Classes at Conservatory Ballet
Conservatory Ballet offers world-class facilities, trained and caring faculty, diverse and talented students and real-world performance opportunities and over 215 classes in Ballet, Irish, Flamenco, Jazz, Tap and Hip Hop and pre-professional programs see class descriptions below.
Available classes for the following age ranges:
- 18 to 30 months
- 30 to 42 months
- 3 to 4 years
- 4 to 6 years
- 5 to 7 years
- 7 to 15 years
- 9 to 16 years
- 13 to adult
For Children Ages 18 To 30 Months
KinderMotion
Merrymaking is the theme, combining music with movements specifically designed to improve coordination, build visual recognition, and enhance agility. This class offers the security of the parent or caregiver to participate with the toddler. An excellent way for you're your toddler to begin to learn how to share, lead or follow. Tools: Trampoline, wands, percussion instruments, and balance beam.
Baby Ballet
This class offers a delightful way to familiarize the toddler with a ballet class. Children practice sharing, taking turns, leading and following, running, jumping, turning, and making a line or circle. This class offers the security of the parent or caregiver to participate with the toddler. Tools: ballet barres (just the right size), hula hoops, exercise balls, balance beams, tambourines, bean bags.
For Children Ages 30 To 42 Months
Little Tap & Pre Ballet
The focus of the first part of this class introduces balances and jumps and pantomime; then we transition into the tap portion where the focus is on merry making. Brush, brush, stomp, jump forward and back will certainly resonate with toddlers. This class starts the process of classical ballet's lyricism. It incorporates the rhythmic sounds of Africa, the birthplace of American jazz and tap. Conservatory's Little Tap and Pre Ballet is the perfect combination of Fred Astaire and George Balanchine.
Pre Ballet & Tumbling
This class introduces the parallel disciplines of classical ballet and tumbling. Children will develop strength, flexibility, and balance, and we'll get your child running, jumping and spinning and into tip "tot" shape. Tools: exercise mats, hula hoops, ballet barre and balance beams.
For Children Ages 3 To 4 Years
Prince & Princess Ballet
Every young girl dreams of being a princess, and every young boy, a gallant knight. Conservatory Ballet's Prince & Princess Ballet combines an introduction to classical ballet with magic wands and the child's imagination. Tools: costumes fit for royalty based on the ballet classics Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and more.
Story Ballet
The budding dancer will hear several fairy tales read by the teacher or shown on videotape and see how body language and physical expression can tell a story with dance instead of words. Tools: ballet barres, improvisation and the great ballet stories found in Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Beatrix Potter (video by England's Royal Ballet).
Introduction to Ballet
This preparatory class is your child's first step into the practice of classical ballet. The class focuses on ballet theory and execution, learning 1st and 2nd positions of the feet, vertical and horizontal movement, improvisation and pantomime.
For Children Ages 4 To 6 Years
Fairy Ballet
If your ballerina is interested in fairies and loves to dance, then this is the class for you! This class lets little dancers explore the world of Fairies through The Kirov Ballet's Sleeping Beauty. The children learn choreography from the different variations within this video by mimicking the world class Kirov Ballet dancers. Learning fundamentals include: stretching, warm-up and technique. At the end of the 10 week session, we invite the parents and grandparents to enjoy a demonstration of the fairies. (Friends are welcome)
Combination Tap & Ballet * Level 1
This class teaches basic ballet and tap principles, including exercises in center. Students will learn ballet arm and feet positions as well as beginning ballet movements, barre exercises, and combinations in center. Tap will introduce basic tap steps. Correct terminology, correct body alignment and musicality is the focus.
Pre-Football Ballet for Boys
For Children Ages 5 To 7
Ballet * Level 1
At this age students are expected to begin to develop a joy of learning and a physical and verbal ballet vocabulary. We'll cover first and second positions of the feet and the three positions of the arms based on the Vaganova syllabus. Plies, tendus, and frappes is the corp for barre exercises. The center exercises will focus on the coordination of arms, and head and feet. This class is fundamental in developing the muscle memory necessary for further study.
