Award winning director Nanci Hammond and nationally renowned dance educator and choreographer, Jackie Sleight, established the Professional Training Program (formerly the Apprentice Program) in 1998.

Designed to train young professionals this scholarship program, is focusing on the individual and specific development needed for each young artist to manifest and polish the skills required to have a successful career; be it in a dance company, the theater, film, and television, on tour, commercials or videos.  To date, the success of this program speaks for itself with four graduates of the "Professional Training Program" dancing in ballet companies, three others dancing in modern companies, three dancing in New York, two have danced on Broadway, one on tour with a major performing artist, three choreographing, twelve teaching around the country, two have made the difficult transition and are now working actors and two others are singing professionally.  Others that have trained in this program decided to stay here in Los Angeles and have found success in theater, film, television, commercials and videos.  All of the teachers who have worked with these talented performers are very proud of the hard work and progress each of these artists have made.