PENN BALLET

Penn Ballet

About

Penn Ballet is the University of Pennsylvania's premier ballet company. We are a student run organization dedicated to helping dancers at Penn continue to do what they love despite the stress and time constraints of a rigorous academic environment. Classes are free and open to all students looking to maintain or improve their skills, try their hand at choreography, or simply get some exercise!

Voglio Ballare…Italian Ballerinas

Our Story

Penn Ballet was founded in 2010 by Jeb Fennelly, Alex Gray, and Becca Platoff. They were chatting at the start of Italian class as freshmen when they discovered that they were all dancers, but lacked the time for an audition-based company. And thus the idea of Penn Ballet was born: open, low-pressure group that would allow Penn students to continue to pursue classical ballet and perform from the repertoire they loved.

Vision

In the years since, Penn Ballet has grown and changed, but we have stayed true to our commitment that ballet classes should be free and accessible to anyone in the University community, without an audition requirement. Students at all levels attend our classes to gather with a welcoming group of dancers, strengthen their technique, get some exercise, and have fun!

Join Us

We have open classes twice a week, taught by professional dancers from Philadelphia and our very own members. We also hold auditions every semester for dancers who want to join the company and perform.

Interest Form

Our Founders

Jen Fennelly

Jen Fennelly acted as Managing Director during her time with Penn Ballet. Jen started dancing at a local Philadelphia studio with her mother, Robin, as her instructor and then moved on to spend 7 years at the Academy of Ballet in Narberth, Pennsylvania. Jen graduated in 2012 with a double major in Spanish and Italian Studies.

Alex Gray

Alex Gray acted as Penn Ballet Performance Director. She was a member of the Westchester Dance Academy Company in Los Angeles where she developed a love for lyrical and contemporary dance, which she incorporated into her final season with Penn Ballet. Alex graduated in 2012 with honors and a B.A. in Italian Studies. Alex would like to congratulate all the dancers on their hard work.

Becca Platoff

Becca Platoff was Penn Ballet's first Artistic Director. Originally from Connecticut, Becca started dancing as a toddler and spent over 10 years with the New Haven Ballet. Throughout her experience as a dancer, she developed a particular love for choreography, which she brought to Penn Ballet. But both off and on the barre, Becca is an exceptional leader. Becca graduated in 2012 with a B.A. in Biochemistry. She is completely obsessed with organic chemistry, healthcare in Africa, and Penn Ballet dancers. She is immensely proud of all the dancers!