Old Forge, Pennsylvania

Classical ballet at the
heart of every class.

Name: The Julie Ardito School of Dance
Address: 648 South Main Street, Old Forge, PA, 18518, US
Telephone: (570) 677-8423

Graded, disciplined training for ages three through adult at the historic Columbus Hall — ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop, taught by a fully certified staff.

Dancers of the Julie Ardito School of Dance on stage

From the director

A Note To Welcome You…

Julie Ardito Jennings, Owner & Artistic Director

Read Julie's full biography

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to The Julie Ardito School of Dance. My hope is that this proves to be a wonderful and enjoyable experience for you.

I am dedicated to the proper teaching of dance and assure you that an education in dance of the highest quality and standards will be received by all.

Students of all levels of learning will be accepted at the school, beginning with age 3 thru adult. Classes are not only available for beginners but also for students with prior training. Special adult classes are also available, for adults with no prior dance training. Personal attention will be paid to each student, regardless of ability, in order to ensure a fair and positive atmosphere, which is of the utmost importance.

The students will be taught on a graded level to achieve the highest quality results, which is my prime objective. Students will learn proper methods in which to stretch and strengthen. They will learn the correct terminology of dance, along with the proper movements. Finally, the year will culminate with a dance performance, that will enable all to feel a sense of accomplishment, which is one of the truly special and unique gifts of a dance education.

I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you, and wish you a wonderful season! Our fully certified & friendly staff will make your or your child's dance experience a very special one.

Please review each monthly newsletter to keep yourself abreast of all the necessary and important information & exciting news.

— Julie Ardito

What we teach

The curriculum

All classes and ages

Pre-Ballet
Ages 3 to 6
A lively and creative introduction to dance designed to develop poise, grace, rhythmic skills and basic coordination.
Classical Ballet
Ages 7 to Adult
A more structured class which stresses French terminology, correct placement and alignment, strength, muscularity and grace. Barre exercises and center floor work will be taught. Pointe classes are available for students after they have studied classical ballet for 3 years.
Tap
Ages 5 to Adult
“America's original art form” will be explored by stressing rhythm, style, and coordination, using several different types of music including many Big Band and Broadway songs.
Jazz
Ages 8 to Adult
Modern movements, current music and a great workout are the cornerstones to jazz, allowing individuals to express their own personal style and flair.
Lyrical Dance
Ages 9 thru Adult
A style of dance that merges together Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary techniques and is performed to music to inspire movements to express strong emotions. It focuses on expression and individual approach and the synthesis of the dancer, the choreographer, the music and what all forms of dance may bring to a piece of work.
Hip Hop
Ages 9 thru Adult
“Street Dance” or what has evolved… performed to hip-hop music and what has evolved from “Hip-hop culture”.

A class in progress at the Old Forge studio

Why ballet first

Our Philosophy

At our studio, we put strong emphasis on Classical Ballet training, as it is our belief that because ballet is the foundation to all dance forms, we strongly suggest everyone study it, even if they are not a “Ballerina” per se. Another cornerstone of the studios' belief system is to give fair and equal attention and opportunity to all students. A positive and fair environment is stressed, all led by our experienced and professional staff.

Something unique at our studio is that we encourage older dancers (people in their 20's and 30's) who are advanced dancers to CONTINUE to dance, perform and take class. We feel as though, by that point a new understanding of technique and artistry can be truly understood, which is not always possible for younger students.

We hope that when students leave our studio they have a sense of happiness and accomplishment. Our approach to their education is one of sensitivity, yet stressing discipline, technique and structure. We promote proper nutrition, and never encourage eating disorders or anorexic dancers. We hope they will leave the studio fulfilled – mind, body and soul.

On stage each June

A fully mounted production at the Scranton Cultural Center

Each year a fully mounted production is presented at The Scranton Cultural Center at the Historic Masonic Temple. Last year we had an audience of 1400 members. Our show was comprised of a Jr. Section entitled All Things American …featuring many patriotic songs, and other music celebrating our country. The Sr. Section comprised of tributes to Broadway legends, such as Andrew Lloyd Weber, and Bob Fosse, and much much more. Each scene was complete with lavish backdrops, beautiful costumes and state of the art lighting effects, and sound systems.

Tickets are reasonably priced, and range from $8.00 to $18.00 (depending on where you are sitting), and may be purchased anytime from early May…up until the show. There is no waiting in long lines….and no mandatory ticket sales.

Performance details and ticketing