Ballet: An Art Form For Our Dogs

Published March 27, 2026

Ballet: An Art Form For Our Dogs

Having grown up in ballet, I remember that there were always dogs in the ballet studio.

When I started studying ballet at the Washington School of Ballet, it was a tradition at the school for director Mary Day to bring her Bedlington Terrier with her when she taught. I remember “Miss Cindy Dog” and, in later years, “Miss Jasmine Dog.”

When I became a professional ballet dancer with the Stuttgart Ballet, most of the dancers had dogs, and (because our tours were often over two months long) we were permitted to bring our animals. I still smile when I think of the scene at the airports as fellow travelers and onlookers stared at our strange traveling entourage of dancers and dogs.

Filer image element — Students of SNBA enjoying their break between classes with Poochinito.

When my mother started the professional ballet company Peninsula Ballet Theatre in the SF Bay Area, “Kiki” was our adored mascot, and, in later years, it was “Kiki 2.” When my Dad (who was a set designer) created sets for the ballet, he always painted an image of Kiki into every backdrop. (I particularly loved Kiki looking out of one of the castle windows in PBT’s Swan Lake drop).

In the early 2000’s, I was a guest of Director Kevin McKenzie and visited ABT at Lincoln Center. I remember entering the ABT office and being pleasantly surprised by a warm greeting from many different types and sizes of dogs. I was told by the ABT office staff that the dancers were allowed to bring their dogs to classes and rehearsals. Since Kevin loves dogs and grew up at the Washington School of Ballet with Miss Cindy dog, he knew the joy of having a dog in the ballet studio.

When I first started SNB, I had two Malshi dogs (Shih Tzu/ Maltese mix). “Poochini” and “Babino” were in every class and rehearsal with me. They stayed in their dog bed while classes and rehearsals were going on, and then got to run and play during the breaks. Poochini and Babino were 19 and 18 years old, respectively, and passed away in 2025. The joy that they brought to us within the practice of ballet was something beautiful to behold, experience, and never to be forgotten.

How is it that dogs and the art of ballet seem to fit together beautifully?

Ballet is a very spiritual art form, which also requires incredible self-discipline, concentration, physical and mental memory, repetitive daily practice, determination, and an almost obsessive, dedicated devotion. Ballet dancers work incredibly hard for many hours per day in front of a mirror, where they are faced with correcting their faults on a daily basis. They have little time for compliments, not to mention recreation or a social life. Dogs bring a dedicated devotion, unconditional love, and a playful positivity which greatly complements the study of ballet.

As SNB prepares for our Fund Raiser Event: “Peter and The Wolf” (which will take place at 4:00 PM on April 26), and our collaborative FREE Grand Event (which is on May 31st ) at the SNB studio, we are blessed by a new member: SNB Shih Tzu puppy mascot, “Poochinito.” I first saw a photo of him on his breeder’s website (Meadowlyn’s Dream Shih Tzu) when he was only a few weeks old. I immediately saw his resemblance to our dear Poochini and fell in love.

I first brought Poochinito with me to SNB in mid February, and he quickly became enamored with the ballet studio. In no time, I could see that this little creature brought a lightness of spirit and great joy into the classroom. The students and dancers worked hard and focused well during classes and rehearsals, and then eagerly looked forward to their breaks when they could interact and play with Poochinito. Even some of the parents of the younger SNBA students began looking forward to waiting during classes because they got to socialize with our little mascot.

Our Administrator remarked on the joy this tiny little guy brought to everyone at SNB and SNBA. (Poochinito has hair, so even those with fur allergies can enjoy his sweet company.) At first, I thought I would only bring Poochinito to SNB once in a while, but that idea changed quickly. Poochinito started to know the time we leave to go to SNB, and he now voluntarily jumps excitedly into his carrier to wait for us to go. The SNBA students, parents, and the SNB Co. dancers have requested that I bring him to all classes and rehearsals. He brings joy and lightness into the entire building. We hope to include Poochinito in some of our future SNB events to share his joy with more members in our dance community. He has shown me once again that the art of Ballet and canines are a perfect match.

For information about Sierra Nevada Ballet 2026 performance season and Sierra Nevada Ballet Academy, visit sierranevadaballet.org or call SNB at 775-360-8663.