Ballet Classes
By the Elementary levels in Ballet, classes take on the traditional format of ballet classes throughout the world – except at the Academy we still warm students up with floor exercises to strengthen abdominal muscles and to stretch growing bodies. The floor exercises are followed by barre work, center work and traveling movements across the floor.
Elementary Ballet
When students enter the Elementary levels of our pre-professional division, they make a commitment to study two days per week. Teachers present more complex and physically demanding exercises. In addition to the June recital, students are eligible to participate in an additional recital held in December. Many students at this level also enjoy Jazz.
| Uniform: | |
| Girls: | Plain black TANK-top leotard, pink tights, pink ballets slippers, black bike shorts (optional). Hair needs to be pulled back securely and out of eyes. Long hair needs to be confined so as not to interfere with turns. |
| Boys: | Black tights, white T-shirt, black ballet slippers |
Elementary I (Ages 7 – 9)
Required: Two ballet technique per week
Tuesday 4:00 – 5:15 PM and
Thursday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Elementary II (Ages 8 - 10)
Required: Two ballet technique per week
Tuesday 4:00 – 5:15 PM and
Thursday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Elementary I/IIA (Ages 10 and Up/Must have completed Basic I/IIA or Basic II Ballet level)
Covers material of Elementary I and II Ballet in one year
Required: Two ballet technique per week
Monday 6:30 – 7:45 PM and
Wednesday 6:30 – 7:45 PM
Elementary Jazz & Tap
Jazz Dance at the Academy is age-appropriate with the youngest classes doing dances to familiar tunes from their favorite movies or from musical theatre – but before we dance we always do warm-ups that stretch and strengthen muscles! As the student progresses, the movement patterns and combinations become more complicated.
Tap is also oriented towards the age and range of the class make up. A fun class for children of all ages, students learn the basic tap steps and how to coordinate them into more complicated rhythmical phrases.
| Uniform: | |
| Boys and Girls: | Jazz: Plain Black TANK-top leotard, black jazz pants, black jazz shoes |
Jazz
Continuing Jazz I (No previous experience required)
Monday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Thursday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Continuing Jazz II (Must have completed Cont. Jazz I)
Tuesday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Tap (Ages 6 and Up)
Beginning Tap
Wednesday 5:15 – 6:15 PM
Continuing Tap (Completion of Beginning Tap & consent of instructor
Tuesday 5:15 – 6:15 PM
Intermediate I Ballet & Modern
Intermediate I, II, III Ballet students are required to study Modern Dance. Students in Intermediate I take Ballet two days per week; Intermediate II and III must take Ballet three days per week and usually do Pre-Pointe or Pointe work. Any exceptions to these requirements must be cleared through Stephanie Clemens before registration. We encourage students to take Jazz. Although Ballet is the best basis for all dance forms, the reality of the dance world requires versatile performers. There are many dance careers besides “ballerina.”
| Uniform: | |
| Girls: | Plain black TANK-top leotard, pink tights, pink ballet slippers, black bike shorts (optional). Hair needs to be pulled back seucrely and out of eyes. Long hair needs to be confined so as not to interfere with turns. |
| Boys: | Black tights, white T-shirt, black ballet slippers |
Intermediate I Ballet
Required: Two Ballet Technique & one Modern per week
Ballet Technique
Tuesday 4:00 – 5:15 PM and
Thursday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Intermediate I Modern - Dance Composition
Thursday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Intermediate II Ballet & Modern
Intermediate II Ballet
Required: Three Ballet Technique and Intermediate II Modern per week. Pre-Pointe must be taken before dancers will progress to Pointe. Any exceptions to these requirements must be approved by Stephanie Clemens before registration.
| Uniform: | |
| Girls: | Plain black TANK-top leotard, pink tights, pink ballet slippers, black bike shorts (optional). Hair needs to be pulled back seucrely and out of eyes. Long hair needs to be confined so as not to interfere with turns. |
| Boys: | Black tights, white T-shirt, black ballet slipper |
Ballet Technique
Monday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Wednesday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Friday 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Pre-Pointe
Wednesday 6:30 – 7:15 PM
Friday 5:30 – 6:15 PM
Intermediate II Modern
Monday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Pointe
Regardless of talent or skill, no one under 10 years of age may wear Pointe shoes at the Academy. Pointe shoes are recommended by the instructors based upon the following criteria:
- Chronological age and calcification of the bones in the foot- usually 11 to 12 years of age. The wearing of Pointe shoes at too early an age or by someone not adequately prepared can cause traumatic and even permanent damage to the student.
