Ballet

Our classical ballet program is based on the internationally recognized syllabus of the Royal Academy of Dance, based in London England. We implement this training into the Performance Awards Program offered by the American Academy of Ballet. It is a measured syllabus that awards students of all abilities and levels with a Gold, Silver or Bronze metal and certificate from the AAB. Both RAD and AAB are recognized internationally as prestigeous training that instills clean, precise technique and provides beautiful dancers into the professional world.

Both students who are aiming for a professional ballet career and those who are not, benefit from these established curriculums and syllabuses greatly! Additionally, when students are examined by esteemed professionals who are non-biased, it helps to hold the instructors accountable for the quality of training the students receive. Also, it helps for students to receive grading from non-biased examiners to receive valuable feedback on their progress and accomplishments.  

All students are placed in class levels based on both ability and age. Placement and graduation to the next level is at the discretion of the instructors and directors.

Children's Ballet Levels

Creative Movement  - Ages 3-4.  One 30 minute class each week. Monthly tuition of $38

Instructor: Marta Hazekamp-Stovin.

Ballet Level 1 (Pre-Ballet) - Ages 4-5. One 45 minute class each week. Monthly tuition of $40 

Ballet Level 2 - Ages 6-7.  One 1 hour class each week. Monthly tuition of $45

Ballet Level 3 - Ages 7-9. Two 1.5 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $85

Instructor: Marta Hazekamp-Stovin, Director

• This class is for students who are either new to ballet, or those in their second year of ballet (those moving up from Primary level). 
• Class focuses and expands on learning ballet vocabulary, body control, technique and the ability to memorize exercises and combinations.
• Barre work such as plie, tendu, glisse, fondu, ronds de jambe a terre, developpe, grand battements and more 
• Center exercises such as port de bras, jumps that use 3rd position of the feet, partner polka, echappe, petit allegro and enchainements.
• Fun, familiar and new, age appropriate classical music is used for the syllabus.
• Children will also develop and improve listening skills, motor skills, coordination, grace, rhythm and musicality, as well as social skills.
• Students are expected to emotionally and physically ready to perform at this age/level.

Ballet Level 4 - Ages 8-10. Three 1.5 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $120

Instructor: Marta Hazekamp-Stovin, Director and Christine Carlisle, Ballet Mistress

Deadline & Requirements: Class size is limited to 12 children, so early registration is recommended! No previous experience is required, although 1 year or more is recommended. Girls Uniform: Aqua Marine Blue camisole Leotard, ballet pink tights, leather ballet shoes with ribbons (in preparation for pointe), hair in tidy bun. Boys: White T-shirt, black tights, white socks and black or white ballet shoes.  

About the Class:

• This level has an increased level of difficulty in steps, combinations and technique in comparison to ballet level 1 and therefore some dance experience is recommended.
• Class focuses and expands on learning ballet vocabulary, body control, technique and the ability to memorize exercises and combinations.
• Some steps and vocabulary introduced in this level are developpe, adage, arabesques, petit jetes, pas de chats, grand allegro, and preparation for piruoettes (releves, retires, balances, etc). 
• Fun, familiar and new, age appropriate classical music is used for the syllabus.
• Children will also develop and improve listening skills, coordination, social skills, grace, as well as rhythm and musicality.
• Students are expected to have the maturity to perform at this age/level.

Ballet Level 5 - Ages 9 and up.  Four 1.5 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $160

Instructor: Marta Hazekam-Stovin, Director and Christine Carlisle, Advanced Ballet Master

Deadline & Requirements: Class size is limited to 12 children. 1-2 years of ballet training recommended. Girls Uniform: Buttercup yellow camisole leotard, ballet pink tights, leather ballet shoes with ribbons (in preparation for pointe), hair in tidy bun. Boys: White t-shirt, black tights, white socks, black or white ballet shoes.

About the class:

• Four classes a week; 1.5 hour each, includes Saturday ballet. 
• This class has an elementary to pre-intermediate level of difficulty in steps, combinations, and technique.
• If the students technique qualifies, this is also the first level that is eligible to be on pointe.
• Class focuses on pre-pointe exercises strengthening the ankles, feet, core muscles, and posture.
• Ronds de jambe en l'air and simple pirouettes are introduced. Ballance's are introduced. Petit adage, petit allegro and allegro become more difficult.
• Fun, familiar and new, age appropriate classical music is used for this syllabus.
• Students will also develop and improve listening skills, social skills, grace, rhythm and musicality as well as responsibility.
• Students at this level are expected to have the maturity to perform at this age/level.

