Colburn’s Early Dance Program is designed to foster the love of dance and music in little dancers between the ages of 4 and 6.
This class is designed to introduce our youngest dancers to the ballet studio, whether they are completely new to group classes or have had experience in Colburn’s Early Childhood Creative Arts Program. The instructor leads the dancers through creative storytelling, patterns, and fundamentals of posture, arm movements, stretching, traveling steps, all with a focus on musicality. Class is 55 minutes in length and may feature live piano accompaniment.
This class serves as an introduction to the setting and structure of a ballet class. The 55-minute session begins with a series of warm up exercises to emphasize posture, correct alignment, coordination, and musicality. The use of the barre is introduced for basic ballet steps like plié and tendu, and students begin to learn the meaning of French terminology. Center work and across the floor exercises develop spatial awareness, balance, artistic expression, and joy of movement. The class may feature live piano accompaniment.
This class is designed to prepare young dancers for Colburn’s sequential ballet levels. There is continued emphasis on posture, alignment, coordination, musicality, and more vocabulary is introduced. The class features introductory barre work, conditioning, stretching, and center work/ traveling exercises. Music and imagination go hand in hand with learning ballet technique fundamentals. The class is 55 minutes long and may feature live piano accompaniment.
Grow in technique and artistry through these multidisciplinary class levels.
This class establishes a strong dance foundation for young male students and parallels the course of the Ballet 1 curriculum, but in an encouraging boys-only environment. Boys’ Dance meets twice per week for 90-minutes. The class also combines with Ballet I for a weekly 45-minute stretch time/and or rehearsal for semester-end performances.
Ballet I is the first level in Colburn Youth Ballet’s sequential program. Students must be 7 years of age by the start of fall classes. Students learn the proper fundamentals of ballet technique with focus on body placement, correct shaping of feet, activating turnout, and developing musicality and a sense of artistry. The level includes one 90-minute technique/repertoire class and one 60- minute technique class per week. Male dancers may take the 1-hr Friday Boys’ class in lieu of Saturday technique class.
Students have the opportunity to perform in the Spring Dance Festival. Their repertoire is taught during the level’s rehearsal time.
Students progress on the basic technique fundamentals from Ballet I and add more use of the head and arms with exercises at the barre and in the center. All elements of class emphasize musicality, proper alignment, and development of artistry. This level includes two 90-minute technique classes with weekly stretch and rehearsal time included. Male dancers may take the 1.5-hr Friday Boys’ class in lieu of Friday’s technique class.
The Young Adult Program builds the bridge from foundational dance training to a more conservatory-level rigor and interdisciplinary dance education.
Intermediate level students continue to advance in their knowledge and articulation of ballet vocabulary, always with an emphasis on musicality and proper alignment and technique. Pre-pointe and beginner pointe work are introduced at this level for students approved by the Ballet Chair. This level meets 4 times per week with 1.5- hour technique classes, 30-minute pointe classes, and rehearsal time. Additional Boys’ technique meets on Fridays in lieu of pointe classes.
Students in this Intermediate/Advanced level focus on speed and dynamic while strengthening technique with more complex steps. The level meets five days per week for ballet technique and the schedule includes pointe, repertoire, and modern dance.
Male dancers take Friday’s Male Variations class.
Students have the opportunity to participate in Winter and spring dance performances.
Ballet VI is the highest level of training in Colburn’s youth dance level, with ballet technique five days per week, and additional classes include pointe, men’s variations, pas de deux, and Pilates. An elective sixth day of technique and pointe variations is also available. Students have several performance and master class opportunities throughout the year.