Classes
CYB offers classical ballet in our Early Childhood Program, our Elementary Program, and our Intermediate Program. In the future we will provide an Advanced Program as our program continues to grow.
Early Childhood Program (3 to 7 year olds)
In our Early Childhood Program, we develop the entire well-being of a student, both physically and developmentally. Classes are created with Share Time (designed to enhance the social aspect of your dancer), Circle Dance & Claps (designed to enhance the developing musician in your dancer), Dance Space (developmentally appropriate classical ballet steps for your dancer according to age), and Free Dance (allowing your dancer to create, imagine, and freely dance in their own unique ability). Emphasis in these classes will be on rhythm, spatial awareness, correct alignment, teamwork, and focus. Most importantly, they will learn to love to dance!
Ages 3 to 6: Class meets once a week for 45 minutes.
Ages 6-1/2 to 7: Class meets once a week for 1 hour.
Elementary Program (Ballet 1, Ballet 2)
The Elementary Program features the beginning levels for learning ballet technique. Dancers will learn the basic ballet positions, the progression of a standard ballet barre and the French vocabulary that defines all of the steps in ballet. This is done in a creative and disciplined way, which is unique to our studio and our teaching style. Dancers will be placed according to the physical and cognitive ability of the child; therefore, placement is always at the discretion of the Artistic Director.
Dancers in Ballet 2 will work towards earning their ribbons on their ballet shoes in preparation for being en pointe.
Ballet 1 (Ages 8-9): Class meets once a week for 1 hour.
Ballet 2 (Ages 10-12): Class meets twice a week for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Additionally, a Pre-Pointe/Beginning Pointe class is required.
Intermediate Program
The Intermediate Program features continued progression with ballet terminology, the directions of body and feet, arabesques, attitudes, the positions of port de bras (carriage of the arms), basic positions of the body (croisé devant, à la quatrième devant, etc.), and fixed points of the classroom or stage. They may advance with hard work, determination and discipline. Those who have achieved proper technique may qualify to participate in our Pre-Pointe (must be at least 10 years old) and Pointe Programs (must be at least 12 years old).
*Pointe work: Students may begin pointe work only at the invitation of their teacher. Dancing on pointe requires strong technique, muscle control, mental readiness and maturity to avoid injury. As a child is growing, the bones in the feet are ossifying from soft cartilage to strong bone. For this reason, pointe work does not begin until a dancer is at least 12 years of age.
Ballet 3 (Ages 13-14): Class meets twice a week for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Additionally, a Pointe Class is required once a week.
Upper Division (Ages 15+): Class meets twice a week for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Additionally, a Pointe Class is required once a week.
Advanced Program - TO BE OFFERED IN THE FUTURE AS OUR PROGRAM GROWS.
Students in the Advanced Program will continue to achieve proper technique, create artistry, and have had 3+ years of training en pointe. Classes provided include a challenging and engaging atmosphere with strong encouragement to progress at each dancer's own individual level. Dancers must participate in class twice a week in order to participate in our Pointe Program. We strongly encourage attendance in our Injury Prevention class, to be offered in the future as our program grows. We will work on injury prevention, strengthening of intrinsic feet muscles, learn to release tight hamstrings or strengthen weakened muscles, and build stamina.
~Ms. Michelle is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. This curriculum combines scientific principles with elements of classical French, Italian, and Russian schools of ballet. The goal of our Curriculum is to train students to use their bodies correctly by educating them on anatomy, kinetics, coordination, and alignment. Artistically, our Curriculum strives to provide for students both a rich knowledge of classical ballet technique and the ability to adapt to all styles of dance.
Breathe.
We believe in training our dancers to become confident individuals, friendly to others, accepting of other's differences, academically more focused, physically healthy, and appreciative of their individual unique gifts.