You've trained for this. Now prepare for what comes next.
Most training programs prepare you to dance. STRIVE prepares you for a career.
Graduating from a pre-professional program is an accomplishment. But for many dancers, the transition that follows — into college dance, company auditions, or the professional world — is where the gap shows.
STRIVE exists for that moment.
This is not a summer intensive or an open-enrollment class. It is a structured, five-month commitment designed for dancers who are serious about what comes next and ready to work for it — with two professional mentors who have been exactly where you are.
Five months. Four days a week.
One focused path forward.
STRIVE is built around the habits, skills, and readiness that the professional world actually demands.
Guided by professionals who have been there.
STRIVE is led by two working professionals whose careers span performance at the highest levels, decades
of teaching, and a shared commitment to developing complete artists.
Nathan Bland | Co-Founder
Artistic Director, Berks Ballet Theatre
Nathan Bland has spent his career on both sides of the stage — as a Soloist with the National Ballet of Croatia and as a dancer with Kansas City Ballet, Eugene Ballet, Ballet Idaho, Oklahoma City Ballet, and others. As Artistic Director of Berks Ballet Theatre, he has built a conservatory-style program with a consistent record of placing dancers in collegiate programs and professional careers. His teaching is defined by precision, accountability, and genuine investment in each dancer’s development.
Sebastian Vinet | Co-Founder
International Master Teacher
Sebastian Vinet trained at the Escuela de Ballet del Teatro Municipal de Santiago before earning a full scholarship to the Houston Ballet Academy. He joined Houston Ballet in 2009 and San Francisco Ballet in 2010, performing principal roles in works by Kenneth MacMillan, William Forsythe, Christopher Wheeldon, and others. A Prix de Lausanne prizewinner, he has performed as a guest artist across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. He now teaches and mentors pre-professional and professional dancers
internationally and serves as a juror for Prix de Lausanne, Youth America Grand Prix, and other prestigious competitions.
STRIVE is for dancers who are ready.
You may have just finished your pre-professional training. You may be weighing college programs against company auditions. You may simply know that more unfocused class time isn’t what you need right now.
If you are serious about your development, willing to be held accountable, and ready to engage fully in a mentorship-driven environment — STRIVE was built for you.
What we look for in applicants:
- Ages 17–21 with a strong pre-professional training background
- Clear goals for collegiate or professional dance
- Readiness to commit to a structured, four-day program
- Willingness to receive honest, individualized feedback
Applications are now open. Cohort limited to 16 dancers.
STRIVE begins August 31, 2026. Space is intentionally limited to ensure each dancer receives the individualized attention the program is built around. If you are ready to take the next step, we would like to hear from you.