Curriculumn Overview

Ballet

Level 1–2: Basic barre, center work, posture, terminology.

Level 3–5: Pre-pointe/pointe, barre, center work, petit allegro,  adagio, allegro, variations.

Focus: Technique, strength, alignment, & classical artistry.

Contemporary

Level 2+: Improvisation, floor work, emotional storytelling.

Focus: Expressive movement, connection to music, technique blend.

Jazz

Level 1–2: Isolations, across-the-floor progressions, combos.

Level 3–5: Turns, jumps, stylized combinations, musicality.

Focus: Rhythm, dynamics, performance presence.

Hip Hop

All Levels: Groove, freestyle, commercial style.

Focus: Self-expression, rhythm, strength, confidence.

Tap

Level 1–2: Simple rhythms, shuffles, time steps.

Level 3–5: Advanced rhythms, musicality, syncopation.

Focus: Timing, clarity of sound, rhythm vocabulary.

Performance Company

Open by audition to all ages each semester.

  • 2–3 rehearsals/week with assigned roles.

  • Repertoire includes full-scale productions (e.g., The Velveteen Rabbit, The Nutcracker, The Little Mermaid).

  • Dancers receive coaching in:

    • Character development

    • Stage presence

    • Audition technique

    • Rehearsal etiquette

Ballet

Level 1 (Ages 3-5)

  • Maintain classroom focus

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, & 6th positions of feet 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 5th, & en bas positions of the arms

  • Correct posture/alignment at barre

  • Demonstrates plié, tendu, and dégagé

  • Identifies the correct english meaning for plié, tendu, and dégagé

  • Understands and uses ballet vocabulary

  • Can maintain rhythmic accuracy clapping, walking, and moving to music

  • Performs simple center combinations with music

Level 2 (Ages 6-8)

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, & 6th positions of the feet

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, & en bas positions of the arms 

  • Clean technique in barre combinations

  • Demonstrates plié, tendu,dégagé, passé/retiré, rond de jambe, and arabesque

  • Identifies the correct english meaning for plié, tendu, and dégagé, passé/retiré, rond de jambe, and arabesque

  • Proper spotting and alignment during chainé turns, piqué turns & single pirouette balance 

  • Demonstrate age appropriate flexibility in feet, legs, and back

  • Shows musicality and performance awareness

Level 3 (Ages 9-11) 

  • Upholds dress code and classroom policies

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Intermediate technique of barre and center sequences 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, & 6th positions of the feet

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, & en bas positions of the arms 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th arabesque positioning (Vaganova) 

  • Knows 3rd arabesque positioning (Cecchetti) 

  • Clean technique in barre combinations

  • Demonstrates required terminology asked of the teacher

  • Identifies the correct english meaning for terminology asked of the teacher

  • Proper spotting and alignment during, chainé turns, piqué turns, & single pirouettes (en dehors & en dedans) 

  • Demonstrate age appropriate flexibility in feet, legs, and back. 

  • Has right and left splits 

  • Develops advanced beginner technique in petite & grand allegro 

  • Shows musicality and performance awareness

  • Intermediate artistry & musicality in port de bras 

  • Pre-pointe strength and alignment (even if not pursuing pointe) 

Level 4 (Ages 12-15) 

  • Upholds dress code and classroom policies

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Intermediate/advanced technique of barre and center sequences 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, & 6th positions of the feet

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, & en bas positions of the arms 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th arabesque positioning (Vaganova) 

  • Knows 3rd arabesque positioning (Cecchetti) 

  • Clean technique in barre combinations

  • Demonstrates required terminology asked of the teacher

  • Identifies the correct english meaning for terminology asked of the teacher

  • Proper spotting and alignment during, chainé turns, piqué turns, & double pirouettes  (en dehors & en dedans) 

  • Demonstrates intermediate level technique in petite & grand allegro

  • Shows musicality and performance awareness

  • Artistry in port de bras 

  • Pre-pointe/Pointe strength and alignment (even if not pursuing pointe) 

Level 5 (Ages 16+) 

  • Upholds dress code and classroom policies

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Mastery of barre and center sequences 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, & 6th positions of the feet

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, & en bas positions of the arms 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th arabesque positioning (Vaganova) 

  • Knows 3rd arabesque positioning (Cecchetti) 

  • Clean technique in barre combinations

  • Demonstrates required terminology asked of the teacher

  • Identifies the correct english meaning for terminology asked of the teacher

  • Proper spotting and alignment during, chainé turns, piqué turns, attitude turns, fouettés, arabesque turns, & double pirouettes  (en dehors & en dedans) 

  • Demonstrates  a mastery understanding of technique in petite & grand allegro

  • Shows musicality and performance awareness

  • Artistry in port de bras 

  • Pointe strength and alignment (if applicable) 

Jazz

Level 1 (Ages 3-5) 

