Kirov Academy of Ballet serve more 1,800 people, including student performers, family members, children (including from underserved populations), and ballet aficionados of all ages. The Kirov’s most notable accomplishment is its ongoing ability to train ballet dancers, who have gone on to perform with such professional companies as American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet, and the San Francisco Ballet, to name a few. Graduates of The Kirov Academy of Ballet include Sascha Radetsky, Rasta Thomas, Hee Seo, Michele Wiles, Danny Tidwell, Tyler Nelson, and Maria Bystrova. Kirov Academy of Ballet The Kirov Academy of Ballet (formerly the Universal Ballet Academy) is a
Ballet San Jose 2006 shortened its name to simply Ballet San Jose. In 2003 the company gained benefactor and current chairman of the board John Fry, co-founder of Fry's Electronics.with a 1 million dollar contribution. Fry helped the company survive the dot-com crash and continued to support the company until he closed it in 2016. Over the years Fry became personally involved and Ballet San Jose faced increasing Fry's support, prompting Karen Loewenstern, founding board chair of Cleveland San Jose Ballet to say "...he bought himself a ballet company." By 2007, still lead by founding artistic director, Dennis Nahat, there was a resident