Peconic Ballet Theatre — Local services in Town of Riverhead

My daughter is a senior in high school and has been dancing since age 4, under the direction of Christiana Bitonti of Peconic Ballet Theatre since before the studio even opened. This December, she will perform in her 14th Nutcracker production at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. She has become part of the PBT "family" and has made many close friends. This past December, a board member from the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) In New York City attended Peconic Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker and asked me how many of the female dancers were teachers or professionals. She was stunned when I responded, “None… they are all students”. She said she was very impressed by how professional the older students were. Peconic Ballet Theatre is not just a studio offering dance classes and competitions. It is a non-competition dance studio offering a dance education with a foundation in ballet. In addition to Ballet, they offer Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, Modern, Hip-Hop and more. PBT's teachers are educated in dance and many of whom dance or have danced professionally. Most importantly, in addition to receiving excellent dance instruction, my daughter has learned dedication, commitment, respect and integrity. She has learned that time is not a measure of quality...that you move to the next level when you've earned and achieved the next level. She has learned to celebrate not only her own achievements and accomplishments, but to celebrate her fellow dancers' achievements and accomplishments. From pre-K to high school senior, I still find it amazing that these dance students can walk onto a stage and perform in front of an audience of over 400 people, sometimes performing solo on stage. I once asked my daughter what she was feeling while she was on the stage and she responded, "pure joy...I just feel overwhelmed with happiness". I can't recommend Peconic Ballet Theatre enough. Not only will your child learn to dance, he or she will learn invaluable life skills that will remain with them as they grow. I am forever grateful to PBT for helping my daughter to become a talented, independent, respectful and grateful young woman. This is what PBT does for all children....

I highly recommend PBT, the dance instruction is top quality and talented professional instructors travel from far and wide to be a part of this amazing studio.The studio embraces all level of dancer and is performance based, not competition based. This focus on artistry and valuing the individual dancer is difficult to find in a studio and is carried through all the genres including tap, modern, ballet, hip hop, contemporary, and others. Instructors are highly competent as well as respectful to the students and bring a wide array of professional experience with them. Many students have an opportunity to choreograph and become teaching assistants as well as participate in community service. The Peconic Ballet Foundation, along with PBT students, give back to the community by providing instruction and performance opportunities to students with disabilities and community members who would not traditionally have access to quality dance programs.As an owner, Christiana provides innumerable opportunities for the students to perform and grow as dancers and foster lifelong skills. Both my children have attended PBT since it opened and have gained very close friends and benefited from the supportive, constructive, creative, caring experience in...

My daughter has been a dancer with Peconic Ballet Theatre for 7 years. I've watched her grow from a shy 5 year old who was scared to walk into the classroom, to a confident and talented young ballerina. The director has developed a unique program which combines the rigors of traditional ballet training while keeping the love of dance at the forefront. Perfect for serious ballet training, while also offering all of the fun electives my daughter loves. The productions are magnificent, with excellent opportunities for performance experiences! The years spent here are filled with amazing memories, and has been incredibly rewarding for both our daughter and our...