Founded in 1978 by choreographer Eliot Feld, the Ballet Tech School is committed to making classical dance accessible to all children. Working with the New York City Department of Education, Ballet Tech auditions 30,000 children at 200 public elementary schools across New York City each year. For those who demonstrate interest and potential, Ballet Tech provides a continuum of training – beginner to advanced – entirely tuition-free. (Ballet Tech is the only classical dance academy in the United States to do so.) Approximately 550 students enroll each year. Whether or not they ultimately become professional dancers, all students benefit from their experience at Ballet Tech: the rigorous curriculum develops their self-discipline, creativity, and confidence and inspires in them an appetite for excellence.