About Us
Johannesburg Arts Conservatory is a training space that offers high level instruction in both classical ballet and classical contemporary, conditioning and more. We offer both full-time and partial enrolment programs, as well as a la carte classes.
Over the years, JAC has grown and expanded, establishing its name and method of impact for the betterment of the arts in South Africa.
In 2020, JAC launched its own comprehensive dance conservatory program for serious dancers. JAC now directly trains and equips its students to succeed physically, technically, mentally, and personally in the professional dance career world.
JAC is dedicated to meeting the needs of dedicated dance students ages 12 and up, who seek the highest standard of classical ballet and contemporary education.
At JAC, dancers come away with greater strength, precision, confidence, and knowledge about what they have to offer to the dance industry— and ultimately, about who they are.
Holly Gruver started JAC to support the dance, fine arts industry in Joburg, utilizing her expertise in dance teaching, education and conditioning of the mind and body as they are intricately connected. Her experience comes from years in the US and Europe performing and teaching graham-based contemporary as well as classical ballet and body conditioning.
Our Location
Our Bryanston campus is a dedicated facility that allows us to have classes in bright, spacious, motivating studios. Johannesburg Arts Conservatory hosts daily ballet, contemporary, conditioning and pilates classes both live and via zoom.
JAC has a state-of-the art ballet studio with sprung floors and a dedicated body conditioning lab. We also are excited about our health and wellness program, through which our students can benefit from personalised physiotherapy and pilates sessions.
Focus Points
Joining JAC means engaging in an excellent and transformative program that will challenge you on all levels. The training and international experience provided by JAC will help you to meet your personal goals. But above all else, joining JAC will usher you into a unique community that cares about nurturing the whole person and not just the dancer. There’s more to you than your love for dance.
Find that, and you will find everything else.
Monthly Student Socials
We offer our students (and parents as well!) regular times of gathering to enjoy meals, fellowship, mutual encouragement, and music.
Serious, pre-professional training is rigorous and at times, incredibly intense! Our optional Socials are designed to encourage a more balanced, relaxed, collegial and community enhancing time of fun, food and fellowship.
All food and drink is provided by JAC. These events feature board games, movies, charades, volleyball, swimming (weather permitting), and occasional special guest speakers.
JAC Student Socials are for members of JAC and their families only. All participants must RSVP by contacting us.
Community Outreach
JAC offers a comprehensive programme of community-based development and outreach work via our affiliation with IMPACT Africa, and through our work with dancers and communities of artists in historically disadvantaged communities around Gauteng.
Quarterly Parent Coffee Chats
JAC leadership meets quarterly with parents for one-on-one check-in sessions to review student strengths and weaknesses, forward planning, and to do everything we can to enhance the overall student's experience. This is our chance as a staff to get to understand what makes each dancer tick so that we can customize our programmes for each individual artist.
A hallmark and foundation stone of JAC is our emphasis on community. During our quarterly parent coffee chats, Fresh tea/coffee and biscuits will be served, questions answered, and community built.
Creative Performance
Pending the Covid-19 pandemic, we will be performing on stage and off-stage in 2021 and 2022.
Our objective is to choreograph and perform unique, inspiring, beautiful works set to both live and recorded music - all across South Africa.
Our dancers embody and radiate our passion for excellence, creativity, and precision.
We will also perform annually at our social responsibility partner, Impact Africa's school campuses in the townships around Johannesburg. In this way we will bring the light and joy that is ballet and contemporary dance to the underprivileged among us.
Character Building
Character is really everything at JAC. In addition to our regular Community Outreach projects, the emphasis on character building is also seen in our student-run Bible study and in our emphasis on the pursuit of life-giving mentorships and friendships between our students.
Heraclitus wrote: "The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become."
Bible Study
As a conservatory we have a Christian ethos and embrace this open-handedly. One does not need to be a Christian to be a student or teacher at JAC. However, our founders are Christians and believe the Bible is truly the universe's perfect source for Wisdom, Instruction, and Hope. As such, our older students offer completely optional group bible studies for younger students. These are safe spaces where students can listen, share, discuss struggles, read and apply scripture, and pray for one another.