the rainey’s dance academy

Nurturing a lifelong love of dance.

rainey dance academy

Families of dancers grades 3rd through 8th from the Greater Cleveland community are invited to apply. Successful completion of the application is followed by an interview and assessment with Rainey dance faculty. To better educate and train our dancers, our program has a capacity limit. If your dancer is not selected for our program, Rainey Institute has additional After School dance options to help better prepare dancers to transition into RDA in the future.

program criteria

  • Significant participation at school, home, or with a neighborhood organization
  • Strong advocacy from a parent, relative, guardian, social worker, or teacher
  • No significant behavioral issues 
  • 90 percent school attendance rate 
  • Have a desire to pursue dance educationally and possibly as a career in the future

ideal rda applicants

  • Have a strong passion for dance
  • Are self-motivated
  • Love learning
  • Bring diversity in background, culture, and ethnicity to the program
  • Respect others and value community
  • Enjoy new challenges

program benefits

  • Mastery-level dance training in multiple dance genres
  • Character development and empowerment
  • Performance opportunities
  • Free practice attire and uniforms
  • Goal setting assistance and opportunities to matriculate 
  • Dance Education Course, with Groundworks Dance Theatre, covering Dance History, Dance Composition, and more!

the application

Documentation Required

  • Report cards from previous school year outlining attendance and behavior 
  • A parent/guardian statement
  • Letters of recommendation from teachers and community members

Application Timeline

  • We are currently accepting application at this time.

frequently asked questions

Please click on the question to reveal the answer.

Why should my child apply for RDA?

RDA has 3 core components: diverse and culturally reflective curriculum, in-depth study and field experience, and social-emotional character development. While our Teaching Artists strive to provide mastery level dance training, our goal is to cultivate passionate young leaders within the Cleveland dance community. As our mission states, our goal is to equip dancers with pre-professional dance education and the necessary tools for aspiring dancers to succeed artistically, professionally, and personally.

When does RDA start?

RDA, and all other Rainey After School programs, will begin Tuesday, September 7th and continue through May 20, 2022.

What fees are associated with RDA?

Aside from the tuition associated with participating in Rainey After School programming, there are no additional fees associated with RDA.

Is there transportation available?

Transportation will be available; please check back for more information

What is the schedule/ time commitment for RDA?

RDA takes place at Rainey Institute’s Dance Studio Monday-Friday from 4pm to 6pm. Dancers are expected to fully participate. Full participation includes daily attendance during after school hours, and participation in performances and additional rehearsals.

What genres of dance does RDA offer?

RDA explores 4 genres of dance per semester. For the Fall 2021 semester, dancers will learn Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip-Hop and participate in a Dance Education course facilitated by Groundworks Dance Theatre.

Aside from dance training, what opportunities are available to those that participate in RDA?

RDA dancers will be introduced to various forms of dance exposure including master classes, workshops, and intimate performances for participants, while also offering multiple performance opportunities for dancers throughout enrolled participation.

What is the attire for RDA?

Dancers will be provided (at no additional cost) with dance tights, leotard, and dance shoes.

How many dancers will be selected for RDA?

There will be approximately 24 dancers selected for the program. Dancers will be divided evenly into two groups: grades 3-5 and grades 6-8.

“Whenever you give a young person, a child the opportunity to be free in a way that they can express themselves, they always do better in other parts of their lives.”

— Mayor Frank Jackson