CULTIVATING EDUCATED, CREATIVE, JOYFUL YOUNG DANCE ARTISTS

IN A COOPERATIVE, NON-COMPETITVE, HEALTHY AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT

At Bluebirds Ballet Academy, we have three goals for each student, whether that student be a brand new "baby bluebird" preschool student, an accomplished advanced dancer, or an adult dance student: we strive to

(1) encourage creativity,
(2) help our students experience the joy of dance, and
(3) create educated artists interested in the study of their craft.

We embrace a Classical Ballet Based-Curriculum. Our focus is on creating a ballet dancer who is well rounded, educated about their craft, creative, and strong-bodied. Therefore, we teach classical ballet with an emphasis on artistry, technique, and care for the dancer's body. Our emphasis on a classical ballet foundation develops solid technique for a student interested in any form of dance, and our emphasis on movement in our ballet classes helps to develop a student's love for the art form. Our goal is that each of our dancers will continue to dance throughout their lifetimes: therefore, we strive to teach healthy habits for the care of our bodies. We believe in instilling a respect in our students for this beautiful art form by not just learning how to dance, but also learning about ballet. Therefore, in addition to traditional ballet technique, Ballet Classes for Students age 7 and above may also include instruction in dance history, anatomy, variation or choreography study, and character dance. Additionally, instruction in creative movement, strengthening and conditioning, Pilates, and developing focus/mindfulness will also be introduced.

Our youngest dancers in Preschool Dance are introduced to ballet through our pre-ballet and creative movement classes. As the dancers mature, we add acrobatic and tumbling skills to our classes to develop gross motor skills and increase the dancers’ confidence and understanding of their bodies. Continued acrobatics classes compliment the young dancer’s ballet class by increasing the student’s strength, flexibility, and coordination. Tap classes help young dancers learn musicality, rhythm, and memorization of movement sequences. Introductory Jazz Dance Classes that focus on historical forms of the movement style, and Contemporary/Modern classes are added around age seven to give dancers a greater breadth of experience, explore emotional expression through dance, and further develop skills needed to be a well-rounded ballet dancer. Additional ballet classes are added around age eight or nine, and by the time dancers begin pointe work at eleven or twelve, they are taking ballet classes three times a week, along with a myriad of other dance disciplines to help support versatility, engagement, strength, and flexibility. The days of study per week continue to increase as dancers progress and mature, so that we cultivate healthy, strong bodies, lowering the injury risk for the dancer while at the same supporting the dancer’s growth as a dance artist.

We have found that our dancers benefit most from participating in our full curriculum and our program is presented in this manner. If you desire an individual class for your student (i.e., a once-a-week ballet, acrobatics, tap class) or if you prefer not to participate in one or more of the classes offered for your child’s level, please contact the director so that we can best meet your needs. We understand that financial and time constraints, and individual preferences, are different for each family and student and are happy to help you find the perfect fit for your student.

We embrace a student-centered model for our classes. Every student is different, and therefore every class is different. Classes are created with the student's interests, strengths and weaknesses in mind.

Dance class is supposed to be enjoyable. It is a challenging art form, and a student must truly love it to excel. But in the end, we dance because we love to move. Therefore, the best results come from positive reinforcement, encouragement, and goal-oriented correction. We recognize that each student develops at a different pace, has different strengths and different needs. Artists need a safe space to create, try, fail, and try again. It is our hope that students and parents remember these fundamental concepts when enrolling in our school.