Dancing Arts Center Senior Selected for Prestigious Ballet Program

Dancing Arts Center is proud to announce that long-time student Jacob Clerico has been accepted into American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School on full scholarship for his upcoming senior year.

“I wish to congratulate you on the work you and Patrick have done with Jacob,” says Franco De Vita, Artistic Director for the ABT JKO School, to DAC Co-Directors Gregg Saulnier and Patrick Notaro. “He was chosen to join the ABT JKO School because he has clean and correct training and very good presence, along with a natural elegance.”

Students of ABT’s JKO School are invited to attend only after a rigorous audition process. Jacob’s acceptance and full scholarship represents his tireless commitment to his craft, and highlights Dancing Arts Center’s focus on all aspects of dance, from the technical to the artistic, in an effort to make each student a complete and versatile dancer.

“We are so proud of Jacob for this tremendous accomplishment. His moving to New York is bittersweet for us, but this is an amazing honor and opportunity for him, and reflects so highly on the training at DAC,” says DAC Co-Director Gregg Saulnier. “Jacob has been a rising star at DAC, dancing in several lead roles in our school’s performances through the years, and has been an upstanding example of what young men, and all dancers, can accomplish with the proper focus and training.”

The Dancing Arts Center recently completed a successful summer program, and is preparing to welcome students and instructors for the new school year. Students will have an opportunity to train in classic ballet, as well as modern dance, jazz and tap, and will prepare for the annual Nutcracker performance to be held in December at the Norwood Theater in Norwood Massachusetts.

About American Ballet Theatre:

The American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School is a pre-professional ballet training program for students, ages 12-18. Under the direction of Franco De Vita, Artistic Director, students thrive in an elite atmosphere dedicated to the success of each student. Admission is by audition only. The curriculum of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (JKO) School is the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum, which combines scientific principles with elements from the classic French, Italian, and Russian schools of training. Consistent with the stylistic requirements of ABT, the ABT JKO School aims to provide dancers with a rich knowledge of classical technique and the ability to adapt to all styles and techniques of dance.

About Dancing Arts Center:

Dancing Arts Center provides world-class instruction in classical ballet, modern dance, improvisation, jazz, and choreography, and is proud to include the American Ballet Theatre® National Training Curriculum, a breakthrough nine-level program combining high quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development. The curriculum consists of a comprehensive set of age-appropriate, outcome-based guidelines to provide the highest quality ballet training to dance students of all ages and skill levels.