The Chambersburg Ballet was founded in 1999 by Lavinia Reid when she established the Chambersburg Ballet Theatre (CBT) School with the mission to provide true classical ballet instruction and performance art in Franklin County. Reid was recruited to Chambersburg by the local Chamber of Commerce and Council for the Arts to help with downtown revitalization efforts and to serve as an anchor tenant i
n the Capitol Theatre, which had undergone an extensive renovation at the time. Reid stepped down as Artistic Director of the school and its affiliated dance company. Reid's tenure, she taught over 600 students and produced scores of shows which thousands of patrons have seen over the years including the holiday family classic, The Nutcracker, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Velveteen Rabbit and more. The Chambersburg Ballet Guild, the 501 c 3 non-profit affiliate of the Chambersburg Ballet Theatre (CBT) School, assumed operations of the school and dance company in August 2023 so Ms. The Chambersburg Ballet Guild hired a new Artistic Director, Brian Grant, who hit the ground running in the same month. The guild completed a purchase of the CBT School in September 2023 and currently operates both the school and dance company. The Chambersburg Ballet provides the best possible education in ballet and associated disciplines to students age 3 and up, with individualized instruction in ballet, pointe, partnering, and classical variations (brief dances from the great classical ballets which equate to the study of etudes in music), master classes with Guest Faculty, as well as studies in contemporary dance forms. The Chambersburg Ballet provides a nurturing, non-discriminatory atmosphere, where serious students can be on track to eventually transfer or graduate to a professional program, and recreational students can enjoy the best in training while enjoying family life, the study of music, and school activities. Teens and adults are welcome and encouraged to study. Performance opportunities abound, with professional guest artists providing inspiration as they share the stage with students of the Chambersburg Ballet.
