Pre-professional Companies
Metropolitan School of the Arts provides an opportunity for focused, dedicated, and advanced students to grow and experience the demands of working in a professional setting. The company experience is offered in addition to a student’s weekly training schedule and provides the opportunity to achieve their highest technical and artistic potential. The companies further MSA’s mission by working at a professional standard to create and perform works that inspire and motivate excellence. Company placement is by audition only. MSA’s resident companies include: Metropolitan Youth Ballet, iMpulse Jazz Company, Metropolitan Youth Tap Ensemble, and MetroiMprov.
Metropolitan Youth Ballet
Directed by Jacqueline Doherty
The mission of the Metropolitan Youth Ballet (MYB) is to provide a pre-professional company environment for dedicated and talented ballet students, allowing them to grow and experience the demands of a professional setting. We aim to broaden their knowledge of traditional classical repertoire, modern neoclassical works, and newly commissioned pieces. MYB dancers compete at Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), perform in an annual Spring Ballet, and train as members of the Conservatory Ballet program—gaining the experience needed to pursue careers in top ballet companies or elite college programs if desired.
iMpulse
Directed by Sara Hart
iMpulse’s mission is to provide an opportunity for focused, dedicated, and advanced youth jazz dancers to work with renowned teachers and choreographers and to perform various styles of dance that may not be offered or possible in a traditional dance educational environment. The company’s dynamic repertoire compliments their basic jazz, hip hop, and contemporary training. Professional expectations and experiences with the company ease members into the finest performing arts colleges, universities, conservatories, and ultimately a performing arts career.
Metropolitan Youth Tap Ensemble
Directed by Charles Renato
The Metropolitan Youth Tap Ensemble (MYTE) brings together gifted youth tap dancers to perform in a variety of community events and festivals. At its core, MYTE is a repertory tap company with dances in a wide variety of music genres and a world-class array of choreographers, including Chloe Arnold, Michelle Dorrance, Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, and more. dynaMYTE is MYTE’s training company for younger students.
MetroImprov
Directed by Kirsten Noetzel
MetroiMprov’s mission is to provide talented young actors exposure to the highest level of improv training, preparing them to engage with college and professional troupes across the country. Students commit to a small-company environment and work to develop a repertoire of short and long-form improv that can be performed at their winter and spring showcases. Our rehearsals include warm-ups, studying improvisation theory, learning the formats to different improv performance games, critiquing work, and creating the “groupthink” and ensemble trust necessary to play at the highest level of improv. Guest instructors and performers from the professional improv scene are brought in to give troupe members an outside lens to the improv world and their own development as a troupe. Our goal is for MetroiMprov members to leave their company experience as better communicators, listeners, and more generous citizens in and out of the theater.
