{{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox school | name = Kirov Academy of Ballet | image = Kirov_Academy_of_Ballet.jpg | alt = | caption = | motto = | location = 4301 Harewood Rd NE, Washington, D.C. | country = United States of America | coordinates = {{Coord|38.941|-77.0032|type:edu|display=inline,title}} | type = Ballet school | established = {{Start date|1990}} | closed = {{End date|2022}} | district = | superintendent = | principal = | faculty = | grades = 6th through 12th | campus_size = 1.2 acres | campus_type = | team_name = | newspaper = | communities = | website = | footnotes = | viceprincipal = | enrollment = | colors = | feeder_schools = }} The '''Kirov Academy of Ballet''' (formerly the '''Universal Ballet Academy'''<ref>{{cite news |last = Kim |first = James S. |title = South Korean Ballerina Hee Seo Dazzles in 'The Sleeping Beauty' |newspaper = KoreAm |location = Seoul, South Korea |date = 11 March 2015 |url = http://iamkoream.com/south-korean-ballerina-hee-seo-dazzles-in-the-sleeping-beauty/ |accessdate = 1 November 2015 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20151112194126/http://iamkoream.com/south-korean-ballerina-hee-seo-dazzles-in-the-sleeping-beauty |archivedate = 12 November 2015 }}</ref>) was a ballet school in Washington, D.C. founded by Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon in 1990.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ritzel |first=Rebecca J. |date=May 7, 2021 |title=Former Dance School Comptroller Pleads Guilty in $1.5 Million Fraud |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/arts/dance/kirov-academy-embezzlement.html |work=New York Times |access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref> It closed in May 2022 after financial difficulties stemming in part from the embezzlement of up to $1.5 million by a school employee.<ref name="NYT-closing">{{cite news |last1=Ritzel |first1=Rebecca J. |title=The Kirov Academy, a Leading Ballet School, to Close in May |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/08/arts/dance/kirov-academy-ballet-school-closing.html |access-date=1 October 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=February 8, 2022}}</ref>

== Facilities == The Kirov was located in a former monastery on a 1.2-acre campus in the Brookland neighborhood of northeast Washington, D.C. The 50,000-square-foot gated facility featured dormitories, studios, and administrative space.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=September 19, 2022 |title=Brookland School Property Trades for $22M |url=https://www.bldup.com/posts/brookland-school-property-trades-for-22m |work=BLDUP |access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref> In September 2022, the building was purchased by Washington Latin Public Charter School to serve as a home for its second campus.<ref name="Kirov-sale-Latin">{{cite news |last1=Loria |first1=Keith |title=Washington Latin School Acquires Historic Kirov Academy Building for $23M |url=https://commercialobserver.com/2022/09/washington-latin-school-acquires-historic-kirov-academy-building-for-23m/ |access-date=1 October 2025 |work=Commercial Observer |date=September 7, 2022}}</ref>

== Performance series == The Kirov’s spring and winter performance series were held in the academy’s 300-seat auditorium. Annually, the six performances served more than 1,800 people, including student performers, family members, children (including from underserved populations), and ballet aficionados of all ages.{{Citation needed |date=June 2023}}