Intermediate Ballet Levels - All these levels include Saturday morning ballet class free of charge!

NEW! Mens & Boys Only Ballet/Dance Class - Ages 11 - adult. FREE of charge for your first 6 months! After that: $50 monthly tuition. Preferred attire: Mens black or white tights (spandex), leggings or fitted shorts, with White or black fitted t-shirt, white or black ballet shoes. 

Ballet Level 6 - Ages 10 and up Four or more 1 1/2 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $185. Girls Uniform: *Mulberry Camisole leotard, ballet pink tights, short chiffon skirt for pointe-work only, leather ballet shoes, hair in tidy bun. Pointe shoes with instructors approval only. Boys: Solid color t-shirt (no print), plain shorts or black or white tights, black or white ballet shoes. Hair our of eyes. *All students must have the uniform leotard, but because they study dance daily, they may wear any color/style of leotard for classwork to allow for "laundry days".

Ballet Level 7 - Ages 11 and up Four or more 1 1/2 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $185. Girls Uniform: *Coral Camisole leotard, ballet pink tights, short chiffon skirt for pointe-work only, leather ballet shoes, hair in tidy bun. Pointe shoes with instructors approval only. Boys: Solid color t-shirt (no print), plain shorts or black or white tights, black or white ballet shoes. Hair our of eyes. *All students must have the uniform leotard, but because they study dance daily, they may wear any color/style of leotard for classwork to allow for "laundry days".

Ballet Level 8 - Ages 11 and up Five or more 1 1/2 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $200. Includes all other dance classes free of charge.  Girls Uniform: *Jade Camisole leotard, ballet pink tights, short chiffon skirt for pointe-work only, leather ballet shoes, hair in tidy bun. Pointe shoes with instructors approval only. Boys: Solid color t-shirt (no print), plain shorts or black or white tights, black or white ballet shoes. Hair our of eyes. *All students must have the uniform leotard, but because they study dance daily, they may wear any color/style of leotard for classwork to allow for "laundry days".

Ballet Level 9 - Ages 12 and up Five or more 1 1/2 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $200. Includes all other dance classes free of charge. Girls Uniform: *Sage Camisole leotard, ballet pink tights, short chiffon skirt for pointe-work only, leather ballet shoes, hair in tidy bun. Pointe shoes with instructors approval only. Boys: Solid color t-shirt (no print), plain shorts or black or white tights, black or white ballet shoes. Hair our of eyes. *All students must have the uniform leotard, but because they study dance daily, they may wear any color/style of leotard for classwork to allow for "laundry days".

Advanced Ballet Levels - All these include Saturday morning ballet class and all other dance classes free of charge! 

Ballet Level 10 - Ages teen and up Five or more 1 1/2 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $220. Girls Uniform: *Lilac Camisole leotard, ballet pink tights, short chiffon skirt for pointe-work only, leather ballet shoes, hair in tidy bun. Pointe shoes with instructors approval only. Boys: Solid color t-shirt (no print), plain shorts or black or white tights, black or white ballet shoes. Hair our of eyes. *All students must have the uniform leotard, but because they study dance daily, they may wear any color/style of leotard for classwork to allow for "laundry days".

Ballet Level 11 - Ages teen and up Five or more 1 1/2 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $220. Girls Uniform: *Eggplant Camisole leotard, ballet pink tights, short chiffon skirt for pointe-work only, leather ballet shoes, hair in tidy bun. Pointe shoes with instructors approval only. Boys: Solid color t-shirt (no print), plain shorts or black or white tights, black or white ballet shoes. Hair our of eyes. *All students must have the uniform leotard, but because they study dance daily, they may wear any color/style of leotard for classwork to allow for "laundry days".

Ballet Level 12 - Ages teen and up Five or more 1 1/2 hour classes each week. Monthly tuition of $220. Girls Uniform: *Black Camisole leotard, ballet pink tights, short chiffon skirt for pointe-work only, leather ballet shoes, hair in tidy bun. Pointe shoes with instructors approval only. Boys: Solid color t-shirt (no print), plain shorts or black or white tights, black or white ballet shoes. Hair our of eyes. *All students must have the uniform leotard, but because they study dance daily, they may wear any color/style of leotard for classwork to allow for "laundry days".

