara’s story justice because there is so much depth to it that only she can truly articulate. I’m in absolute awe of the persistence, strength, and resilience this woman has. The triumphs she has conquered and the way she continues to move t...

09/22/2026

Sometimes, the most important thing we teach has nothing to do with ballet.

Yesterday, we stopped dancing.

After casting was released, disappointment turned into group chats, FaceTimes, complaining, and a cycle of negativity among some of our dancers.

Were they allowed to be disappointed? Absolutely.

But being disappointed and gathering other people around you to spiral deeper into that disappointment are two very different things.

So instead of dancing, we talked.

We talked about what to do when you don’t get the role you wanted. How to show your teachers what you want through your work. How to actually show us what you’re hoping for. How to be disappointed without tearing down someone else who got an opportunity you wanted.

We talked about times Ms Sara didn’t get the casting she wanted and what she did next.

Then we practiced changing the energy in the room. We played a game that required them to recognize good things in one another. We talked about how you stop a negative spiral instead of feeding it.

Because simply telling kids, “Don’t behave like that,” isn’t enough.

They need to be taught what to do instead.

At OCCB, “person before dancer” doesn’t mean we don’t hold our students accountable. It means we care enough to hold them accountable and then give them the tools to do better.

Yesterday’s ballet lesson had very little ballet in it.

And I think it may have been one of the more important lessons we teach.

09/15/2026

Your child is learning more than ballet. 🩰

Yes, they’re learning pliés and tendus. They’re learning musicality, coordination, strength, and technique.

But they’re also learning how to walk into a room with confidence.

How to listen. How to focus. How to accept a correction and try again.

They’re learning that progress takes time. That they won’t be the best at everything right away. That hard things become easier when you keep showing up.

They’re learning to be part of a team—to celebrate someone else’s success, to be dependable, and to understand that everyone in the room matters.

And eventually, they learn that they can do things that once felt impossible.

We love teaching ballet.

But we love watching the people our dancers become even more.

Looking for ballet classes in Manassas or Prince William County? OCCB offers ballet and modern training for ages 3 through adult, from a child’s very first class through pre-professional training. Come see what makes our studio different.

09/14/2026

“Did we miss the deadline to sign up?”

Nope! 🤍

Our season may be underway, but many of our classes are still welcoming new dancers.

Whether your child has never danced before or has years of experience, we’ll help you find the right class for their age, experience, and goals—and our teachers will make sure they feel welcomed from day one.

There’s no perfect week to begin ballet. There’s just the moment you decide to try. 🩰

If ballet has been on your child’s wish list, don’t wait until next year just because September has already started.

Come dance with us.

Claim your free trial class at ordwayballet.com

09/13/2026

When Ms Sara was four years old she had Veruca Salt’s song and dance memorized. It was a fun time performing in the empty living room, but what would have been much better was a real show to perform in. One with a big audience and other kids who liked to perform right beside her.
OCCB’s An Interactive Nutcracker can be that for your little one! Sign up for classes this month and your dancer will be able to perform with us this year!

Claim your free trial at ordwayballet.com

📸 Artistry Reimagined by Jennifer Fitzpatrick

09/12/2026

“Person before dancer” isn’t just something we say. It’s how we teach.

At OCCB, we want to create exceptional dancers. We believe in excellent training, high expectations, discipline, hard work, and helping every student discover just how much they are capable of.

But none of that matters more than the person standing in front of us.

It means we see the child before we see the technique.

We care about confidence as much as corrections. We know when to push and when a student needs grace. We believe high standards and kindness can—and should—exist in the same classroom.

It means a dancer’s value is never determined by their flexibility, their role in a production, how quickly they progress, or how many pirouettes they can do.

And it means that when our students eventually leave our studios, we want them to take much more with them than beautiful ballet technique.

We want them to know how to work for something that takes time. How to receive a correction without believing it is a criticism of who they are. How to be a good teammate. How to lead. How to persevere. How to be proud of themselves—and how to lift up the people around them.

We absolutely want to bring out their best dancing.

But even more importantly, we want to bring out their best selves.

Person before dancer. Always. 💙 💛

09/11/2026

All in a day’s work. 💗

09/09/2026

Ms Sara teaching class on the first day of the 26/27 season. Swipe to see her teaching a creative movement class on this day nine years ago before we had our building! (One of those tiny dancers is in both photos! The other watched most of company class from the doorway.) 💕

09/08/2026

Welcome Home, Dancers!

A Different Kind of Serious Ballet School