Des Moines Register Des Moines' professional resident ballet company is inaugurating its first full-time ballet school, hoping to attract young, aspiring dancers from around the world. Ballet Des Moines also is preparing to welcome the spring with a round of outdoor performances before in-person audiences in Des Moines, Iowa City and Muscatine. Set to launch in September, the school will provide daily classes, personal mentorship with the ballet's associate artistic director, arts administration workshops, and more. Dancers also will have the opportunity to work with artists like Ma Cong, who danced with the National Ballet of China and performed with now-Ballet Des Moines Artistic Director Serkan Usta at the Tulsa Ballet, where he is resident choreographer.