== Notable students == Kirov Academy of Ballet students have gone on to become leading dancers at top companies around the world.<ref name="NYT">{{Cite news |last=Ritzel |first=Rebecca J. |date=2022-02-08 |title=The Kirov Academy, a Leading Ballet School, to Close in May |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/08/arts/dance/kirov-academy-ballet-school-closing.html |url-access=limited |access-date=21 May 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Graduates and other students include Melanie Hamrick,<ref name=NYT/> Sascha Radetsky,<ref name=NYT/> Hee Seo,<ref name=NYT/> Jayna Ledford,<ref>{{cite news |last=Scher |first=Avichai |date=March 8, 2020 |title=For transgender dancers, progress can't come fast enough |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/transgender-dancers-progress-can-t-come-fast-enough-n1147911|work= |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Rasta Thomas,<ref name=review>{{cite news |last=Hanna |first=Judith Lynne |date=June 12, 1999 |title=Kirov Academy of Ballet |url=https://www.dancemagazine.com/kirov-ballet |work=Dance Magazine |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Michele Wiles,<ref name=review/> Danny Tidwell,<ref>{{cite news |last=Kourlas |first=Gia |date=July 11, 2007 |title=So He Knows He Can Dance: A Prince Among Paupers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/arts/dance/11tidw.html |work=New York Times |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Tyler Nelson,<ref>{{cite news |last=Lang |first=George |date=September 26, 2007 |title=Former Edmond resident causes storm over Indiana Jones |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/entertainment/2007/09/26/former-edmond-resident-causes-storm-over-indiana-jones/61707337007/ |work=The Oklahoman |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Vanessa Zahorian,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pointemagazine.com/vanessa-zahorian/ |title=Grace and Tenacity: Vanessa Zahorian Reflects on 20 Years at San Francisco Ballet |author=Natalia Boesch |date=April 3, 2017 |work=Pointe Magazine |publisher= |accessdate=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Sasha De Sola,<ref name="web">{{cite web |last=Ford |first=Penelope |title=Let There be Light |url=https://fjordreview.com/sasha-de-sola/ |access-date=5 June 2023 |website=Fjord Review}}</ref> Brooklyn Mack,<ref>{{cite news |last=Maxwell |first=Jenny |date=September 2021 |title=Made in Cola Town; Brooklyn Mack Dances Through Life |url=https://columbiametro.com/article/made-in-cola-town-14/ |work=Columbia Metropolitan |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Maria Bystrova,<ref name=review/> Hyo-Jung Kang,<ref>{{cite news |last=Al-Jamie |first=Anthony |date=March 27, 2016 |title=Ballerina Hyo Jung Kang |work=Seoul Journal |url=https://seouljournal.com/features/item/222-ballerine-hyo-jung-kang.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808233557/https://seouljournal.com/features/item/222-ballerine-hyo-jung-kang.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |access-date=June 5, 2023}}</ref> Melissa Hough,<ref name=review/> Connor Walsh,<ref>{{cite news |last=Knox |first=Lawrence Elizabeth |date=March 29, 2017 |title=Connor Walsh: Houston Ballet's Yes Man |url=http://artsandculturetx.com/connor-walsh-houston-ballets-yes-man/ |work=Arts and Culture Texas |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Rory Hohenstein,<ref name=review/> Brian Maloney,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://balletassociation.co.uk/pages/reports-2006-brian-maloney |title=Brian Maloney Soloist, The Royal Ballet |author=David Bain |date=February 22, 2006 |work=The Ballet Association |publisher= |accessdate=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Jonathan Jordan,<ref>{{cite web |title=Jonathan Jordan |url=https://www.balletmet.org/artists/artistic-staff/jonathan-jordan/ |website=www.balletmet.org |publisher=Ballet Met}}</ref> J’aime Crandall,<ref>{{cite news |last=Thygesen |first=Peter |date=April 28, 2022 |title=Ballerinaen med den skarptslebne teknik danser af |url=https://politiken.dk/navne/art8659672/Ballerinaen-med-den-skarptslebne-teknik-danser-af |url-access=subscription |work=Politiken |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Elizabeth Mason,<ref>{{cite news |last=Brandt |first=Amy |date=July 28, 2010 |title=Take Your Tendus Overseas |url=https://pointemagazine.com/issuesaugustseptember-2010take-your-tendus-overseas/ |work=Pointe Magazine |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Lauren Strongin,<ref name=review/> Dana Genshaft,<ref>{{cite news |last=Loeffler-Gladstone |first=Nicole |date=June 1, 2015 |title= Taking Control: Dana Genshaft Reflects on her Unique Training Path |url=https://pointemagazine.com/issuesaugustseptember-2015taking-control/ |work=Pointe Magazine |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Laura O’Malley,<ref name=review/> Adrienne Canterna,<ref name=review/> Evan McKie,<ref name="NYT"/> Dragoș Mihalcea,<ref>{{cite web |title=Dragoş Mihalcea |url=https://www.dance.utah.edu/component/k2/item/792-dragos-mihalcea |website=www.dance.utah.edu |publisher=University of Utah |access-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-date=March 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330085635/https://www.dance.utah.edu/component/k2/item/792-dragos-mihalcea |url-status=dead }}</ref> Yena Kang,<ref>{{cite news |last=Squires |first=Pamela |date=June 29, 1994 |title=Kirov's Grand Coming-Out |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1994/06/29/kirovs-grand-coming-out/ca793bef-a502-48b8-acfe-9637be26a9b3/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Hye-Min Hwang,<ref>{{cite news |last=Sang-hee |first=Han |date=June 10, 2009 |title=East Meets West in UBC Ballet Chun-hyang |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2020/12/690_46570.html |work=The Korea Times |access-date=June 4, 2023}}</ref> Jae Yong Ohm,<ref name=review/> Joy Womack,<ref name=review/> and Mikayla Geier.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mikayla Geier debuts powerful new single on trauma and healing in the dance community |work=The Upcoming |date=May 9, 2024 |url=https://www.theupcoming.co.uk/2024/05/09/mikayla-geier-debuts-powerful-new-single-on-trauma-and-healing-in-the-dance-community/ |access-date=August 9, 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==See also== *Kirov Ballet

{{Ballet schools}} {{authority control}}

Category:Ballet schools in the United States Category:Russian-American culture in Washington, D.C. Category:Private high schools in Washington, D.C. Category:Private elementary schools in Washington, D.C. Category:Private middle schools in Washington, D.C. Category:Dance in Washington, D.C. Category:Educational institutions established in 1989 Category:1989 establishments in Washington, D.C. Category:Northeast (Washington, D.C.) Category:Defunct schools in Washington, D.C.