BalletNova Center for Dance is a non-profit dance institution in Northern Virginia that combines dance education with meaningful performance opportunities. Its roots trace to the Arlington Center for Dance, founded in 1981 by Kenneth and Kathy Fredgren, and the Center Dance Company, established in 1984 to provide students with stage experience while producing quality, affordable dance works. After the founders' retirement in 2002, the school and company merged into a single non-profit organization, reinforcing a philosophy that training and performance belong together. Since relocating to Carlin Springs Road and adopting the BalletNova Center for Dance name in 2008, the organization has continued to serve as both a training center and producing organization, with productions such as La Fille Mal Gardée reflecting its ongoing artistic and community role.