Fort worth Dallas Ballet cultivates arts advocates. (The Teach-Learn Connection).

Leadership Ballet, in its fourth year as an adult-education project of the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, fills seats for performances and shoes behind the scenes.

Patterned after chamber-of-commerce programs in cities like Dallas and Denver, Leadership Ballet accepts applications from the local community for an annual class of twenty to thirty members. The program is open to anyone interested in ballet. Members have included Web designers, bankers, city employees, and academics. Some take adult ballet classes, others have never danced.

For a course fee of $80, participants receive two season tickets to the company's Dallas performances. They also attend monthly sessions on topics that range from planning a ballet season budget to costume design to what a local dance critic looks for when viewing a performance.

In addition, each class takes on a special project to help get the word out about the ballet company. One year, the group promoted the production of Peter Pan by building a float for the local St. Patrick's Day parade. Last year, the class organized an ongoing young professionals group that attends performances and special parties afterward.

"One of the biggest results is that we get subscribers," said Sara Hardy, the company's development associate. "And they have friends." But Leadership Ballet has expanded the organization's base of volunteers and future financial support as well, and several grads have become board members.