- Hip placement sufficiently correct and under control to maintain the center of gravity over the “Pointe” of the foot, as well as the ability to hold the turnout correctly from the hip.
- Strength and development of the arches of the foot.
- Strength to fully pull up and hold the instep, front of the thigh and trunk to assure correct alignment on Pointe.
Intermediate III Ballet & Modern
Required: Three Ballet Technique with Intermediate III Modern per week.
Students who have already had a year of Intermediate III Modern may elect to take Jazz instead. They may also take Advanced Modern with the consent of the instructor. If Pointe is taken, student must take two classes per week. Any exceptions to these requirements must be cleared through Stephanie Clemens before registration.
| Uniform: | |
| Girls: | Plain black TANK-top leotard, pink tights, pink ballet slippers, black bike shorts (optional). Hair needs to be pulled back seucrely and out of eyes. Long hair needs to be confined so as not to interfere with turns. |
| Boys: | Black tights, white T-shirt, black ballet slipper |
Ballet Technique
Monday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Tuesday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Thursday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Pointe
Tuesday 6:30 – 7:15 PM
Thursday 6:30 - 7:15 PM
Intermediate III Modern
Monday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Advanced I Modern – Graham Technique (One year Intermediate III Modern)
Thursday 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Intermediate IV Ballet and Modern
Required: Three Ballet Technique per week.
Students who have already had a year of Intermediate III Modern may elect to take Advanced Modern or Advanced Jazz. If Pointe is taken, student must take two classes per week. Any exceptions to these requirements must be cleared through Stephanie Clemens before registration.
| Uniform: | |
| Girls: | Plain black TANK-top leotard, pink tights, pink ballet slippers, black bike shorts (optional). Hair needs to be pulled back seucrely and out of eyes. Long hair needs to be confined so as not to interfere with turns. |
| Boys: | Black tights, white T-shirt, black ballet slipper |
Intermediate IV Ballet
Monday 6:30 – 7:45 PM
Wednesday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Friday 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Intermediate IV Pointe
Monday 7:45 – 8:30 PM
Wednesday 6:30 – 7:15 PM
Friday 5:30 – 6:15 PM
Advanced I Modern - Graham Technique (One year Intermediate III Modern)
Thursday 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Advanced II Modern - Graham Technique (One year Advanced Modern or consent of instructor)
Saturday 11:00 – 12:30 PM
Intermediate I Jazz
Jazz Dance at the Academy is age-appropriate with the youngest classes doing dances to familiar tunes from their favorite movies or from musical theatre – but before we dance we always do warm-ups that stretch and strengthen muscles! As the student progresses, the movement patterns and combinations become more complicated.
| Uniform: | |
| Boys and Girls: | Plain Black TANK-top leotard, black jazz pants, black jazz shoes |
Continuing Jazz I (No previous experience)
Monday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Continuing Jazz II (Must have completed Continuing Jazz I)
Tuesday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Continuing Jazz III (Must have completed Continuing Jazz II)
Wednesday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Intermediate II Jazz
Continuing Jazz II (No previous experience)
Tuesday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Thursday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Continuing Jazz III (Must have completed Cont. Jazz II)
Wednesday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Continuing Jazz IV (Must have completed Continuing Jazz III)
Thursday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Continuing Jazz V (Must have completed Continuing Jazz IV)
Wednesday 4:00 - 5:15 PM
Intermediate III Jazz
Continuing Jazz II (No previous experience)
Tuesday 5:15 – 6:30 PM
Thursday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Continuing Jazz III (Must have completed Cont. Jazz II)
Wednesday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Continuing Jazz IV (Must have completed Cont. Jazz III)
Thursday 4:00 – 5:15 PM
Continuing Jazz V (Must have completed Cont. Jazz IV)
Wednesday 4:00 - 5:15 PM
Advanced I Jazz
Tuesday 7:45 – 9:15 PM
Intermediate IV Jazz
Continuing Jazz V (Must have completed Cont. Jazz IV) Wednesday 4:00 - 5:15 PM
Advanced I Jazz
Tuesday 7:45 – 9:15 PM
Advanced II Jazz
Tuesday 7:45 -9:15 PM
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Advanced I Dance
| Uniform: | |
| Girls: | Plain Black TANK-top leotard, pink tights, black bike shorts (optional), pink ballet slippers. Hair needs to be pulled back securely and out of eyes. Long hair needs to be confined so as not to interfere with turns. |
| Boys: | T-shirt, tights and ballet slippers |
| No Baggy or Plastic Warm-Up Clothes | |
Required: Consent of instructor is required for all classes at the Advanced level. The minimum number of technique classes to maintain skills and fitness at the advanced level is THREE – two of which must be ballet. Students wishing to take Advanced I pointe must take a minimum of three ballet technique and two pointe classes. These requirements are actually less than for Intermediate II and III, that also require one modern dance class per week, and working at the minimum level is for maintenance rather than real progress.
