The Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet has a past.

And what a history it is. As Mia Klinger, its artistic director tells it, CVYB (a Knight Arts grantee) is one of the oldest youth ballets in the country. Fourth probably.

It also has a wonderful tradition of creating new ballets that are made for young dancers, their bodies and their abilities. No retreads of adult classics for this group.

And every summer some of its strongest dancers audition, are accepted and go out into some of the finest ballet companies and schools in the country — and beyond.

Eleven members of CVYB (one male and ten female dancers between 12-17 years old) will be heading off this year: Noelle Boyages, Annie Carroll, Ella Davidson, Madison Gajarsky-Kottler, Scotto Hamed-Ramos, Megan Klamert, Abby Kulwicki, Kirsten Linnen, Kaitlyn Staley, Isabella Vari and Gwen Walters.

Mia Klinger is always aglow when her “kids” make it into one of these prestigious programs, and no wonder.

Bolshoi Academy of Ballet  Summer Intensive (Middlebury, CT): Isabella Vari, 14, will hone classic ballet skills and have the chance to show off her new repertoire with a final performance in front of invited guests.

American Ballet Theatre  Summer Intensive (New York, NY and Tuscaloosa, AL): Kirsten Linnen, 17, will be in New York City, which houses the most challenging and prestigious program for young students. Gwen Walters, 15, will attend the branch campus. Both students will dance in original choreography presented in a final performance.

Washington Ballet (Washington, DC):  Abby Kulwicki, 15, and Annie Carroll, 14, will study classic technique on their own, but will also have the opportunity to watch company rehearsals and possibly dance in a company production.

Chautauqua Institute Dance Program (Chautauqua, NY): Scott Hamed-Ramos, 13, and Ella Davidson, 15, who starred in CVYB’s “The Little Mermaid,” will immerse themselves in the George Balanchine method-based program. They’ll learn classic and contemporary ballet and modern dance and will be part of dances by Balanchine and Marius Petipa.

Rock School for Dance Education (Philadelphia, PA): Kaitlyn Staley and Madison Gajarsky-Kottler, both 13, will endure a rigorous schedule of 15 classes a week at minimum, plus rehearsals for performance and extra weekend classes. The program includes injury prevention, which is cool to have.

Indiana Univeristy Jacobs School of Music Ballet Department (Bloomington, IN): Megan Klamert, 17, will work on ballet technique and, interestingly, will learn choreography, both by looking at existing stuff and experimenting with new approaches.

Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (Carlisle, PA): Noelle Boyages, 12, will participate in a comprehensive curriculum that teaches the finest in technique, strengthening and artistry through classes in ballet, pointe, jazz and modern dance.

Dance has to be seen to be appreciated. So do dancers. These young dancers will get the opportunity to showcase of all their practice and training, as well as the finery of their growing technical abilities.

Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet, 2315 State Rd, Cuyahoga Falls; 330-928-6479; www.cvyb.org