The Center Dance Company is dedicated to educating and mentoring dancers in a positive, nurturing environment and preserving the traditions of classical ballet through quality dance productions and education. The Company has been a part of the Northern Virginia arts and cultural community for more than 26 years, producing accessible and affordable dance performances that inspire and entertain. Its popular production of The Nutcracker has become an annual tradition at Thomas Jefferson Theatre, and is enjoyed by thousands of families introducing dance to children at an early age. With more than 600 students, The Center employs the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus across all levels of children's pre-professional classical ballet curriculum and also offers a wide range of recreational classes, including modern, jazz, tap and hip hop for youth dancers, as well as one of the most comprehensive adult dance programs in the metropolitan area. In July of 2008, the Center Dance Company moved to a new state-of-the-art dance facility in Falls Church, Virginia. With 5 fully-equipped dance studios, plus a special event/studio performance space (still to be built out), dressing rooms, birthday party room and community room, the facility is the largest professional dance and rehearsal space in Northern Virginia.