Trainee Program

The Joffrey Academy Trainee Program is a one to two year program for students ages 17 and older who are preparing for a professional dance career. Students are selected to participate in the Trainee Program by invitation from The Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director, Ashley Wheater, and the Head of Studio Company and Trainee Program, Raymond Rodriguez. The Trainee Program is a rigorous program in which students train in ballet and other dance disciplines. Trainees rehearse and perform classical and contemporary works from The Joffrey Ballet’s extensive repertoire and have the opportunity to work with world-renowned guest choreographers.

Graduates of the Trainee Program have found positions with professional dance companies dancing successfully with The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, Staatsballett Berlin, Dresden Semperoper,  Estonian National Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Complexions, Cincinnati Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Atlanta Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Memphis Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Texas Ballet Theatre, BalletMet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Pittsburg Ballet Theatre, Polish National Ballet, Slovak National Ballet, Ballet West, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Ballet Austin, Ballet Nebraska, Oklahoma City Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and more.

The Joffrey Studio Company and Trainees have successfully performed on some of the most prestigious stages, including Lincoln Center in NY, Auditorium Theatre, Harris Theater, Cadillac Palace and MCA in Chicago, Music Hall in LA, The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. as well in the collaborations with the Chicago Symphony and with the Cleveland Orchestra. 

The personal attention and guidance by Joffrey Academy Faculty will help prepare each student for his/her dance future. Trainees who are invited back for a second year and complete two consecutive years of study in this program will receive a certificate of training upon completion of their second year.

Trainee Program Auditions

Admission into the Trainee Program is by audition only. Auditions for the Trainee Program are held during the Summer Intensive Audition Tour, with the possibility of a second audition in early spring. Students interested in the program after the scheduled auditions have passed should contact Joffrey Academy Reception (reception [at] joffrey [dot] org).

Performing Opportunities

A Fall Production, a Spring Production, and a year-end presentation are performed in the Black Box Theater at Joffrey Tower. Additionally, Trainees perform world premiere works choreographed by the winners of the annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. Trainees may also be selected to perform in The Joffrey Ballet’s season at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, including the Joffrey Ballet’s annual Gala performance.

Past productions have included The Blue Bird of Happiness, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Coppélia, performed in the Black Box Theater at Joffrey Tower, the city of Chicago’s Classics in the Park, performed at the South Shore Cultural Center, Firebird, performed with Chicago Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra and Nutcracker Suite, performed with the Cleveland Orchestra. Other exciting opportunities included an apprentice exchange program with Semperoper Dresden (Dresden Ballet) and Palucca School (Germany) and an exchange program with the Royal Danish Ballet and American Academy of Dance in Paris (France).

International students

The Joffrey Academy is now offering M1 visas for international students. To learn more, please visit our International FAQ page.

“This program allowed me the opportunity to transition from a student mentality into more of a professional mentality, largely due to the professional manner in which we were treated throughout the year. Not only was the training successful in improving strength and clarifying technique, but the approach taught me to embrace the artist aspects of dance which my dancing lacked.” – 2009-2010 Trainee