Dance Teaching Philosophy

At The Academy we take teaching dance, and the health and safety of our dancers, very seriously. As with all athletic activity there is physical risks, and, unfortunately, in the USA there aren't any requirements for dance teachers to be "certified" to teach the public, other than to aquire a business license. This means that anyone, with any amount of training, can hang up a sign and open a dance school. Imagine the risks that parents are taking who are uneducated in the ways dance! That's why it's extremely important that parents do their research on the school and teachers of the school that they are inquiring about.

Parents can rest their worries with The Academy. Unlike many dance schools, we have highly trained teachers that are examined and certified to teach dancers in a safe and healthy manner. Marta Hazekamp-Stovin, Christine Carlisle and Emily Hanson are all trained, examined and certified in the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) internationally recognized syllabus and they are trained to teach the syllabus. In addition, we continue to update our knowledge with the latest and greatest of information available to dance instructors in regards to health, safety, anatomy as it relates to dancers, injury prevention and more.

Advice for FAQ

Is there a right teacher for everyone?

Pointe 101

When to Begin Pointework

Commitment

Maturity

Technique

Health and Physique

Injury Prevention

Injury prevention is key. Proper placement and execution is most important in prevention, and each body is different, so an acute understanding of anatomy as it relates to movement is ideal. At the Academy we have a gread amount of training and take a great deal of care in evaluating each students facility and helping them to use their potential in the most safe manner.

When people are active there is always a risk for potential injury, whether it be "user error", accidental, or pre-existing structural challenges, injuries can happen, even when both instructor and student do their best to prevent it. But there are some tools and tricks of the trade! Here are some helpful tips.

Did you know that Pilates, Yoga and Stretching are a great way (and proven!) to prevent injury and to recove from certain injuries? It's true. Try our Conditioning class which includes all three!

These Natural remedies are also proven to improve the speed of recovery and to keep "aches and pains" from becoming worse or injured:

Epsom Salts ~ Soaking in espom salts in a hot bath or foot tub is a great way to heal sprains, strains, bruises, muscle tissue tenderness and much more. An age old remedy that's great for many uses, and its CHEAP! I reccommend a couple cups of salts in your bath water and soaking for a minimum of 15 min. up to 30 minutes.

Arnica Gel ~ Another age old remedy that is a must for all medicine cabinets. Arnica helps reduce swelling, heal any internal tissue damage (sprains, strains, aches and pains) and bruising. Works wonders!

Tiger Balm ~ Comes in two forms; rub or ointment. This is a must for any dancers bag! Feels great and soothes just about any ache or pain.

Glucosamine Chondroitin Complex ~ If you have joint pain or are recovering from tendon or ligament issues this will be a huge aid in your recovery! Dancers swear by it.

A diet high in protein, calcium, iron and Vitamin D ~ Dancers are hard on muscles and need to replenish what they exhaust and increasing these in your diet as your activity increases will help prevent injury but can also speed recovery too!

There's an entire list of "tricks of the trade" for dancers on Pointe that include "second skin", mole skin, anbesol, and more....

The Parents Book of Ballet

The Best Age to Begin Ballet

Every August the studio phone starts to ring; it’s the beginning of another season, another ballet school semester. Parents are calling to enroll their children in class, and with the certainty of the season comes the frequent question:

“What age do you start children’s ballet lessons?”

The answer never varies. “Five years old for Pre-Ballet, seven or eight years old for regular ballet”.

Sometimes there is a hush of disappointment. “My child is almost four, but she has a lovely little body. She’s been dancing since she could walk…”

“She’s too young right now.”

The parent is undeterred. “She used to point her toes in the crib. Every time we play music she gets up and dances. She’s beautiful…”

Three years old, even four years old is simply too young to begin to learn the rudiments of ballet, and ay reasonably good ballet teacher will agree. Yet the demand for dance classes, even for the youngest age, has something they call “Creative Dance” or “Creative Movement” – a preliminary type of instruction that touches on dance and music appreciation but does not include any formal ballet training.

