Second Stage

Second Stage

Organization: Pacific Northwest Ballet

Program Type: Multi-faceted career transition program for PNB company dancers

Overview

Second Stage is a unique career transition program designed to help Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers achieve their post-Company goals. Since its inception in 1999, the program has distributed more than $750,000 in grants to dozens of dancers.

What Second Stage Offers

• Scholarships for post-dance career development
• Mentorships with experienced professionals
• Support for research and skill-building
• Partnership with Seattle University offering accessible college courses

Eligibility

• Current PNB Company dancers
• Dancers pursuing career transitions after performing

Focus Areas

Former participants have successfully transitioned to careers in:
• Law
• Medicine
• Dance education
• Culinary arts
• Dancewear design and manufacturing
• Aesthetics
• Photography
• Company creation and management
• Arts leadership
• Social work and mental health
• Administrative roles within arts organizations

Seattle University Partnership

The program maintains a unique partnership with Seattle University that offers:
• Evening classes designed around PNB dancers' rehearsal and performance schedules
• Undergraduate degree programs including Arts Leadership specialization
• Flexible scheduling to accommodate dance careers
• Classes covering subjects from biotechnology to philosophy to spatial justice

Impact

Participants report:
• Broader perspective as young artists
• Improved performance through planning for the future
• Access to higher education that would otherwise be financially prohibitive
• Expanded career possibilities while maintaining dance careers
• Development as "complete humans" beyond their dance identities

Contact

Phone: 206-441-9411 (PNB Office) Address: Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA 98109