  • Maintain classroom focus

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, & 6th positions of feet 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 5th & “L” positions of the arms

  • Executes jazz square, pivot turn, and chasse (R & L) 

  • Executes across-the-floor with energy and style

  • Demonstrates flexibility in basic stretches

  • Keeps tempo and rhythm in combinations (with teacher demonstration) 

Level 2 (Ages 6-8) 

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Displays beginner technique in warm up, across the floor progressions, and combos

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, & 6th positions of feet 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 5th & “L” positions of the arms

  • Executes across-the-floor with energy and style

  • Proper execution of turns (chainé, piqué, single pirouette balance)

  • Strong leaps (saut de chat, jeté) with proper prep

  • Understands dynamics and isolations

  • Performs short combos confidently (with minimal teacher demonstration) 

Level 3 (Ages 9-11) 

  • Upholds dress code and classroom policies

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Displays beginner/intermediate  technique in warm up, across the floor progressions, and combos

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, & 6th positions of feet 

  • Knows 1st, 2nd, 5th & “L” positions of the arms

  • Executes across-the-floor with energy and style

  • Multiple turn types executed (single clean pirouette minimum)

  • Clean jumps and directional changes

  • Incorporates emotion and style into movement

  • Intermediate-level stage presence and technique (without teacher demonstration) 

Level 4 (Ages 12-15)

  • Upholds dress code and classroom policies

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Displays intermediate/advanced technique in warm up, across the floor progressions, and combos

  • Displays terminology asked 

  • Executes across-the-floor with energy and style

  • Multiple turn types executed (clean double pirouette minimum)

  • Clean jumps and directional changes

  • Incorporates emotion and style into movement

  • Pre-Professional-level stage presence and technique (without teacher demonstration) 

Level 5 (Ages 16+) 

  • Upholds dress code and classroom policies

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Displays advanced technique in warm up, across the floor progressions, and combos

  • Displays terminology asked 

  • Executes across-the-floor with energy and style

  • Multiple turn types executed (clean triple pirouette minimum)

  • Clean jumps and directional changes

  • Incorporates emotion and style into movement

  • Professional-level stage presence and technique (without teacher demonstration) 

Tap

Level 1 (Ages 3-5) 

  • Maintains classroom focus

  • Can execute shuffle, step ball change, cramp roll, toe heels

  • Keeps rhythm in simple sequences (with teacher demonstration) 

  • Demonstrates timing with music (with teacher demonstration) 

Level 2 (Ages 6-8) 

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Can execute any of the basic terminology asked 

    • Ex: Shuffle, cramp roll (R/L), flap, stomp, stamp, step, touch, etc. 

  • Clear tap sounds and syncopation

  • Combines steps into rhythmic phrases (with minimal teacher demonstration) 

  • Demonstrates properly: irishes, back essence, bombershay, buffalo, drawback 

Level 3 (Ages 9-11) 

  • Upholds dress code and classroom policies

  • Maintains appropriate classroom etiquette 

  • Can execute any of the basic terminology asked 

    • Ex: Shuffle, cramp/reverse roll, alt cramp/reverse roll, flap, slap, stomp, stamp, step, touch, etc. 

  • Clear tap sounds and syncopation

  • Combines steps into rhythmic phrases (with minimal teacher demonstration) 

  • Demonstrates properly: irishes, back essence, bombershay, buffalo, drawback, single time step, cincinnati 

  • Demonstrates understanding: pullback, wing, double time step

Level 4/5 (Ages 12+)

*(level 5 can perform at a faster tempo) 

  • Can execute any of the basic terminology asked 

    • Ex: Shuffle, cramp/reverse roll, alt cramp/reverse roll, flap, slap, stomp, stamp, step, touch, etc. 

  • Clear tap sounds and syncopation

  • Combines steps into rhythmic phrases (with minimal teacher demonstration) 

  • Demonstrates properly: irishes, back essence, bombershay, buffalo, single and double drawbacks, cincinnati, pullback, wing, single time step, double time step

  • Demonstrates understanding: syncopated pullback, syncopated wings, triple time step, triple drawbacks. 

Contemporary

Level 2+

  • Demonstrates control in floor work

  • Clear use of breath and body initiation

  • Able to improvise with intention

  • Shows emotional connection to movement

  • Performs contemporary combos with flow and dynamics

Hip Hop

All Levels (Progressively Scaled)

  • Executes basic grooves and foundation steps

  • Demonstrates control and musicality

  • Freestyles with confidence

  • Understands isolation, levels, and footwork

  • Performs full combo with attitude and style

Pre-Professional Company

  • Attends all rehearsals consistently and on time

  • Learns choreography promptly and independently

  • Demonstrates maturity and focus in rehearsal

  • Accepts corrections and applies them

  • Performs with strong stage presence and character