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Pre-Ballet

Pre-Ballet “A” (ages 5-7)
Pre-Ballet “B”(ages 6-8)

Pre-Ballet 

Prospective Students Are Evaluated Through Trial Lessons. All Level Placements Are Determined By Ayana Ballet School’s Director.

The Pre-Ballet program is a prelude to formal ballet instruction and introduces children to music and movement through a structured progression that emphasizes creativity, group interaction, and foundational body development. During the first years, we focus a lot on the development of a child’s physical abilities.

The youngest dancers are introduced to a well-structured environment where they learn to stand, walk and run as dancers, to develop the ability to imitate instructors’ movements and to express themselves using their imaginations.

Lessons for older Pre-Ballet dancers begin with a bow. Children learn to coordinate the movement of the feet with plié, master the notion of elongated leg and stretched foot, learn to pay attention, and work during the lesson. They warm up in a circle, and then we move to the mats. Exercises on the floor begin with setting the body, sitting on the floor. We spend many hours exercising on the floor, using the floor barre technique, for the development of feet, turnout, flexibility, upper body strength, and stretching. Center exercises are carried out to develop a sense of rhythm, coordination, and balance, as well as jumping in place exercises. Children do not know how to relax; our goal is to teach them to relax. We teach them the difference between a stressed state and a relaxed state.

This program has a vast experience of working with both talented students and children with limited physical abilities: in both cases, we achieve colossal achievements.

Pre-Ballet students participate in the Winter/Spring Presentation.

Elementary Ballet

The Elementary Ballet Program

A placement class is required for this level. Ages 8 and up. 

Junior Ballet 1 (ages 8-9) 

Junior Ballet 1/2 (ages 8-10)

 

The Elementary Ballet syllabus allows the student to learn the exercises correctly and with full physicality. Our instructors use Agrippina Vaganova’s method, developed by the famous Russian Ballet pedagogue. Repetition and slow careful work is emphasized so that students learn discipline and control of their bodies. While we teach our students to be attentive, we recognize that in the first years of education, it is important to instill in children the love of classical dance. Therefore, the teacher pays much attention to how to interest the child. Lessons are very dynamic in the elementary grades, so that child does not stand all the time facing the barre and descends from the bustle of boredom. Therefore, we include a variety of elements and movements to make this class fun and challenging at the same time.

The program begins with preparatory exercises, which prepare young dancers’ bodies, hands, and feet to study classical dance. Next is the study of the positions of the hands and feet. The Vaganova method’s schools have always been famous for their distinct beautiful hands, and therefore we pay great attention to hands. All movements are taught according to the degree of complication. For example, all moves are broken down into pieces. Young dancers learn all moves first on the floor through floor barre ballet exercises, then we learn them at the barre, facing the barre and holding the barre with both hands, then we perform the same exercise holding the barre with one hand, and so on.

Elementary Ballet students progress to the next level when they have mastered the material and physical understanding of the syllabus at their current level. Students receive a written progress report at the end of each school year. Elementary Ballet students participate in the Winter/Spring Presentation.

Basic Ballet

Basic Ballet (ages 8-11)

This division is for dancers that would like to take ballet for physical health and fun. Basic Ballet students (ages 8-11) take the class once or twice per week. Dancers in this class have the opportunity to pursue more ballet. If they advance quickly and would like to add more classes or more formal training, they can request an audition for evaluation. Upon a successful audition, they can transfer to our regular ballet program. Pointe is not an option for the basic ballet division for the students’ own safety.

Intermediate & Advanced Divisions

Formal ballet training begins in the upper Junior Ballet School, a rigorous and comprehensive program of the highest caliber

Intermediate & Advanced Division

Audition required. Vaganova Ballet Curriculum Level 3 and up.

Junior Ballet 3/4 (ages 9-12)

Junior Ballet 4 (ages 12-15)

 

Students placed in the Intermediate and Advanced Division have shown that they have the discipline and determination to commit to a serious ballet program. Students in these Divisions attend class 7-12 hours per week, depending on their level.  Students in this division are age 11+ or have completed Junior Ballet Level 3 at Ayana Ballet School. Progression to the next level is based on the student’s technical skills, knowledge of the vocabulary, and physical understanding of the curriculum at their level. The curriculum challenges students to take individual responsibility for proper posture, body alignment, advanced/mature coordination, knowledge of executing techniques with precision, and artistry.

 Students progress to the next level when they have mastered the material and physical understanding of the syllabus at their current level. Written progress reports are distributed at the end of each school year.

 

Teens Ballet Group

This division is for teenage dancers who completed 4-5 years of ballet education. This program is designed for Junior High/High School students that due to a bust school schedule cannot commit to a full Ballet Program. Teen Ballet students (ages 12-16) take the class 2-3 times per week. Dancers in this class have the opportunity to pursue more ballet. If they advance quickly and would like to add more classes or more formal training, they can request an audition for evaluation. Upon a successful audition, they can transfer to our regular ballet program. 

Pointe is not an option for those who has less than 4 years of experiencethe in ballet  for the students’ own safety.

Teen Ballet students participate in  the Winter/Spring Presentation.

Boys’ Ballet

Prospective Students Are Evaluated Through Trial Lessons. All Level Placements Are Determined By Ayana School’s Director.

Boys Ballet Level 2 (ages 8-10)

This is a new program that we added this year to give boys the opportunity to learn ballet in a separate group. Boys Division classes emphasize posture, alignment, proper execution, fundamentals, port de bras, strength, and classroom etiquette. Includes attention to foot articulation and usage, and some stretching. While the basic syllabus is the same for beginning male and female students, the contrast between male and female dancing is increasingly emphasized as a student progresses. The personal example of the teacher is highly important. Their wealth of experience is a valuable contribution to the development of our male students. For these reasons, we are delighted to assign instructions to Kasymbek Tynybekov, our new Ballet Teacher from Turkey. Mr. Kasymbek holds an MA in Ballet Pedagogy Vaganova Method.

Written progress reports are distributed at the end of each school year.

Boys Ballet students participate in the Winter/Spring Presentation.

Performing Group

Performing group students are selected based on instructor recommendation. These dancers go deeper in exploring classical ballet and related dance disciplines. Students who are part of a Performing Group level participate in winter and spring productions as well as additional special projects. Auditions & commitment are required.