Resident Companies
BalletNova is proud to be more than a dance school — it's a creative home. Our studios serve as the rehearsal hub for a vibrant and growing community of professional performing arts organizations, each bringing their own unique voice, vision, and artistry to our space.
From opera and modern dance to musical theatre and beyond, our resident companies represent the rich diversity of the DMV's performing arts scene. Together, they make BalletNova a place where creativity thrives, disciplines intersect, and artists of all kinds find the space — literally and figuratively — to do their best work.
We invite you to explore these remarkable organizations, catch their performances, and experience the full spectrum of art that calls BalletNova home.
Chamber Dance Project
Chamber Dance Project brings together soloist-level professional dancers from major national companies alongside distinguished DC-based musicians to create extraordinary experiences in contemporary ballet. One of the few ballet companies in the country to perform exclusively with live music, Chamber Dance Project is dedicated to collaboration across disciplines — commissioning new works by emerging and established choreographers and composers, and partnering with guest artists ranging from jazz trios and slam poets to Gregorian chant singers and puppeteers. Photo: Paul Wegner
DanceArtTheater
DanceArtTheater is a professional modern dance company based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, founded in April 2014 under the artistic direction of Meredith Barnes. The company is dedicated to providing consistent, financially accessible performances and community events for dancers and general audiences throughout the greater DMV region, while cultivating interdisciplinary collaborations with artists across all disciplines.
Gin Dance Company
Gin Dance Company is a critically acclaimed modern dance company based in the Metropolitan DC/Northern Virginia area, founded in 2011 by Artistic Director Shu-Chen Cuff. Each of Gin Dance's works uniquely blends Shu-Chen's rich Asian dance heritage and Eastern philosophy with Western fluidity of movement, touching audiences through the harmony of visual arts and dance. Guided by the belief that dance builds stronger communities, their mission is to provide a professional environment for artists to learn, grow, and express themselves — enriching lives through dance.
J.A.M. the Revue
J.A.M. the Revue is a Washington, DC metropolitan area song and dance revue created by choreographer Jeremy A. McShan. The company produces crowd-thrilling musical spectaculars featuring some of the region's finest singers and dancers performing beloved songs spanning multiple genres and eras. JAM delivers high-energy, family-friendly productions that celebrate music, movement, and performance.
Little City Opera
Little City Opera is an opera project founded by Artistic Director Matteo Mangialetti and Associate Artistic Director Nicholas Cowden.
The project launched in 2023 with an inaugural concert and Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, and returns in summer 2026 with an English-language version of Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel. It presents concerts, scenes, and fully staged operas all with piano, with one goal: connecting regular people to the magic of opera.