Amherst Ballet

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Scholarships

We have a generous trust-based scholarship program to support our mission of ballet for all. Contact us at info@amherstballet.org for more information.  Available scholarship funds include:

  • Young Dancer Scholarship Fund: For elementary school-aged students
  • Maura Donohue Fund: For middle and high school-aged students
  • Dance for Life Fund: For adult students
Donate to our Scholarship Funds

Young Dancer Scholarship Fund

The Young Dancer Scholarship Fund was established in 2001 by an Amherst Ballet Upper School dancer on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah.  In appreciation for the many years of joy she had attained from classes and performances, this dancer decided to donate a portion of her Bat Mitzvah gift money to enable other aspiring young dancers in our community to have the same opportunity.  Since that time Amherst Ballet has received dozens of donations allocated for the Young Dancer Scholarship Fund, including a generous donation by another Upper School student who was also celebrating her Bat Mitzvah!  Each year, scholarships from the Young Dancer Fund are awarded to dancers whose families may not be able to afford full tuition.  The intent of this scholarship fund is that everyone should have the chance to dance!

Maura Donohue Fund

This fund was set up from donations received upon the death of Maura Donohue (4/15/93), daughter of Amherst Ballet founder Therese Donohue.  Maura was very active at Amherst Ballet as a student, a performer, a pianist for classes, and a receptionist at the front desk while she was in high school.  She did all of this in spite of fighting childhood cancer from the age of eight with two major surgeries.  She graduated second in her high school class and went to Middlebury College on full academic scholarship.  She received an M.A. in Art History at the University of Massachusetts and was about to complete her PhD at Princeton University when she succumbed to cardiac arrest in 1992 when she was 30 years old.  This scholarship fund supports serious and committed dancers in her honor.

Dance for Life Fund

Our newest scholarship program, kicked off in 2025, supports adults dancers at all levels. Amherst Ballet has historically had adults dancers of all ages and from beginner to professional levels. We are thrilled finally to have a fund to support dancers throughout their entire lifespans.