Fostering Connection and Building Community
Strong Hearts - Strong Technique - Strong Dancers
Children's Division
Our ballet training program for young dancers that promotes creativity and discipline, enabling children to reach their highest potential. Not only do students receive the best technical training with ABT’s National Training Curriculum, but they are guided by caring instructors who nurture their students’ love for dance.
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Students ages three (3) to ten (10) are introduced to music and movement using imaginative and playful techniques in our Primary Levels. Your young dancer will experiment and learn to respond to music rhythmically through both freeform and directed ballet-based movements of their body. And most importantly, they'll have fun! Age-appropriate cognitive skills, such as counting, sequential organization, spatial awareness and comparative abstract concepts are woven into the class structure.
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The Children’s Division is subdivided into Primary Classes ages 3 - 7 and Levels 1A-2 ages 8-10
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There is a required uniform for Primary Levels 1-3 and Ballet 1-2. The dress code can be found HERE.
Primary Classes
Primary classes give students ages three to seven an introduction to music and movement in our Primary Levels. The emphasis in these courses is on rhythm, dynamic, and placement, so that students graduate from Primary with an understanding of spatial awareness, correct alignment, teamwork, and focus. Each level is divided by age in order to accommodate the developmental needs of every student. No auditions are necessary for Primary classes
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Come Dance with Me: This class offers an introduction to the studio environment and the basics of being in a dance class. Students use movement and play to explore different kinds of music and rhythms. For younger dancers, ages 2-4, accompanied by a grown-up.
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Pre-Primary: These classes introduce students to classroom etiquette, gross motor skills, and basic dance technique. Students perform movement to defined musical phrase, dance musically & rhythmically. Students must turn 3 years old by September 1, 2023 and must be able to use restroom without assistance.
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Attire: Non-restrictive clothing or
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Option 1: Pink ballet dress and flesh colored tights and shoes
Option 2: White, fitted t-shirt and grey shorts or leggings and white ballet slippers
Primary Levels 1-3: These classes are an introduction to dance movement and language. Students learn to stand in poised manner at beginning & end of every exercise, if wearing a skirt hold skirt or place hands on shoulders or waist or down and rounded, demonstrate understanding of special instructions, awareness of spacing relative to other students, perform movement to defined musical phrase, dance musically & rhythmically.
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Option 1:
Class color ballet dress* with flesh colored tights and flesh colored ballet slippers to match tights
Primary 1 - Spearmint
Primary 2 - Pale Blue
Primary 3 - Mulberry
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Option 2: Short-sleeved white leotard or snug t-shirt with grey shorts or leggings and white ballet slippers
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*Ballet dresses, tights and shoes are available to purchase at the studio. Email office@DurhamSchoolforBallet.com to make an appointment.
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Primary Level 1 students must turn 5 years old by December 1, 2023
Primary Level 2 students must turn 6 years old by December 1, 2023
Primary Level 3 students must turn 7 years old by December 1, 2023
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Monthly tuition is based on 12-weeks of training divided into 3 equal monthly payments. The first payment is due by August 25 or when registering, subsequent payments are due every 4 weeks.
Ballet Levels 1-2
For ballet students ages eight to ten. Faculty follow a specific graded curriculum designed to strengthen technique, stamina, and discipline through practical training and lessons in theory.
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Ballet Level 1-1a: Students will develop a sense of body awareness both working in stationary positions and when moving through space. Every class will begin with floor stretching and strengthening exercises, and then progress to simple barre exercises done in the center with either an invisible barre or a portable barre. Placement is the most important skill taught at this level. Students will learn basic feet and arm positions and begin working with musical phrasing. Students should master pas de bouree, balance, and simple port de bras (carriage of the arms). Recommended for ages 8+ No prior ballet experience necessary,
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Ballet Level 2: Dancers will begin with barre work, focusing on proper form and technique. Proper ballet classroom ettiquette is stressed while still having a comfortable learning environment. Dancers will spend the first half of the year with two hands at the barre. Students will learn center exercises that focus on concepts introduced at the barre. Students will begin to master more complex coordination of the arms and legs and begin working on spotting.
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Students in Ballet 2 are required to take two ballet classes per week. This helps reinforce proper alignment by muscle memory. This is a year students really begin to blossom with more frequent classes!
Option 1: Class colored leotard, and flesh-colored shoes & convertible foot tights.
Level 1 = Turquoise
Level 2 = Lilac/lavender
Option 2: Short-sleeved white leotard or snug t-shirt with black shorts or leggings and white ballet slippers
Tights and shoes are available to purchase at the studio on the
2nd Wednesday of month from 4:30-6p or 2nd Saturday of month from 9:45-10:45a.
Email office@DurhamSchoolforBallet.com to make an appointment.
Both Ballet 1 - Ballet 2 are encouraged to attend Modern and/or Tap/Jazz/Hip-Hop. Modern class aims to help students get connected to the floor, their bodies and music through a variety of movements such as floor work, turns, jumps and improvisation. This class borrows from various Modern techniques such as Graham, Cunningham and more. Ages 8+. Tap classes aim to improve rhythm and coordination and are just plain fun! Jazz classes are taught using popular music and focus on isolations of the body, enabling different types of movement and coordination. Hip Hop classes help with cognitive development and encourages a dancer to enhance their problem solving skills and speed. Through fast-paced motions and high energy kinesthetics, hip-hop increases a dancer’s mental capacity and accuracy.
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Enroll in a 2nd or 3rd class and receive a 5% discount on tuition for the additional class
Monthly tuition is based on 12-weeks of training divided into 3 equal monthly payments. The first payment is due when registering, subsequent payments are due every 4 weeks