Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn (CBT) was founded on the dual convictions that a serious ballet education is needed to advance the art form, train youth, and enhance the lives of those within its embrace, and that where there is a serious commitment to the art of dance, there should be an equally vigorous commitment to maximum inclusion of all interested youth and adults.

In a uniquely accepting yet rigorous environment, CBT fosters the love of the art of dance through pre-professional training, educational programs, and original dance productions. As a New York City Department of Education vendor, CBT also presents dance residencies, workshops, and performances in public schools. In addition, CBT engages in a variety of community outreach efforts in order to reach underserved students and audiences throughout Brooklyn.

CBT began in 1987, when Marla Hirokawa opened Covenant Dance Studio in Brooklyn. She founded Covenant Dance Theatre in 1989, and then in 2007 combined both businesses into Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn, Inc., a nonprofit arts organization, in order to expand her offerings and make them more accessible to families of all income levels. Thus, CBT has a more than thirty-year history of investment in the children and families of south Brooklyn, where cultural activities and resources are limited.