Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn

Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn (CBT) fosters the love of
the art of dance through pre-professional training, educational programs, and
original dance productions. In 1987, Artistic Director Marla Hirokawa opened CBT
(then called Covenant Dance Studio) in Sheepshead Bay. CBT became incorporated
as a nonprofit organization in 2007. It has since moved into the Homecrest
neighborhood in 2007, from there to Marine Park in 2013. Since 2017 CBT has
been based in Gravesend, which intersects the largest Ukrainian and Arab
populations in the U.S. as well as people of African, Caribbean, Latinx,
Chinese, Russian, Jewish, Greek, Turkish, and Indian descent. Each year
students participate in performance opportunities beyond the typical recital,
with original narrative ballets conceived and choreographed by Marla. Despite
many challenges including most recently the covid-19 pandemic, CBT has shown
resilience, and creativity, and continues to be a beacon of culture and
excellence in southern Brooklyn.

CBT offers robust programming where cultural resources are limited, serving students from Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Marine Park, Bensonhurst, Bay Ridge, Bath Beach, Homecrest, Parkville, Midwood, Kensington, Borough Park, Flatlands, Canarsie, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, East New York, Far Rockaway, Flatbush, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Classes are offered in classical ballet, modern, and jazz dance for students ages 3-18 and adults. Students enjoy a highly individualized experience enhanced by the American Ballet Theatre® (ABT) National Training Curriculum, which ensures age-appropriate training in a healthy environment. Students ages 8 and older participate in end-of-year exams adjudicated by the faculty. CBT provides scholarships annually for talented but underrepresented students who demonstrate potential, passion and need. Artistic Director and Founder Marla Hirokawa, a Japanese American, fosters creativity in the students by offering meaningful performance opportunities, more than the standard recital. Over the past three decades, she created 17 original narrative ballets accommodating the varied technical skills of students, faculty and guest artists. Several are historic in content, such as ORPHAN TRAIN, a tribute to the founder of the New York Children’s Aid Society, and NISEI which is a dance tribute in memory of Marla’s father and of World War II Japanese American veterans. Students gain valuable dance performance skills dancing beside professionals within this larger theatrical context. As a Department of Education vendor, CBT offers in-school residencies introducing dance forms and dance-making skills to students K-12. Students learn the basic dance ‘language’ of classical ballet and modern dance and are coached in the creation of their own dance phrases based on a ballet. Finally, students attend a live performance of the ballet and meet the cast.

 “What I love most is that the students range in all shapes, sizes and especially colors. Within the beautiful ‘bubble’ of the school, each student is taught the proper techniques and then challenged to reach their potential.” - Parent

“The high
standard of training was very evident," – Monica Stephenson, former
ABT Project Plié Coordinator

“You truly have
created a model of inclusivity in dance!” – Dr.
Gail Levine, Kingsborough Community College