Combination Tap & Ballet * Level 2
PREREQUISITE: ONE YEAR OF COMBINATION BALLET & TAP LEVEL 1.
Following the skills taught in Level One, students will combine movements to create combinations across the floor and in the center. Tap is rhythm, and rhythm is the most important element of music. This class will focus on coordination and performing skills.
For Children Ages 7 To 15 Years
Jazz * Level 1
This class is a basic instructional class designed to initiate your journey into this ambient and versatile form of dance. It combines many styles and techniques from ethnic and contemporary dance to ballet. Rhythm, upon which all dance forms depend, is particularly integral to jazz dance. Encompassing the discipline and structure of classical ballet technique and utilizing popular music of the past and present, students will begin strengthening their balance and control. This fun class builds technical and expressive abilities with an emphasis on phrasing and coordination.
Tap * Level 1
This class develops rhythm and coordination skills, balance and control. It introduces basic tap vocabulary and technique while highlighting the importance of rhythm and sound. It incorporates the rhythmic sounds of Africa, the birthplace of American tap. Exercises consist of simple structures at slow tempos to coordinate steps in basic rhythmic patterns.
Tap * Level 2
PREREQUISITE: TAP LEVEL 1
This class introduces and reviews the fundamentals and traditional steps of tap with emphasis on developing proper technique and clean sounds. Using more moderate tempos than in Tap 1, exercises are extended and built upon, strengthening technique and musicality. Students begin to focus on phrasing rhythms and counting.
Hip Hop * Level 1
This class is a hip and new way of experiencing urban attitude and expression through a unique and refreshing form of dance.
Hip Hop * Level 2
PREREQUISITE: HIP HOP LEVEL 1
This class will start with a thorough warm up and conditioning exercises, then progress to various combinations utilizing the latest moves in funk and hip-hop styles. This fun high-energy class will include lots of choreography to develop the expressive abilities of the dancers.
Tap * Level 3
PREREQUISITE: TAP LEVEL 2
This class is a comprehensive study of American tap dancing that emphasizes terminology as well as sound technique while encouraging tap dance as a contemporary dance form. In this class students learn and have the chance to perform great American tap repertoire.
For Children Ages 9 To 16 Years
Jazz * Level 2
PREREQUISITE: JAZZ LEVEL 1
Using modern and contemporary music as the base, students will learn how to combine isolations, turns, jumps and rhythmical exercises.
Modern / Contemporary Dance
PREREQUISITE: BALLET AT AN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OR HIGHER
Conservatory's Modern/Contemporary Dance is an unconventional take on classical Ballet as we know it. It molds the body into striking, yet beautiful shapes and off-center lines. Students learn to express themselves using both sharp and free flowing forms and movements. Earth bound movements of falling, rolling, impromptu change of direction and expression. Triplets and off-center turns make this art form very different from ballet. Modern uses the basics of classical ballet as an anchor while misaligning traditional ballet positions. Think outside the ballet box! This class exposes students to the movement styles of Martha Graham, Lester Horton, Merce Cunningham and others. All participants in this class must be in intermediate level ballet or higher. No shoes required!
13 Years - Adult
Ballet * Level 3
A "reintroduction" for those students who have taken a break from dancing or for those who have decided to start late. This class is beginning Ballet class for teens and older students. Participants also join to strengthen their other disciplines, such as Figure skating, gymnastics, soccer, swimming and horseback riding.
Flamenco * Level 1
This class is for those who have never experienced flamenco dance. It introduces cursillos (hand and hips) and bolerias (rhythmic footing) often to live music. Add some spice to your dance life! Develop an extraordinary sense of rhythmic coordination through the rich and textured fluidity and poetic movement of Conservatory's Flamenco classes! This class is often taught with guitar accompaniment.