New students may enroll starting March 6, 2023. Present students may enroll now.
Present students of SBT who have consistently attended and danced in Level III or higher for at least 1 school year and are age 11 or older by July 17, 2023 may enroll now without submitting photos or videos.
New student may enroll starting March 6, 2023 and must submit audition photos (in 1st arabesque on releve, extention to the front in croise and battement tendu second en face) with their registration form. You may also submit a video. Please contact us if you prefer to submit your photos by email.
Former Principal Dancer, Pennsylvania Ballet
Martha Chamberlain began her dance training in Media, Pennsylvania where she was born and raised. She went on to study with Donna Muzio, and Cherie Noble at West Chester's Dance Center and The School of American Ballet's Summer Program from 1985 to 1988. She is a graduate of Friends Select and The School of Pennsylvania Ballet.
Ms. Chamberlain joined Pennsylvania Ballet as an Apprentice in the fall of 1989 and was promoted to the Corps de Ballet three months later. She was promoted to Soloist in 1997 and to Principal after her premiere as Juliet in John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet in March 2000. Ms. Chamberlain has danced several leading roles including Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Swanhilda in Coppélia, Myrtha in Giselle, Dewdrop and Sugarplum Fairy in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, and Helena and Divertissement pas de deux in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She has also had featured roles in George Balanchine's Ballo della Regina, The Four Temperaments, Agon, Western Symphony, Serenade, Apollo, and Rubies from Jewels; Paul Taylor's Company B and Arden Court; and Christopher d'Amboise's Franklin Court. She has created roles for such choreographers as Trey McIntryre, Kevin O'Day, Jessica Lang, Jeffrey Gribler and Matthew Neenan. She has had the opportunity to dance internationally in Portugal, England, and Germany.
Former Principal Dancer, Pennsylvania Ballet, Director of Pennsylvania Ballet II and head of the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet
William DeGregory lives in New Jersey with his wife, Tamara Hadley. In 1975, when they were both principal dancers with Pennsylvania Ballet, Bill and Tammy were paired by the P.B.C. director Benjamin Harkarvy, to dance the greatest love stories ever composed They touched thousands of people who sensed their connection to each other in the resonance of every movement.
Bill joined Pennsylvania Ballet at age 18. His excellent technique, strong partnering skills, and winning stage presence quickly advanced him to Principal Dancer. Bill has danced most of the classical principal roles including: Siegfried in Swan Lake, James in La Sylphide, Franz in Coppélia, and many Balanchine ballets, including: Theme and Variations, Square Dance, Symphony in C, Cavalier in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. Robert Weiss created the role of Nicholas for Bill in his full-length ballet, Winter Dreams. In September 1996, the legendary modern dance choreographer Merce Cunningham featured Bill in the world premiere of his acclaimed Arcade.
In February 2002, Bill DeGregory became Director of Pennsylvania Ballet's newly-formed training company, Pennsylvania Ballet II. He retired from performing at the end of the 2001-2002 season. With Pennsylvania Ballet II, the Company was able to greatly expand the scope and depth of its outreach effort through theatre and non-theatre-based performances at Philadelphia area schools and other small venues.
Artistic Director
Swarthmore Ballet Theatre founder and artistic director Lori Ardis began performing as a dancer in 1940, in Washington D.C. She is a retired member of The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union for professional ballet dancers and opera singers. She has taught ballet since 1952. The Lori Ardis Ballet, a nonprofit educational organization has been giving dancers opportunities to perform since 1975.
Dancers trained by Lori Ardis have gone on to dance with professional companies including: Boston Ballet, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Chicago City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet and Laura Dean Dancers.