“We begin our creative dance classes with three-and-one-half to four year olds,” says Anne Marie Rebassi, an instructor with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. “At that age the children have an extremely limited attention span, so we keep the classes to a half hour, and we make no attempt to introduce ballet steps or terminology.”

The children are shown various forms of shape and movement, items they can easily recognize, such as a butterfly, a bubble, a flower, a cat or a pony. Then they learn to beat out the syllables of their names on the floor with their hands and/or feet in a rhythmic pattern. They make shapes with their bodies – such as the letter “C” by curving their backs, or a diamond by bending their legs outward – and they act out simple stories and nursery rhymes. The point is to get them used to using their bodies in order to say something.

“I can’t wait to see my child in a tutu,” a parent will often exclaim.

It will be a long wait. Occasionally, in the Creative dance classes, the students may be allowed to dress up in an old costume or wear a tiara. But tutu’s? “This isn’t a ballet class,” says Rebassi. “I try to teach them some classroom etiquette – how to listen and follow, not to talk – and I show them that there are different types of music.”

And that’s all she does.

Of course, there are times when parents and children are their own worst enemies…

Because the very young child constitutes a large part of the studio income, sometimes it is hard for a teacher to refuse them admission, especially in small towns where the overall number of students may not be high. But the first step should be the creative dance experience, and from that the ballet end product will be more satisfying.

Unfortunately, there are parents of three and four-year-olds who won’t be deterred by a refusal to teach their little ones formal ballet. If they try hard enough, they will probably find someone who will take their child, but the consequences can be enormous. The child may be taught incorrectly or may be hurt because of the physical demands or may simply become bored… and the dream of a ballet career could be over before it really begins.

A proper dance instruction is based on the child’s physical ability and stage of development. At four years old a youngsters bones are quite soft and malleable, and severe damage could result from overly arduous training or exertion. Even the best and most caring teacher is not equipped to pinpoint a child’s level of development at this young age—only a pediatrician could know for certain. The good ballet teacher will explain these risks to a parent adamant enough to want pure ballet training for a four-year-old. The creative dance experience can be fun for a little one, ad its demands won’t be overly taxing.

Sometimes, however, there are children at the age of four who are so determined to dance ad have made up their minds that there’s little use in trying to deter them. A few, indeed, even go on to have successful careers, though many do become burned out. But if a child like this is in the house, what can be done?

First, call the largest dance schools in the area and ask about their teaching philosophies; do they follow a graded system; do they have recitals; how many children in a class; have they had any students join professional companies; at what age do the students go “on pointe” (if before 11 years old, don’t even consider—see part 3)?

Next, ask to come in and watch a class of four-year-olds and a class of six-to-seven-year-olds. See how much repetition of content there is in each class; if it exists, the chances are any new student will be subjected to the same thing, and this could go on for up to four years – or until the child is eight or nine. Quite a boring prospect. Children don’t want to be flowers, trees or kittens for that long, they want variety.

Then, check and see if the same teacher is teaching all the classes. This, too, can become boring for a little one.

Does the school offer a recital? We’ll see more on that later on, but most classical ballet teachers believe that four-years-old is too young to take the pressure of a recital. Talk to the parents in both classes, ask how their children have reacted, then talk to the teacher and see if she really understands the tiny child. Ask how much she expects of the creative dance class, and if she expects the students to learn technique such as barre work, arabesques and pirouettes. If so, be very cautious.

But when the child becomes five years old, another level is reached. Now pre-ballet classes are appropriate and here the children get their first exposure to formal ballet. There are, in fact, some well recognized teachers who believe no child should even enter a dance class before the age of five. Pre-ballet should be the first group dance exposure, and the reasoning is simply that before the age of five, little that is taught will be retained, and a later start can only be of ultimate benefit.

But the creative dance experience should not be worthless, providing no one expects too much, too little, if any, performing pressure is placed on the child. The time for all that pressure and performing will come later on.

The key is this; there are reasons why a should start dance training at a particular age, and just because the little moppet looks so cute in a pink tutu when grandmother comes to visit doesn’t mean she or he is ready to begin formal ballet training.

A year can make such a difference! Five-year-olds with a season of creative dance behind them will quickly appreciate that such creative expression is to be channeled to rigid standards, will now become a five-year-old’s lack of discipline.

