ballet
Have you ever wanted to take ballet classes as an adult but find it too intimidating to start? This is the case for many of us. Typically, adult ballet classes are held at a dance studio where there is a dress code, and it is typical to be put in a class with teenage competition dancers, where the focus is not on the adults. Not at our studio! Our studio offers fantastic quality adult ballet classes by professional instructors who have danced in professional ballet companies, as well as taught with them. Our classes are for adults who have never stepped foot in a dance class, all the way up to high level dancers looking to enhance their technique or perhaps dance en pointe. YOU are the focus in our ballet classes, and our teachers are excellent at providing positive corrective feedback to motivate you further. Do not be scared, and come try one of our ballet classes today! Our students take ballet for a variety of reasons whether it is to learn a new skill, gain flexibility and grace, exercise in a new way, tone their muscles, or condition for upcoming auditions. We welcome students with all goals, levels, and experiences to come to ballet.
Ballet Class Types
ABSOLUTE BEGINNER
This class provides beginner ballet classes in a safe and welcoming environment, with other adults! Students will learn the basic positions, correct body alignment with both hands on the barre and an introduction to basic ballet terminology. These classes are a perfect refresher for those who have taken class before or as a great jumpstart for the complete beginner.
Benefits of Absolute Beginner Ballet
Try out ballet in a non intimidating environment • Learn and develop a new skill • Improve posture • Improve flexibility • Develop gracefulness • Build agility and coordination • Tone muscles • Enhance mind body coordination • Artistic development
beginner to intermediate
This class is open to all adults who want to dance! Some adults may have years of ballet experience while others have none. Options will be provided for adults to “pick and choose” what they want to do during class to modify an exercise or make combinations and barre work more challenging. Class time will be spent performing barre, center, and across the floor work with combinations adjusted for different levels of ability as needed. Dancers will learn various adagio and across the floor combinations, as well as basic technique movements such as a pirouette, jets, and arabesques. Stretching to increase flexibility as well as some barre conditioning will be incorporated throughout the class. Whether you are a seasoned dancer or have never attended ballet before, you will find this class valuable and fun!
Benefits of Beginner to Intermediate
Seasoned dancers can go “back to the basics” for their form in barre work and center exercises • New dancers have movements modeled for them by the intermediate dancers • Increase flexibility • Improve posture • Caloric burn • Learn a new skill in a safe and motivating environment • Improve coordination • Express yourself creatively • Improve your energy • Challenge yourself cognitively with barre combinations
INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED
Our intermediate-advanced level class is for the seasoned dancer, or dancer who would like more of a challenge. This class usually contains working professionals in musical theater, ballroom, and/or ballet dance. If you are unsure if this level is right for you, we recommend starting with the beg-int. level and then consulting the teacher. We have many students who take this class in addition to the beginning level classes. In this class, more challenging barre combinations will be utilized and perhaps at a faster pace. Students are permitted and invited to dance en pointe if they have point shoes. At this level, dancers have an understanding of ballet steps, body positions, and port de bras. Dancers can perform petit and allegro combinations and are now ready to be introduced to more advanced ballet technique. Dancers are expected to coordinate arm and leg movements smoothly. Center floor work requires a greater ability to use core strength and balance and incorporates more challenging petite and grande allegro steps and turns.
Benefits of Intermediate – Advanced
Improve posture and flexibility • Perform more complex barre work at a faster pace • Perform combinations in the center of the room • Participate in a class with other seasoned dancers • Caloric burn • Tone muscles required to execute ballet effectively • Creative expression • Use your pointe shoes in class
Stretch and Strengthen
This class will focus on the basics of ballet with the majority of the class working on the barre. We will explore not only the specific steps themselves, but also what they mean and how to achieve them by using the correct muscles and intention. Students will be able to walk away from this class with a deeper understanding of how the body works to achieve movement and how the work at the barre translates into center work. There will also be a focus in stretching. The stretches in this ballet class will focus on proper alignment in order to enhance the lines of the dancer.
Benefits of Stretch and Strengthen
Increase flexibility • Improve posture • Tone muscles • Introduction to ballet • Great review for seasoned dancers • Stretch and elongate lines • Caloric burn
BALLET FITNESS
Ballet Fitness Fundamentals is a conditioning class intended for anyone, not just ballet dancers! Ballet fitness is similar to our barre classes, however more Pilates and ballet exercises are incorporated. Most if not all of the exercises in this class are done in a turned out position, and we target the muscles needed to execute ballet effectively such as strong calves, thighs, gluteus, core, arms, back, and shoulders. Ballet Fitness class is set to fun up beat music with perhaps some classical ballet music mixed in. We also work on conditioning to achieve certain movements in ballet such as passé retire, developpe, our splits, etc.
Benefits of Ballet Fitness
Strengthen the core, back, arms, calves, thighs, and glutes • Build long and lean muscles • Burn calories • Learn exercises that can be transferred to ballet class • More variety than a typical barre class • More ballet focus than a typical barre class • Infuses Pilates exercises • Great way for dancers to stay in shape or newbies to learn some ballet positions • Targets correct posture • Gain flexibility
Contemporary
This open level class is designed for adults who have a hankering to try a contemporary dance class but either intimidated, self conscious, or just need a gentle beginning. The class starts with warm up phrases that introduce the ideas of sharing, yielding, surrendering, supporting, and negotiating in both physical and abstract ways. Through learning short choreographies at the end that have emphasis on head-tail connection, spirals, folding and creasing hips, dancers get a chance to vocalize and express their artistries as well. For those with previous fitness experience, this class can be an excellent opportunity to learn how to find the transition from a standing position to the ground, and gathering the strength required to return to vertical.
Benefits of Contemporary Ballet
Increase flexibility • Gain strength • Tone muscles • Introduction to partner work • Creative expression • Variety of ballet combinations • Learn transitional movements • Explore bodily movement • Even more fun way to learn and explore ballet
