Ballet constitutes much more than slipping into tights, selecting a leotard, and strapping on your ballet shoes. The dance is about developing skills using perseverance and dedication.
This dance form offers several benefits for the human body. For instance, it increases muscle strength, tone, and flexibility.
In addition, it remarkably improves your posture, strengthens your abdominal muscles, and envelops you into a modern sub-culture.
And since ballet lessons use classical music, it also acts as a type of training in music from the Viennese Classicism and Baroque era.
Ballet classes can be especially advantageous for adults and children alike since it is excellent exercise and increase social skills.
In addition, dancing will develop various life skills that will nurture younger students creatively and academically.
However, although there are plenty of advantages of ballet, there are various questions that many struggle with when they consider enrolling in one of the best ballet schools in the US.
So keep reading as we talk you through your options:
Factors To Consider When Selecting A Ballet School In The US
Dancing isn't a profession you can go into without thought; you must search carefully for a school that will best meet your or your child's requirements.
Not all dance studios are the same; some don't even have licenses or regulatory backing, so you must be wary as a subscriber.
Ill-equipped programs will not only form bad habits that might not be easily rectified, but they can also cause possible injuries and discourage students.
Here are some things to consider when choosing from the best ballet companies in the US:
Qualification Of The Teacher
Finding the right teachers is a crucial element when selecting an advanced studio. If you are not exposed to a professional instructor in your early learning years, it can cause injuries and irreversible bad habits.
Many dance and ballet schools hire teachers that have experience in dancing but do not have any required dance instructor training.
Hence, it would help to ask how and where the teachers trained themselves before selecting a school.
Search for someone who has had experience in professional dancing with a company, carries other qualifications, or has certification from a reputable syllabus.
Program Structure
Search for a structured program with a curriculum based on teaching methodologies like Vaganova or Cecchetti. So remember that most schools have their internally developed syllabus.
Therefore, our potential school must have an evaluation process to ensure students have acquired the skills and completed the curriculum to advance to the next level.
It can be counterproductive if you sign yourself or your child up to an inappropriate dance level.
Do Your Homework
The internet is an excellent source to look for a great potential dance school in your area. First, however, you must visit all schools of interest and ask them to let you observe classes and the general school environment.
You can even set up an appointment with faculty members or the artistic director to discuss your or your child's situation.
Developmental Readiness
If you are thinking of enrolling your child in ballet classes, then developmental readiness is something that you must consider a lot.
Children of 3-6 years of age are typically not ready for formal ballet instruction. Instead, they should be urged to explore their creative movement and other appropriate beginning classes.
Competent ballet teachers will evaluate your child to understand the right program for their age and dance development level.
Furthermore, training with pointe shoes is a milestone that must be timed carefully for individual dancers to lower injury risk.
An expert eye is required to determine that adequate training and bone/muscle/strength development have occurred to prevent permanent damage to the ankles and feet.
Find dance classes here on Superprof.
Focus On Education
A dance school's purpose is to make sure that you or your child has constant and safe growth as a dancer.
Even though performance can be an essential and fun part of growth, a serious dance school will not compromise on building a technical and strong foundation.
Besides focusing on developing a proper technique, certain recreational schools also spend their class time preparing for various performances like the annual school recital.
Moreover, some schools even focus on theory and the history of ballet.
Diversity
Training ballet is any dancer's best foundation, but you must take more than basic technique and pointe classes, even if your primary focus is ballet.
The best ballet schools in the US will offer you a well-versed curriculum by providing various classes like Jazz or Modern.
Size Of The Class
If there are fewer students in class, they may all get the individual attention they require. In addition, dance is typically a patient exercise since students tend to perfect their technique over time.
Classes with more than twelve students make such detailed attention much harder to achieve.
Disciplined Environment
One key benefit of training ballet is learning that to master any complex skill, a disciplined approach is needed.
And the best schools in the US will provide you with all the elements needed to promote your sense of disciplined study combined with a positive learning environment.
A disciplined environment means that all the classes should start on time, a dress code must be followed, and other school policies must be taken seriously.
Suitable Tuition
The cost of tuition and equipment costume fee must be communicated clearly before you enroll.
Though cost-effectiveness is essential, schools with the best quality instructions will typically be much more expensive than their counterparts.
Criterion For Selecting Best Ballet Schools In The US
Before we move on to this list, we must discuss the essential criteria used to rate ballet schools. Those criteria include:
Instruction Quality
It is among the essential criteria that decide whether a ballet school is of a decent standing. In addition, the top American ballet academies have instructors from various backgrounds, so their dancers can benefit from multiple perspectives.
