"Ballet gives you the technique necessary to dance many, many different styles."
- Mark Morris, Choreographer
- Mark Morris, Choreographer
Our ballet classes are classically structured. Class includes barre, centre barre, petit and grand allegro, adagio and reverance. Students learn to maximize turn-out and extension, explore artistry and performance skills and learn its history, repertory, and neo-classical works.
The basic positions of ballet including the positions of the feet, the arms and the body as well as poses such as attitudes and arabesques are all introduced as the students progress through the levels. Directions of the movement of the legs and directions of travel through space as well as the seven basic movements fundamental to ballet are all taught.
Barre work consists of a series of exercises designed to build progressively warming up the muscles in preparation for the center. In addition, barre work is designed to develop flexibility of the muscles and joints, continuity of movement, quick precise footwork, as well as generally strengthening the muscles of the legs and feet. Pointe work generally begins at age 11, but is contingent on each individual students' physical & emotional readiness as well as how many classes they attend per week and number of years studied, etc.
As always, classes are structured in an age-appropriate way as to avoid injury and progress with the student's age and skill level.
Ballet Classes are as follows:
Young Children's Division
Baby Ballet I Age 3-4
Baby Ballet II Age 4-5
Ballet I Age 5-6
Ballet Ii Age 7-8
Core Ballet Division
Tween Ballet Age 9-11
Core Ballet Age 12-13
Ensemble Ballet Age 14- 18