Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Reviews

PBT offers excellent community adult ballet classes for a wide range of abilities -- beginner to advanced. The quality of instruction is very high -- comparable to other superb institutions like Lou Conte in Chicago. My only complaint is that they use a security service to police the space. Instead of communicating directly with patrons, PBT pays security guards to enforce weird rules. For example (and this is just one of several), patrons are not permitted to be near studios during youth/teen classes. This would be fine, except you are not informed of the policy until a security guard comes by and forces you away from the space. Not only does this make patrons feel like PBT is not a welcoming place for everyone, it's also just strange. Dance is a performance art -- it is meant to be observed. Observing other students is an important way to learn. The security service creates a police-state in a space that is supposed to be welcoming, creative, and nurturing.

Excellent adult ballet program. Several class options and EXCELLENT instructors. I make visiting pbt a priority when visiting Pittsburgh.

My wife took an adult class and loved the teachers. Ballet just wasn't her thing though so she moved onto some hiphop dance sessions which she likes more.

Don't waste your time and money. The teachers have their favorites, they never communicate with parents unles they need DONATIONS. The classes are rigid and serious and this is good, but not when the teachers look annoyed like they do not want to be there. Parents are completely out of the picture unless they need you to watch the children behind stage at the Nutcracker in the modly basement of the Benedum.

I'm admittedly biased. I'm the Director of Production here.