It is the first lesson on the front edge of a possible ballet career. Ballet is discipline, it is close following of prescribed movements, it is strange and exciting.

The opens…”Face the barre,” the teacher says, pointing to the rounded wood or metal shape attached to the wall and running parallel to the floor. “Now put both of your hands on it… gently, gently….”

The little ones are thrilled, until now they haven’t been allowed to touch the barre. First, the teacher shows them two of the five ballet feet positions (the other three positions are more complicated and shouldn’t be attempted until the children are at least eight years old), and she explains that these should be done with a forty-five-degree “turn out”.

To five-year-olds this means nothing, other than their first exposure to a new ballet term. But they watch as she rotates her entire leg with the knee, calf, ankle, and foot in strict alignment.

(For more, please read the book)

Finding the Right Teacher

The art of ballet is a multiple discipline, combining a varied assortment of dance, movement and music with an appreciation of painting, literature, history and sculpture. It is not enough to teach a series of steps and sit back contentedly while the student tries to make sense of what has been taught.

The fine ballet teacher is an artist first – then a teacher. Not the other way around.

The fine ballet teacher infuses a child with a deep love of all the arts, and to do this the teacher must have a personal respect and love for the ballet art form. The teacher must believe in it, and must live it.

Parents must search out the teacher’s background, and the key is to determine if the teacher has a minimum of six to ten years of training with a recognized and reliable ballet school such as Virginia Intermount College, School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Hartford Ballet or a school attached to a professional company either in the USA or abroad. While professional stage experience is not mandatory, it is certainly helpful. But note this: There are many fine teachers who have not danced professionally; a teacher with careful training and no professional experience is far preferable to one with poor training and extensive stage experience.

An important consideration must be the instructional syllabus and that the teacher and the school will follow, and parents should become familiar with the overall plan. There are a number of recognized syllabuses, all based on Russian, French, English, Danish or Italian ballet traditions, and any one of them would be appropriate for a child. The syllabus is the actual plan on instruction—the number of classes per day and week, the movements to be learned and followed, body emphasis, and yearly progression skills. The syllabus should take the child from the point of entry into the ballet world to the pre-professional level, a period of at least eight years.

The point is that while these and the other recognized European systems are taught in the US, they are excellent instructional plans, reliable and substantial. In particular, the Cecchetti ad Royal Academy of Dance systems offer yearly refresher courses for teachers and examinations for students. Because of their wide acceptance, the examination results for students from both systems can be evaluated on a national and international level.

What, then, might an appropriate examination syllabus contain? It will include barre and center work, a simple dance and in some cases mime and character dancing. Because there is “preset” work, some of the examination preparations time can become a bit tedious, and a truly talented ballet teacher will prepare her students with a mixture of syllabus work and other aspects of technique, including – in the higher grades – some performance and repertoire.

But the syllabus is the key to everything. Some fine teachers do not wish to adhere to the rigid demands of a pre-conceived syllabus, preferring instead to follow their own designs. There is nothing wrong with this provided they have a sound knowledge of the existing systems (including the Vaganova system from Russia, the Bournonville system from Denmark, as well as the Cecchetti and Royal Academy of Dance which are highly respected systems), and they provide a sound grading system. In some cases, this can have a happy effect on the child because the teacher represents a varied learning history that comprises the best of everything.

The important thing to remember…ask! Find out the syllabus the teacher and the studio follow. Make sure it is firmly based on the European tradition.

In the United States anyone can hang up a shingle and call him-or-herself a ballet or dance teacher. There is no organization or governing body to license teachers to maintain standards. Unfortunately, there is no licensing requirement for dance teachers in the US, and while the profession has tried self-policing, it has met with different results. There are some dance teacher organizations that examine teachers for membership, but they are not geared specifically for ballet.

The best way to choose a teacher and a school is to ask questions and to follow the steps outlined. Be informed! Visit the school and watch a class. The teacher should be giving verbal and “hands on” corrections; it should be a disciplined class. Do not – repeat, do NOT – choose a teacher because of location, price or convenience. Ease of car pooling, allowing a child to be with her best friend a couple hours more each day, are NOT reasons to choose either a teacher or a school. Improper training can result in malformed bones, improper muscle structure and career frustration. Ballet training is serious training, and it should be approached in a serious manner.