Atlanta Professional Dance Academy is a Duluth-based dance school founded in 1997 with a strong emphasis on rigorous, pre-professional ballet training. Led by a former principal dancer with the Atlanta Ballet and the National Ballet of China, the academy centers its program on Classical Ballet, with Pointe and Pas de Deux as major areas of study. Its curriculum also includes Modern, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Chinese Folk Dance, reflecting a blend of disciplined classical instruction and broader artistic and cultural influences. Serving students from age five through adulthood, the academy places performance at the heart of development through its annual professionally produced Dance Festival, giving dancers opportunities to build technique, stage experience, confidence, and commitment.