The Archer School of Ballet

**The Archer School of Ballet** (abbreviation: **ASB**) is an elite and prestigious ballet school located in Chicago, Illinois. As Chicago's only elite dance school, the Archer School of Ballet serves as the company school for the city's renowned professional company: City Works Ballet. The Archer School is an oasis for an array of dancers: rich and poor, from north and south, and a range of backgrounds.

## History

### Origins

The Archer School of Ballet is a prestigious institution that furthers the education of young ballet dancers. Tier three students who range between the ages of sixteen and seventeen have a two-year education in both academics and dance, before graduating from the academy. They are each exceptionally talented and skilled. Madame Monique Dubois serves as the school's acting director.

### Season 1

At the beginning of the school year, the school's most promising young star Cassie Shore suffered a career-ruining event. To the public, she merely fell off the roof of the Archer School and landed on the pavement below. The incident created bad press for the school, as the police force believed there to be foul play. Even though law enforcement ruled it an accident, the public continues to suspect foul play. This negative publicity caused donors to pull out and parents to remove their children from the program. With a vacant spot and the desperate need for better publicity, Madame Dubois made a late acceptance for promising ballerina Neveah Stroyer into the Archer School of Ballet on a full scholarship.

To up their security measures to ensure maximum protection of their students, Director Monique Dubois raids the school's capital fund to install time-lock doors in the dormitories to ensure the students remain indoors after hours. The students are given keycards to unlock the doors during hours. This comes at the same time that the Chairperson of the Board position is up for re-election. Knowing that the school needs a change, Katrina Whitlaw rallies for support and secures the Chairwoman of the Board position, taking over from Hadrian Talbot. In the meantime, Ramon Costa makes waves by choosing a darker ballet for the school's showcase, opting for *The Ripper*, which tells the story of Jack the Ripper and the women he killed.

As the students compete for numerous roles in the showcase and Ramon's attention, the school faces serious legal trouble when June Park uncovers the Michi Beach Club scheme. She enlists the help of her fellow female students, along with Oren Lennox and Dev Ranaweera, to prove Monique DuBois' connection to the scheme. They soon learn that Monique knowingly funnels dancers to the Michi Beach Club who need jobs and the wealthy clients who then assault the dancers are donors for the Archer. The scheme even includes the former chairman of Archer Hadrian Talbot. Because Neveah refuses to drop her pursuit against Monique, the director expels her and Oren Lennox following the finale of *Ripper*.

The night of the showcase, the police arrest Bette Whitlaw for the assault on Cassie Shore. During their final dance, the Archer students loop a confession from one of the Michi Club schemers over their music to out Monique's involvement in the club. The woman is promptly arrested by attending officers. The fate of the school is left uncertain, with the newly appointed chairwoman Katrina Whitlaw frantically picking up the pieces around her. Meanwhile, a recovered Cassie makes her triumphant return to ASB with a warning for her former nemesises. The uneasy calm that follows is interrupted when Ramon Costa is found dead in the Archer's ballet studio, surrounded by star students June Park, Bette Whitlaw, and Neveah Stroyer.

## Instructors and Staff

### Current

* Katrina Whitlaw (Chairperson of the Board)
* Monique Dubois (Director)
* Topher Brooks (Choreographer)
* Ms. Petrov (Pointe Choreographer)
* Alan Renfrew (Head of Sports Medicine)
* Selena Covey (Receptionist and Assistant to Monique)
* Torri Fuller (Hall Monitor)

### Former

* Hadrian Talbot (Chairperson of the Board: voted out of office)
* Ramon Costa (Guest Choreographer: deceased)

## Current Students

### Tier Three

These students are between the ages of sixteen and seventeen.

* Neveah Stroyer (Expullsion Pending)
* Bette Whitlaw (Status Pending)
* June Park
* Shane McRae
* Nabil Limyadi
* Caleb Wick
* Oren Lennox (Expullsion Pending)
* Sarah
* Kirill
* Lily
* Evgeni
* Gwen Resnik
* Josh
* Emily
* Lucas
* Esmé Halterlein

## Former Students

* Delia Whitlaw (Graduated)
* Cassie Shore (Disenrolled)
* Paige Aquino (Transferred)

## Notable Showcases

### The Ripper

Choreographed by Ramon Costa, the highly anticipated showcase "*Ripper*" was initially slated to star two of the Archer School's brightest students in the title roles of "Jack" and "Mary-Jane Kelly". It tells the dark and twisted story of the most notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper, and the woman he murdered. Following a protest by the female students over the inappropriate conduct reflected in the choreography and choreographer, Ramon altered the showcase. It tells the tale of Jack the Ripper, with each student acting out a portion of Jack's darkest impulses. June Park danced as a principal dancer with a solo, opposite Nabil Limyadi.

## Trivia

* Visitors must sign in before entering the school.
* Students' doors lock at curfew, which is at 10:00 PM.
* Students are prohibited from engaging in drinking, smoking, or having sex.
* Students must watch their weight, and if they become too skinny or too overweight they are kicked out.
* Academics take place from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with dance lessons continuing from 1:00 PM to 6:30 PM. All students must pass their academic classes, maintain a healthy weight, and not get into fights to stay at ASB.
* The school offers counseling to all of its students.
* In the books the school's name is American Ballet Conservatory, the school is located in New York City, it teaches Russian Ballet, and it's run by Mr. K.