Founded in 1981, Florida West Ballet is a scholarship program for talented young dancers interested in furthering their education in classical ballet. The members are selected each year through auditions and represent several counties in the Tampa Bay area.

Florida West Ballet operates under the direction of Mr. Pavel Fomin, Ballet Master of the Sarasota Ballet. Mr. Fomin works with an impressive faculty, including Darya Fedotova soloist with the Sarasota Ballet. Under their tutelage, all of the young dancers in Florida West receive the finest training available. Florida West Ballet provides its members a scholarship opportunity they otherwise simply would not have.

Florida West Ballet’s scholarship dance program is a premier dance program. Many alumni of this program continue to pursue their dance careers with prestigious professional companies such as the New York City Ballet, the Pittsburgh Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, the Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, and the Joffrey Ballet. Others join exclusive full year training programs such as the Harid Conservatory and the No. Carolina School of the Arts, and major university dance programs.

Florida West Ballet raises the funds required for its scholarship program through a variety of means; an annual Board fundraiser is held in the spring, public and private monies, and from dancers’ various fund raising events throughout the year. These funds alone, however, are not enough to completely support this marvelous scholarship program.