The Keith Lee Dance Fund (KLDF) is an initiative by Charlottesville Ballet that provides scholarships and financial aid to students seeking to start, deepen, or expand their dance training. The KLDF (formerly KLSF) was established in 2023 in honor of Keith Lee.
The Fund reflects the organization’s commitment to cultivating and nurturing a community at CBA where every dancer feels supported, represented, and connected. By reducing barriers to the frequency and level of training that support students’ growth, the KLDF creates opportunities for dancers to advance artistically and nurture their sense of belonging.
These opportunities intend to create a pathway for dancers who wish to progress through the academy and pursue the Trainee Program and Professional Company opportunities.
If you would like to support these efforts, please consider making a tax-deductible gift to the Keith Lee Dance Fund:
APPLY TODAY FOR THE 2026-27 ACADEMIC YEAR!
CBA welcomes students of all ages, skill levels, and lived experiences, including those who benefit from physical modifications and/or individualized support, to apply.
We are proud to share that in the 2025–26 fiscal year, Charlottesville Ballet has awarded over $280,000 in scholarships through the Keith Lee Dance Foundation (KLDF).
This work is only possible thanks to the generosity of our donors and community partners. Thank you to everyone who has contributed—your support directly impacts lives by helping us make dance more accessible!
Celebrating the 50-year Dance Legacy of Keith Lee
Keith Lee, Resident Choreographer for Charlottesville Ballet
Keith Lee hails from the Bronx, NY and began training at the High School of Performing Arts in NYC. In 1969, Mr. Lee was the first Black soloist to join the American Ballet Theatre and he went on to dance with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. His repertory included the choreography of such luminaries as Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine, Agnes DeMille, Lar Lubovitch, Jerome Robbins, and Antony Tudor, as well as performance credits in theater and broadway musicals. He has served as ballet master for Ailey and Dallas Black Dance Theatre, and Capitol Ballet, and has been teaching and choreographing for dance companies across the world. Mr. Lee has called Central Virginia home since 1994, and he was named Artist Laureate by the City of Lynchburg where he continues to work as a freelance choreographer, master teacher, and performing arts coordinator. He has shared his vision and 50-year dance legacy with the Charlottesville Ballet since 2008.