
Youth Programs
New Orleans School of Ballet's Youth Program follows a progressive curriculum, divided by level and age. Each level is designed to be sensitive to the developmental needs of its age group. Our curriculum combines elements from the classic French, Italian, Russian, and American schools of training.
2022-23 classes begin Monday, August 22, 2022!
Register Here!
Birthday deadline: September 1, 2022.
The Nutcracker in New Orleans: December 17-17, 2022
By audition only, dancers 5 and older.
May Matinée: Sunday, May 21, 2023
Students in levels Pre-Ballet and higher perform in our year-end culminating performance.
PREPARATORY PROGRAM:
TODDLE WITH ME: Ages 18 months - 3 years old
Creativity, Music and Movement! Children and parents/caregivers share the joys of dance and music in a fun, child-centered environment. Come dance with us and nurture your little one's body and imagination!
Thursdays: 10:00-10:30
PRE-BALLET: Ages 3-4
Imaginative movement activities introduce your child to musical, body, and spatial awareness, while developing coordination and motor skills. Patterns, storytelling, and musicality are the focus as well as encouragement to take direction from the instructor and share turns with peers.
Pre-Ballet: Wednesday, 3:45-4:30
Pre-Ballet: Saturday, 8:00-8:45
PRIMARY: Ages 5-6
An introduction to basic ballet with beginning development of ballet concepts including turn out, coordination, spatial awareness and a specific focus on class etiquette. Students will begin positions of the feet and arms as well as introductory movement vocabulary with focus on coordination and musicality. Further work on balance through fun games to strengthen and support muscle development is emphasized.
Primary: Wednesday, 4:30-5:30
Primary: Saturday, 8:45-9:45
BOYS CLASS: Ages 6 and older.
Beginning ballet class focusing on technique for boys.
Friday, 4:00-5:00
CONSERVATORY PROGRAM:
Students learn the structure of a traditional ballet class format delivered in a formal classroom environment and students are offered elective classes to enhance their ballet training. Students enrolled in the Elementary levels attend classes two or more classes per week with an increasing time commitment. These critical levels lay the foundation of the classical ballet vocabulary, and move at a pace which facilitates understanding and safety. Attention is given to musicality, movement quality and anatomically correct work. At the discretion of the artistic director, pre-pointe and pointe work is introduced.
PREP: Ages 7 and older
Thursday, 4:45-5:45,
Saturday, 9:45-10:45,
Level 1: Placement is required
Monday, 5:00-6:30 & Thursday, 5:45-7:00
Level 2: Placement is required
Monday: 4:45-6:15
Tuesday: 4:45-6:45
Friday: 5:00-5:30
Level 3: Placement is required
Monday: 6:15-8:15, Ballet & Pre-Pointe
Tuesday: 4:45-6:45, Ballet & Pre-Pointe
Wednesday: 5:30-6:30, Modern
Friday: 6:30-8:30, Ballet & Pre-Pointe
Level 4: Placement is required
Monday: 6:15-8:15, Ballet & Pointe
Wednesday: 5:30-6:30, Modern; 6:30-8:30, Ballet & Pointe
Friday: 6:30-8:30, Ballet & Pointe
Saturday: 10:00-12:30, Ballet & Pointe
Level 5 (INT/ADVANCED): Placement is required
Students at the Intermediate/Advanced level develop their ballet technique by meeting four or more times per week. Some dancers at this level may be required to take supplemental Level 3 classes to strengthen their technique. Students complete these levels with knowledge of the full ballet vocabulary.
Monday : 6:30-8:00, Ballet; 8:00-9:00, Pointe
Tuesday: 6:45-8:45, Ballet & Pointe
Wednesday: 5:30-6:30, Modern; 6:30-8:30, Ballet & Pointe
Thursday: 7:00-9:00, Ballet & Pointe
Saturday: 10:45-1:15, Ballet & Variations
PRE-PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM (PTP)
This is a rigorous education program designed to develop dance artists ready to take on the challenges of dance in the 21st century. Our PTP dancers receive the training, coaching, mentorship, and inspiration they need to pursue their passion for the arts through a graded curriculum of classical ballet taught by New Orleans School of Ballet’s experienced and distinguished faculty. For optimal training and the best overall experience, an entire school year commitment is required for this elite group. Int/Adv dancers are accepted into this program by invitation only.
PTP dancers have been accepted to or attended the following institutions as
year-round and summer intensive students:
The Royal Ballet
School of American Ballet
American Ballet Theatre
Bolshoi Ballet Academy
Boston Ballet
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Houston Ballet
Pennsylvania Ballet
Joffrey Ballet Chicago
Kansas City Ballet
The Washington Ballet
Oregon Ballet Theatre
Orlando Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Belhaven University
North Carolina School of the Arts
Indiana University
San Francisco Ballet






