Basically Ballet Studio’s classes are offered to students from ages 3 to Adult!

Creative Intro. I & II
Our Creative Introduction class is 45 minute class geared toward students ages 3-5 years. As in the Joffrey and Ailey philosophies, we too are acutely aware that the ages three to five years are extremely crucial to a dancer’s development providing structure and athleticism while nurturing the early seeds of artistic expression. Students learn a variety of movements that foster the beginning movements of ballet in a fun environment and with fun analogies. Circle floor exercises help students discover body awareness, isolate and begin to stretch the muscles needed in ballet, and wrap it in imagery that keeps it all fun.

Pre-Ballet
Our Pre-Ballet class is a one hour class geared toward our students ages 5-6 , who are in the primary school years. For these students Basically Ballet Studio offers a little more structure. We understand that this age group is more capable of longer periods of strict instruction, but not able to fully relinquish play. Therefore, we progressively introduce more challenging ballet techniques. Basic warm up exercises such as plie and tendu are done without using the barre. The students then stretch and do strengthening exercises as a preparation for the next level. The last part of class is designated for across the floor exercises where the students get an understanding of traveling from one side of the room to the other.

Ballet I & II
Our students of 6-8 begin their formal ballet training in levels 1 and 2. However, we never forget that dancing should be fun too. Children, after all, are still children! There is a formal barre, where students stand facing the barre in front of the mirror to focus on their hips staying square, i.e. headlights. They then travel diagonally across the floor doing a “L” shape (square arabesque preparation), and jumping which emphasizes straight knees and pointed feet.

Ballet III
Students who progress to this level are introduced to the vigorous training necessary to become a ‘Prima Ballerina’. The students do stretches, body conditioning and a formal barre including all exercises with basic set combinations. In the centre students do adagio (raised arabesques), pirouette preparation, small, medium and large jumps, combine turning and jumping, prepare for pointe work, and learn body directions.

Junior Company
Students who progress to Junior Company are expected to do a formal barre with all exercises and with combinations that change (body is in place, so brain is challenged!). With traditional center exercises, combining steps practiced at the barre, students now begin to learn not just to do the steps, but how to connect them to make phrases. Pointe students begin pointe at the barre and begin to build up strength to do center work.

Senior Company
This is our most advanced Ballet class. It is a more advanced version of the Junior Company with more complex combinations. This class adds more detail such as beats, multiple turns, etc. Students become very proficient in higher legs, and point work-in the centre. This class prepares students for competitive technique in the ‘amateur dance area’, which will allow them to continue on to some of the country’s leading dance schools of higher learning.

Modern Dance
Our Modern Dance classes are offered to students 10 years to Adult. The Modern Dance curriculum consists of an eclectic style of movement. This class focuses not only on the mastery of the body and control, but when to “let go” of the control. The students learn where movement is initiated from and where it travels to. Most importantly, the students continually learn how to phrase their movements with the music. Students are challenged to dance with, against, and on top of the music. Modern Dance students also learn how music and choreography co-exist.

At every stage of a student’s life, we not only provide precision of technique, we also foster self worth, hard work, and love of one’s accomplishments.

Finally, Basically Ballet always strives to make dancing fun!

Our Expectations
At Basically Ballet, we know that solid training and professionally skilled instructors are the heart of a good school. However, without students willing to work, the best trained instructors will fail and ultimately so will the students. That is why our students have certain responsibilities.

Our students are expected to . . .

Come to class on time, on a regular basis and in a frame of mind ready to work and have fun. Students will only progress with regular attendance! Respect their classmates and their instructors. Maintain health to the best of their ability by getting proper nutrition and rest. When students are ill, they are expected to respect their classmates and instructors by not attending class until the illness has passed or after a physician has declared them non-contagious. Wear their hair in a secure bun (or pulled back if short). Don’t know how to make a bun? We’ll help! Wear the proper color leotard and tights according to class level at all times (no skirts permitted). Not chew gum or wear jewelry (except for stud earrings) during class.

The only way that our students can succeed in dance is if we, the instructors and staff of Basically Ballet, take the love and art of ballet and modern dance seriously. The wonderful thing is that if our students take it seriously too, there is no telling what they will become. Basically Ballet believes in a world without boundaries. That world starts with teaching our children how to succeed, not just in ballet, but in life. Our expectations of our students help them to do just that…. SUCCEED!