Who We Are
Our Students: Students range in age 4 years to adult. Through our students we serve a wide area geographically. Of the students enrolled in the school most are from the communities of Sanbornton, Salisbury, Franklin, Bristol, Meredith, Andover, Gilford, Canterbury, Chichester, Epsom, Northfield, Weare, Warner, Manchester and Henniker. Petit Papillon does not engage professional dancers for lead roles in their ballets. The members of the company perform all the original choreography. This is unique in the world of ballet where, most often, directors reach outside younger companies for the more demanding roles. In relying upon company members for all the parts in a given production, the directors of Petit Papillon encourage and foster greater development and growth on the part of the young artists. Many Company members have found careers in dance and dance related fields. Two former students who graduated from Universities with Fine Arts degrees as Dance majors have become directors of schools of ballet and performing companies. Numerous others have graduated with majors in dance and are performing with major ballet and modern dance companies in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, and London, England. Colleges attended by these students include: Bennington College, VT New York University, NY City, NY State University of NY, Purchase, NY Sarah Lawrence, NY Middlebury, VT Skidmore, NY Yale University, CT Mt. Holyoke, MA Our students have been accepted into the summer programs offered by: American Ballet Theater in NY Boston Ballet school in Boston, MA Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet in Narberth, PA Walnut Hill, Boston, MA Nutmeg Ballet, CT Jacob's Pillow. MA There are also dancers attending private high schools in the New England area where they continue to dance and study.