1993 Study

A grant from the James Irvine Foundation enabled Saint Joseph Ballet to commission an independent impact study that empirically evaluated the overall effectiveness of its programs.  The study involved 113 Saint Joseph Ballet students ages 8 to 19 as well as a control group of 97 students who, although expressing interest in, had not participated in Saint Joseph Ballet’s program. 

Results of this study indicate that as an intervention tool, the quality arts programming offered by SJB positively impact the lives of at-risk youth.

This exploratory study found that children involved with Saint Joseph Ballet:

• Are significantly more internally oriented than their peers – an internal locus of control is strongly associated with academic achievement and high self-esteem
• Have higher than average self-esteem for their age, ethnicity, and income level
• Understand the causal connection between their behavior and resulting consequences
• Have a higher academic orientation than do their peers
• Have learned to get along with others and are highly sociable