The Seiskaya Ballet School was founded in 1974, one year after Mme. Seiskaya retired from the National Opera of Greece. At that time she taught all fifteen class sections. In 1976 Studio A was doubled in size to its present 2,500 square feet, and in 1981 Studio B was opened, adding another 1,500 square feet to the dance facility. That year also saw the establishment of the Seiskaya Ballet Academy. The Academy was designed as a professional training program for serious dancers who display the determination, physical attributes and musicality of the career-oriented dancer. Admission to the Academy is by audition only. Since the inception of the Seiskaya Ballet programs, over seventy students have opted for professional careers. The OPEN program was developed in 2006 to compliment the Academy and accommodate requests for more scheduling flexibility. Seiskaya students have compiled an outstanding record of achievement. Through the years, full scholarships have been awarded by every major institution for which they have auditioned, including schools affiliated with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), New York City Ballet, and the San Francisco, Houston, Joffrey, Pacific Northwest, Pittsburgh, Eliot Feld, and Boston Ballets. Some of the many dance companies Seiskaya students have joined: ABT (5), Atlanta Ballet (2), Boston (2), Ballet West, Fort Worth, Hartford, Pacific Northwest, Pittsburgh, Royal Swedish, State Ballet of Missouri, Ballet Arizona, Tennessee, Milwaukee (3), New Jersey, Alabama, Washington, Louisville, Austin, Tulsa Ballets and Momix. During her seventeen-year professional career with the National Opera of Greece, Mme. Seiskaya gained an affinity for the grand sweep of story-line ballets and operas staged by the company. Her own choreographic works, such as Street People, Las Damiselas, Forest, MASK, and the Nutcracker, reflect that interest. Fresh interpretations of classical favorites La Boutique Fantasque, Walpurgis Night and A Night on Bald Mountain complement her signature ensemble works Grand Waltz, Seasons and Dance of the Hours. Valia Seiskaya is listed in Who's Who Among Outstanding Americans and was The Village Times 1985 Woman of the Year in the Arts. Thrice, she has been awarded Teacher of the Year by YAGP. She has received commendations from, among others, President Reagan, Governor Pataki and Congressman Forbes. In 2011, Mme. Seiskaya was elected to the Long Island Volunteer Hall of Fame for her work nurturing young talented dancers. Valia Seiskaya is Long Island's grande dame of ballet.. Dancing Ballet Only