Cost & Deposit
Total Program Costs for 2026
(includes tuition, fees, room and meals)
As of October 2025. Subject to change.
Pre-Professional: $7,665
Festival: $6,585
Workshop: $1,945
Mini-Intensive: $800 (Non-residential)
Deposit
Two deposits are required within seven days of admission into one of Chautauqua’s programs. Upon admission to the program, a placeholder or tuition deposit of $500 guarantees the student’s scholarship award, if any, and a place in the program. A housing/security deposit of $100 is required of all students, including those on full scholarships. This deposit guarantees a student’s housing and is used to defray the cost of damage to dormitories or loss or damage of other property.
Dress Code
Dance Dress Code for All Dancers
- Students may dress in accordance with their gender identity and gender expression.
- No sweat clothes or legwarmers are allowed in dance class
- No plastic of any kind is to be worn in class
- Hair should be securely fastened in a bun, no loose ends
- No jewelry in class
- Cell phones are not permitted inside the studios
- Water bottles only in the studios
- Any color leotard on Saturdays
Female Identifying
Ballet: solid black camisole leotard (Wear Moi WM212 or similar), white or black chiffon skirt for pointe class, pink/flesh colored tights with feet, pink/flesh colored ballet shoes and pointe shoes (bring quite a few pairs, you will go through them)
Modern: solid black leotard/unitard, footless black tights
Character: solid black leotard, flesh tights, character shoes, full circle character skirt
Musical Theater: Jazz Shoes
Performances: Nude, spaghetti strap leotard, Capezio Brief pink/flesh Dance Bottoms (Style TB111)
Festival & Pre-Professional only: practice tutu
Male Identifying
Ballet: white t-shirt, black tights, white tights, black ballet shoes (bring a couple of pairs), white ballet shoes, white socks
Modern: white t-shirt, black bike shorts or footless black tights
Character: white t-shirt, black or white pants, white socks, black ballet shoes
Musical Theater: Jazz Shoes
**Please be aware that you should bring anything you might need with you to Chautauqua (shoes, tights, etc) as there is not a place on the grounds, or close by, where dance attire can be purchased.
All Pre-Professional and Festival Dancers
Yoga mat, stage make-up (foundation, blush, eyeliner, powder, false eyelashes only if accustomed to wearing them, etc.).
Workshop Female Identifying
Black Camisole Leotard – Wear Moi WM212 or similar
Pink/Flesh Colored Tights
Pink/Flesh Ballet Slippers & Pointe Shoes
Black Wrap Skirt
Black Character Skirt (below the knee)
Black or Tan Character Shoes (whatever you currently own)
Black Jazz Shoes
Footless Tights
Workshop Male Identifying
White T-Shirt
Black or White Tights
Black or White Ballet Shoes
White Socks
Jazz Shoes
Schedule
Sample Schedule
*note that exact schedules vary day to day depending on faculty in residence and upcoming performances. Each day’s schedule is posted on the bulletin outside of the dance studios the day prior.
9–10:30 a.m. | Ballet Technique
10:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. | Rehearsal/Pointe/Variations
1 p.m. | Lunch
2–3 p.m. | Rehearsal/Contemporary Variations (male/female together)
3–5 p.m. | Rehearsal
5:30 p.m. | Dinner
6:30–8 p.m. | Evening Class (Ballet, Contemporary Ballet, Partnering, Broadway, Master Class with Visiting Artists)
Why CHQ?
Why Chautauqua?
- Learn from professional company members
- Dancers take three to four intensive classes per day
- Share the complete Arts experience by living with students in other disciplines – expand your appreciation for music, opera, visual arts, theater
- Perform in our brand new, state of the art 4,000-seat Amphitheater with a live orchestra
- Classes with well-known teachers who also choreograph just for Chautauqua students
- Nurturing environment
- Dramatic lakeside setting
- Dorms adjacent to the dance studios
- Small, intimate class size
- Dance talents are appreciated by a thriving community of residents and visitors who come to take advantage of Chautauqua’s unique environment
- Choreographic Workshop, in collaboration with the Music School Festival Orchestra – designed to foster the students’ own choreographic talents. New works performed in studios and the Amphitheater
- Special weekly topics of interest to dancers