Staff Reports | Business & Commerce
The School of Ballet Arizona is expanding its footprint with the acquisition of Ballet Theatre of Phoenix, adding a new satellite campus in north-central Phoenix near Seventh Street and Bethany Home Road.
The acquisition marks the school’s second satellite campus, following the launch of a location at Child Crisis Arizona’s Child & Family Wellness Center in Mesa in 2025. The expansion extends Ballet Arizona’s educational programming to additional students and families in Phoenix, according to a press release.
Founded by Artistic Director Jennifer Cafarella Betts, Ballet Theatre of Phoenix has served the north-central Phoenix arts community for the past decade, offering dance instruction for students of all ages, adult classes and multiple dance disciplines. The School of Ballet Arizona plans to continue the instructional foundation established by Ballet Theatre of Phoenix while expanding training and performance opportunities for students ages 3 to 20.
“When you’ve devoted so many years to building a school and watching generations of students grow, you want to ensure its future is in the very best hands,” Jennifer Cafarella Betts, artistic director and founder of Ballet Theatre of Phoenix, said. “Joining The School of Ballet Arizona allows the studio to evolve while preserving the welcoming community we’ve created. I couldn’t imagine a better opportunity for our students, who will now have access to The School of Ballet Arizona’s outstanding faculty and training while continuing to dance in the place they’ve always called home.”
Ballet Arizona officials said the transition will be implemented gradually. The school plans to maintain the campus’ existing community while introducing its curriculum, educational philosophy and training standards over time.
“This is an exciting step in the continued development of The School of Ballet Arizona,” Jami Kozemczak, executive director of Ballet Arizona, said. “We are incredibly thankful to Jennifer and the entire community of Ballet Theatre of Phoenix for welcoming Ballet Arizona. We look forward to getting to know the community members and student families while expanding our ability to offer pre-professional ballet training and education to young dancers in central Phoenix and the adjacent cities.”
The organization said classes, schedules and student pathways at its Washington campus will continue unchanged. Future plans include collaboration between campuses through shared events, communication, faculty engagement and a unified school identity.
“As the official training school of Ballet Arizona, The School of Ballet Arizona is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of dancers,” Daniela Cardim, artistic director of Ballet Arizona, said. “This is an incredible opportunity to further expand the school’s reach in the state of Arizona. We look forward to working with even more young dancers and helping them foster a love for dance, while preparing them for a future in the arts or beyond.”
