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Bellarmine University and Louisville Ballet have announced a groundbreaking partnership to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Administration: Dance designed specifically for pre-professional and professional dancers. Louisville Ballet is among a select few classical ballet companies nationwide to partner with a university on a degree program of this depth and scope. 

The collaborative program reflects a shared commitment to artistic excellence, academic rigor, and long-term career sustainability in the arts, combining Bellarmine’s nationally recognized undergraduate education with Louisville Ballet’s elite professional training and performance environment. The program will launch with the start of Bellarmine University’s academic year in August. 

“This partnership represents a transformational moment for dancer-centered education,” said Anthony Krutzkamp, artistic director of Louisville Ballet. “By removing traditional barriers between professional training and higher education, we are empowering dancers to fully commit to their artistic growth while gaining the academic foundation and leadership skills that support long, meaningful careers, both on and off the stage.” 

About the partnership 

Offered exclusively to dancers in Louisville Ballet’s Studio Company, professional company, and staff, the program integrates intensive professional training and performance experience with an accredited bachelor’s degree from Bellarmine University. Students remain fully engaged in rehearsals, performances, and community outreach while completing asynchronous online academic coursework designed to complement their artistic development. 

The program follows a distinctive cohort model and includes two dedicated advisors for each student – one from Bellarmine University and one from Louisville Ballet – providing coordinated academic and professional support throughout the degree experience. The partners collaborated in course development for the partnership, which will enroll its first students in August for the university’s fall semester. 

“Bellarmine is proud to partner with Louisville Ballet on a program that reflects our shared belief in access, excellence, and long-term student success,” said Dr. Jon Blandford, Bellarmine’s Associate Provost. “This unique degree partnership honors the rigor of professional dance training while providing a strong academic foundation that prepares students for leadership roles across the arts ecosystem.” 

Louisville Ballet’s role 

The Louisville Ballet Studio Company is a four-year program offering professional-caliber training in classical ballet, along with versatility across multiple styles. Structured as Levels 7 through 10, the Studio Company serves as a post-secondary extension of The Louisville Ballet School’s Pre-Professional Program and represents the critical bridge between student training and company life. 

Students in the program will complete six four-credit dance courses taught at Louisville Ballet’s downtown campus, aligned with their Studio Company training, as well as six credit hours of internship experience at Louisville Ballet or other arts organizations. Through daily immersion in rehearsals, performances, and community engagement, dancers gain the artistic discipline, professional experience, and industry perspective essential to sustaining a career in ballet. 

This model serves as a powerful draw for talented dancers nationwide, positioning Louisville Ballet as a premier destination for training. The partnership with Bellarmine will also open preferred pathways for other Louisville Ballet personnel to pursue degrees at Bellarmine.  

Jill Marlow Krutzkamp is the new Artistic Director of the Studio Company and will serve as the Program Coordinator. Jill joins Louisville Ballet from Sacramento Ballet, where she expanded the Second Company from 13 to 30 dancers representing 19 states and three continents. A former professional dancer with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, and Kansas City Ballet, Jill brings a balance of rigor, compassion, and a deep commitment to dancer wellness. She holds a B.S. in Health Education from the University of Cincinnati and has served as an Adjunct Professor at the UMKC Dance Conservatory. 

Bellarmine University’s role 

Bellarmine University offers a distinctly valuable undergraduate education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, career preparation, and whole-person development. 

The Arts Administration major equips students with the creative, business, and leadership skills needed for careers within large and small cultural institutions, including theaters, museums, galleries, and performing, visual, and multidisciplinary arts organizations. Coursework includes marketing and promotion, communication, fundraising, grant writing, strategic planning, and public policy, all grounded in a strong arts foundation.  

Faculty bring extensive professional experience and deep connections to Louisville’s vibrant arts community, and internships provide meaningful experiential learning tied directly to career preparation. Students enrolled through this partnership will complete Bellarmine’s distinctive core curriculum, designed to foster learning with both depth and breadth across disciplines.  

Participants in the program benefit from Bellarmine IMPACT, the university’s comprehensive, student-centered support model. Through Bellarmine IMPACT, students receive individualized academic advising, career coaching, professional mentoring, and access to health and mental wellness services, ensuring the same wraparound support provided to all Bellarmine undergraduates. 

Bellarmine University is recognized nationally as a Carnegie-classified ‘Higher Access, Higher Earnings’ institution, reflecting strong outcomes for graduates and a commitment to educational opportunity. Within six months of graduation, 99% of Bellarmine alumni are working or pursuing an advanced degree, an outcome that is 16% higher than the average for U.S. colleges and universities.  

The inaugural cohort will begin in August 2026.