Whether learning musicality by a Russian-trained master instructor or modern approaches from a Graham-style trained instructor, diversity will improve the school's portfolio.
Longevity And Reputation
Some dance schools have been around for years, and they have trained generations of prominent dancers worldwide.
They have been around for a long time, helping multiple dancers secure professional roles; hence, they have a good reputation.
This means that their names precede them when their alumni enter an audition.
Alumni Career Prospects
In the world of professional dance, you will observe that the top dancers carry similar backgrounds. Often, it is not what you know but who you know that matters.
Therefore, many of the best ballet schools in the US enable you to build a network to help you find professional placement.
The Best Ballet Schools In The US
Now that you know what to look for in a ballet school, here is a list of the best ballet schools in the US:
Joffrey Ballet School, NYC
This ballet school builds upon Robert Joffrey's legacy, one of the renowned modern dance pioneers of the mid-20th century.
It was founded in 1953 and focused on training versatile dancers with instructors trained in classical Russian instruction and contemporary, folk, and musical theater styles.
School Of American Ballet
Founded by George Balanchine in NYC, the School of American Ballet is a well-known school for choreographers and dancers of the 20th century.
It continues the legacy of Balanchine as New York City's official dance school, with a focus on classical ballet teaching.
Joffrey Ballet School, Dallas
Along with NYC, Joffrey also has an additional location in Dallas, where they provide new pre-professional ballet training programs.
Their Dallas programs primarily focus on classical ballet dancing and provide similar high-quality instruction and versatile focus to their NYC counterpart.
Another thing to note is that the Joffrey Ballet School in Dallas has a lower living cost, effectively reducing the overall cost.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School Of The American Ballet Theater
The American Ballet Theater is home to two ballet schools; the first one in NYC is the JKO school and the Robert J. Gillespie school in Orange County.
The JKO provides pre-professional training to people of all levels.
Cincinnati Ballet Academy
The Cincinnati Ballet Academy provides classic Vaganova training with modern techniques.
CBA is affiliated with Cincinnati Ballet and provides a diverse training range for everyone via the pre-professional division.
Houston Ballet Academy
For around 60 years, HBA has taught classical ballet to over a thousand students per year, from pre-school to pre-professional and professional levels.
Houston's training programs focus on teaching well-rounded dancers with various styles and providing training experiences.
One of these includes dancing opportunities in the Houston Ballet's second company in the second year of pre-professional training.
Pacific Northwest Ballet Academy
The PNB school for more than 45 years has been a renowned ballet school in the US and is arguably the best ballet school on West Coast.
It provides classical ballet training for children via pre-professional levels and opportunities to perform, including their famous Nutcracker Production.
Colorado Ballet Academy
Situated in downtown Denver, the CBA is Colorado Ballet's official school and the best ballet school in Mountain West.
Its primary focus is on classical techniques in Italian, French, and Russian styles and provides meaningful performance opportunities.
San Francisco Ballet School
This school provides classical ballet training for adults, pre-professional trainees, and children. Its training style is mainly focused on the athletic dance style of the San Francisco Ballet company.
More than of the dancers in the San Francisco Ballet is trained at SFBS.
The Top Ballet Companies In The United States
With the information we have provided, we hope you are now aware of the top ballet schools in the US, their selection criteria, and what you need to look for when selecting a ballet school for yourself or your kid.
But if you still have questions or are unsure of what to do and where to start, especially in the current times, join a prominent company or get in touch with Superprof.
So if you are a serious dancer looking for top ballet classes in your area, contact Superprof and get connected with thousands of professional ballet dancing tutors near you.
Superprof has world-class master instructors who have experience and training from some of the top ballet schools in Russia, the US, and worldwide.
Experience the best of both worlds by complementing your ballet training with the dynamic energy of hip-hop dance in our dance classes. Whether you're a seasoned ballet dancer seeking to diversify your skills or a newcomer eager to explore new avenues of movement, our expert instructors will guide you through a transformative journey of rhythm, style, and self-expression. Join our vibrant community of dancers and discover the unique synergy between the grace of ballet and the raw energy of hip-hop. From perfecting your pirouettes to mastering intricate choreography, our comprehensive curriculum offers a well-rounded dance education that will elevate your performance abilities. Embrace the opportunity to expand your artistic horizons and enroll today in both ballet and hip hop dance classes to unlock your full potential as a dancer!
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