Bates Pride Dancers are our most advanced performance group and are chosen by auditions each year. They are required to take a 2 hour technique class, a 1 hour 30 minute ballet class and a 1 hour jazz class each week, plus many of the dancers choose to also take tap, lyrical, modern & pointe class.

They perform throughout Manhattan and it's surrounding areas throughout the year and compete at 2-3 competitions, plus often travel to train all weekend taking classes with the best teachers from NYC & LA at National Dance conventions. "Pride" Dancers perform at Purple Power Play on Poyntz, at the Bates Showcase, at special events (like Wamego's Tulip Festival, Manhattan's Beastie Ballyhoo, Meadowlark Hills events, Sunset Zoo events, etc) and at our 2 Manhattan BDS recitals and our JC recital every year.

These dancers work with at least one guest artist a year, taking technique classes and learning choreography. The guest artists we have had over the years include: Robert Knowles (a dancer with Cirque du Soliel's "O" and former dancer with "The Lion King"), Peter Chu (choreographer for "So You Think You Can Dance", former dancer in Celine Dion's "A New Day" in Vegas, and master class teacher/choreographer worldwide) Valery Lantratov (Artistic Director of The Russian National Ballet and former principal and soloist dancer), Deana DeHart (Choreographer/Director of Shows for Busch Gardens Williamsburg for 22 years & Choreographer for cruiseships), and Brandon Porter (dancer on "The Music Man" National Tour with BDS Director, Heidi Hilton).

We provide the most professional experience for our dancers that we can through their training, their performance opportunities, their class requirements and expectations throughout the year.