Ballet Technique

In Advanced 1, students heighten their strength, control, speed and mental acuity through the introduction of more complex combinations, turns, jumps and balances.

In Advanced 2, students begin to transition to our more advanced syllabus, taking on more complex turns, and big jumps, while refining their movements and building stamina.

Advanced 3 turns the attention to “the whole picture” as students begin to develop a comprehensive understanding of how their upper and lower bodies work together. They learn complex combinations quickly and focus their energies on strength, refinement, confidence and risk taking.

Advanced 4/5/Pre-Professional Program (PPP) is a rigorous and challenging program that encourages dancers to move beyond their comfort zone with a focus on cultivating individual artistic voices. PPP students in this program often plan to go on to college programs or professional careers in dance. For year-round entry into PPP, students are required to study six days per week.

Advanced/PPP Summer Classes

Ballet Folklórico: This class, taught by Janelle Ayón, former dancer with Ballet Folklórico de Mexico de Amalia Hernández, focuses on implementing ballet and contemporary techniques to traditional Mexican Dance. Students will be introduced to footwork, upper body and skirt techniques and also explore the origins and history of dance in Mexico.

Ballet Technique: Dancers will be placed in a level that best supports their progress. Classes will focus on technique with an emphasis on proper alignment, functional anatomy, musicality and artistry.

Pointe: Dancers will be placed in a level that best supports their progress. Pointe classes will focus on foot articulation and strength.

Power, Flight & Turn: This class is designed to gain full-body strength, while perfecting the technical requirements necessary when performing jumps and turns. Dancers will learn variations and other excerpts from classical repertoire typically attributed to male danseurs.

Variations and Repertoire: This class will cover classical variations in addition to contemporary and modern repertoire by such choreographers as Crystal Pite, Yvonne Rainer, Twyla Tharp and Bill T. Jones, to name a few.

Modern Dance: This class will focus on building fundamental modern dance skills including floorwork, the dynamic use of weight, improvisation and elemental concepts of effort, space and time. This conceptual approach allows dancers to be successful in a range of modern styles while creating a full and developed physical understanding of their body and its abilities.

Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) is an innovative body-conditioning and strengthening program developed by Marie Walton-Mahon. PBT focuses on training muscle memory to strengthen and enhance technique.

Classes may also include: Contemporary, Partnering, Anatomy & Kinesiology, Composition, Dance History, Jazz, Hip Hop, Somatic Awareness, and Yoga.