Any exceptions to these requirements must be approved by the director before registration. Students must have regular attendance at these minimum levels to be eligible for MOMENTA, and/or for featured parts in the June recital, and to continue to study at the Advanced I level.
Advanced I Ballet Technique
Monday 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Wednesday 7:15 – 8:30 PM
Friday* 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Pointe
Monday 8:00 – 9:00 PM
Wednesday 8:30 – 9:15 PM
Friday* 5:30 – 6:30 PM
*Friday Classes Combined with Advanced II
Advanced I Modern - Graham Technique (One year Intermediate III Modern)
Thursday 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Advanced II Modern - Graham Technique (One year Advanced Modern or consent of instructor)
Saturday 11:00 – 12:30 PM
Advanced I Jazz
Tuesday 7:45 – 9:15 PM
Advanced II Jazz
Tuesday 7:45 – 9:15 PM
| MOMENTA is the Academy’s resident performing arts company. Students in good standing in the Advanced levels are eligible to join the Academy faculty and other dance professionals to perform in our own Doris Humphrey Memorial Theatre and in other venues throughout the year. MOMENTA invites younger dancers from the Academy’s lower levels to participate in the Junior Company. MOMENTA dancers must be versatile. They need to be competent in Ballet, Modern and Jazz. |
Advanced II Dance
| Uniform: | |
| Girls: | Plain Black TANK-top leotard, pink tights, black bike shorts (optional), pink ballet slippers. Hair needs to be pulled back securely and out of eyes. Long hair needs to be confined so as not to interfere with turns. |
| Boys: | T-shirt, tights and ballet slippers |
| No Baggy or Plastic Warm-Up Clothes | |
Required: Advanced II dancers must take a minimum of five technique classes per week. Three of these classes must be ballet. If the dancer is taking pointe, she must take three pointe classes per week. Teachers prepare Advanced II classes for those students planning to major in dance in college, and/or to pursue a professional career in dance. These students will need to maintain this commitment if they expect to compete at auditions with serious dance students from other schools. By the time the student with professional goals is in his/her junior or senior year of high school, he/she should be taking more than one technique class per day – several days per week. Older high school students are encouraged to take additional classes downtown. In order to be eligible for MOMENTA and Academy performances, the student must show proof of enrollment in a reputable school elsewhere, and must still be enrolled in a minimum of two classes per week at the Academy. Casting and repertoire for the major roles in MOMENTA and in the Academy’s June recital will be drawn from those who show excellent attendance. Continued absences from Advanced classes, and failure to meet minimum requirements will result in: 1) a warning from the director that the student is on probation for two weeks, and 2) if absences continue, the student will be asked to move to a lower level.
Advanced II Ballet Technique
Monday 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Tuesday 5:15 – 6:45 PM
Wednesday 7:15 – 8:30 PM
Thursday 5:15 – 6:45 PM
Friday* 4:00 – 5:30 PM
Pointe
Monday 8:00 – 9:00 PM
Tuesday 6:45 – 7:45 PM
Wednesday 8:30 – 9:15 PM
Thursday 6:45 – 7:30 PM
Friday* 5:30 – 6:30 PM
*Friday Classes Combined with Advanced I
Advanced I Modern - Graham Technique (One year Intermediate III Modern)
Thursday 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Advanced II Modern - Graham Technique (One year Advanced Modern or consent of instructor)
Saturday 11:00 – 12:30 PM
Advanced I Jazz
Tuesday 7:45 – 9:15 PM
Advanced II Jazz
Tuesday 7:45 – 9:15 PM