Ballet Classes

Beginning Ballet for Kids For Ages 6 – 12 Years Old

Pre Beginning Ballet Survivor Island, Beginning Ballet / Ballet 1 Survivor Island Ballet Classes That Are Fun And Educational

Students age 6 and up who are beginners in ballet will thoroughly enjoy this beginning ballet class for kids that meets once a week for one hour.

It is not necessary to have any previous ballet experience for this ballet level as it is designed for kids who are beginners.

Beginning ballet students quickly make friends and learn responsibility, team work, grace, tall posture, pride in their dance efforts which always translates to pride in their school work, confidence, manners and so much more.

Ballet is a classical art form and as a prestigious ballet school, the Christine Rich Studio Dance Academy knows how to make ballet fun, as well as educational lessons, for youthful ballet students. We teach from the Russian Ballet syllabus known as the Russian Vaganova Ballet method that has been the foundational training for ballet professionals throughout the world.

Some of our beginner ballet classes are called Pre-Beginning Ballet and Beginning Ballet. These classes have ballet and adventure combined for fun challenges while learning excellent foundational basics taught by seasoned ballet professionals who are truly trained in Vaganova ballet method. Many say they can teach it, few actually know it correctly.  Ours is a very popular ballet classes locally for sure.

In ballet class each week you will start your ballet lessons by standing at the ballet barre to do various ballet exercises designed to give you excellent posture, strength, lean muscles and coordination as you dance to classical music which is the music used for ballet lessons.

Basic ballet terminology and ballet foot and arm positions as well as ballet dance combinations are learned by all of our classes designed to provide ballet for children.

This beginning ballet class is also ideal for dance students who had ballet lessons when they were under the age of 6 in say a Fairy Tale Ballet or Pre-Ballet classes.

Even those ballet students with some previous ballet training will find that the ballet lessons are different for the older ages of 6 through 12 years of age.

Students focus on the basics of placement and fundamentals as their bodies learn the very specific method of holding one’s self for classical ballet.

BALLET I Prep Level A

Preparation for Pointe Work – Strengthening the Feet, Ankles and Legs
By-Placement Class For Ages 8 and Up

These classes are for ballet students placed by staff in a level that is beginner Intermediate.

Our ballet students will gain more knowledge of the introductory foundations of the Russian Vaganova ballet syllabus as they improve their coordination and graceful presentation as well as their posture and body strength.

These continuing level ballet students will begin to take more pride in their movements and increase their performance ability as well as become better aware of their posture and control of their body in the ballet dance movement.

The ballet classes meet twice a week for one hour of ballet, for ages 8 and up, who have mastered the beginning ballet level.

In this ballet syllabus the ballet teachers increase the skill set of the ballet students by presenting a slightly more challenging level of ballet dancing while adding more ballet terminology and ballet refinement of steps before progressing to the intermediate ballet classes. The ballet exercises are accelerating technique and understanding and preparing the feet, ankles and legs for the pointe work of Ballet I-III.

Balancing the fun with education these Ballet I Prep classes lead to the Ballet I as the challenges are adventurous with team work as a class emphasized as seen in corps de ballet.

BALLET I

Ballet I – Pre-Intermediate Ballet Level Classes
Ages 9 and up

The first year of the famous Russion Vaganova ballet syllabus (which is the ballet syllabus used worldwide to develop professional ballet dancers) is introduced to Christine Rich Studio Dance Academy ballet students at level Ballet I, a pre-intermediate ballet level.

Ballet students are selected by staff placement into this level. Students are required to take Ballet I three times per week for one and a half hour classes. Students desiring a fourth ballet class must seek approval and correct level from the Ballet Director.

Students begin to look much more like an “older ballet” class as they have begun to control their body more, their brain is understanding the requirements to perform certain ballet movements both at the ballet barre and in the center of the ballet classroom with short ballet dance combinations.

This program was created first in Champaign. Ballet, Vaganova style, then moved to Urbana where CRS was in Lincoln Square Mall for 5 years. Now the ballet school is in Savoy, IL just two blocks from Champaign. Ballet conveniently located between Prospect Ave. and south Neil St. south of Burwash Ave which is the road leading to the Savoy 16 Movie theaters.

BALLET II

Ballet II – Intermediate Ballet Level Classes

By staff placement for students having mastered the syllabus of Ballet I. This is an exciting time for the girls of ballet when they get to purchase their first set of pink pointe shoes (toe shoes) and ribbons. It is a dream that they’ve imagined for so long as they’ve watched the older girls dancing in their pointe shoes in ballet dances and now it’s their turn to “dance on their toes” in their pointe shoes.

The ballet instructor will give the girls a handout on how to buy and where to buy pointe shoes.
The Ballet II classes meet three times per week for one and half hour classes.

BALLET III

Ballet III – Advanced Intermediate Ballet Level Classes
With Pre-Pointe and Pointe Shoe Introduction

By staff placement for students having mastered the syllabus of Ballet II.

Here in Ballet III, an Intermediate level ballet class, you will find solid pointe work is the norm.

Ballet classes meet three times per week for one and a half hour classes and sometimes slightly longer to incorporate the pre-pointe/pointe work.

BALLET IV + Pointe

Ballet IV – Pre-Advanced Level Ballet Classes

These Intermediate-advanced ballet classes meet four times per week for 2 hours each. Pointe class compromises the last part of each class.

BALLET V + Pointe

Ballet V – Advanced Level Ballet Classes

These advanced level ballet classes meet five times per week for 2 hours each with the last of the class for pointe work.

BALLET VI + Pointe

Advanced and Pre-Professional Level Ballet Classes

These Ballet VI classes are advanced and pre-professional level ballet classes which meet five to 6 times per week for 2 hours each. This is the level to go to professional dance companies or dance college programs.