With their backgrounds in Russian Vaganova-based education and American professional careers, the artistic directors are dedicated to giving their students a well-rounded education in a nurturing environment. Under the artistic direction of Mara Vinson (principal dancer, Pacific Northwest Ballet) and Oleg Gorboulev (soloist, Moscow Classical Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet), Olympic Ballet School is widely recognized as Snohomish County’s foremost professional ballet school.

Under Vinson’s and Gorboulev’s coaching, students of Olympic Ballet School won first place at the World Ballet Art Competition and 3rd place at YAGP Seattle, as well as numerous Top 12 awards. In 2017 Mara Vinson was awarded the “Best Teacher” award at the World Ballet Art Competition.Students of Olympic Ballet School have won scholarships to, and have attended, national and international schools, including Canada’s National Ballet School, American Ballet Theatre School, Boston Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet School, Houston Ballet Academy, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, Los Angeles Ballet School, Kirov Academy of Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and others.

Olympic Ballet School’s faculty of current and former professional dancers is carefully selected to guide our students through the curriculum within a highly nurturing environment. Attracting students from as far as Blaine, Bellingham, Wenatchee, Issaquah, Mercer Island, and Bainbridge and Whidbey Islands, Olympic Ballet School’s reputation for excellence in classical ballet training is unparalleled.

Though the emphasis remains on classical ballet, other dance disciplines are included in Olympic Ballet School’s summer programs for a well-rounded education. For young children just discovering the joy of movement, we offer open enrollment for our week-long camps, and for young students in grade school, a two week or four week intensive by placement. The four week intensive concludes with a performance for parents to give students the opportunity to display the various disciplines studied over the summer.

Advanced students who continue in Olympic Ballet School’s year-round program have opportunities to perform in Olympic Ballet Theatre productions held at the Edmonds Center for the Arts and the Everett Performing Arts Center, as well as local tours and festivals throughout the year.