Ballet Academy of Silicon Valley

Ballet being the foundation of all dance, they will learn the art form and be able to move into different dance styles easily throughout their training.

Dance It Up! in-studio classes are now being offered at BASV. We are thrilled to bring this program into the studio for preschool aged students wanting to try dance for the first time. Our in studio classes begin at ages 3.5 - 5.5yrs of age. This is a non-performing class. We will share recordings from time to time of our classes for parents to view. Any students enrolled in our ballet program will have the opportunity to perform in our Winter and Spring ballet performances. To sign up for our in-studio classes, please refer to our current class schedule here .

Dance It Up! is a mobile dance preschool program that comes to your school 1 day a week for 30 minutes. Our school is open for ages 2.5 – 6, teaching basic dance movements, rhythm, teamwork and beginning dance steps in ballet, jazz and tap. At this age, the exploration of music and body inspires the young students to express their emotions, work on coordination and find the love for dance through simple routines taught throughout the semester.

Character dance is a specific subdivision of classical dance. It is the stylized representation of traditional folk or national dance, normally from a European country, and uses movements and music which have been adapted for the theatre. Learning character dance helps dancers gain a deeper understanding of story ballets, while boosting strength and musicality. It also will help develop the coordination required to become a versatile dancer. Here at BASV we are lucky enough to offer our amazing Ukrainian folk dancing program. Traditional Ukrainian folk dance is one of Ukraine’s most recognized cultural exports. Known and respected worldwide, audiences are not only entertained with the energetic, often fast paced dance, but by also by elaborate, hand embroidered costume and accompanying folk music. Today, Ukrainian folk dance is mostly performed as choreographed stage performances, representations of traditional dances that have evolved in all corners of Ukraine over the centuries. We offer traditional Ukrainian folk dance for both boys and girls, a highly recommended addition to the dancer’s curriculum. Boys have an additional class of choice to work on the high impact movements, intensive foot work and jumps. Our Ukrainian classes are high energy courses that build strength and flexibility. Dancers will learn the basics and aspects of the culture and its art form, and dancers enrolled in these classes will have the additional opportunity to perform in our productions in character dance roles.

A low impact class that focuses on lengthening and elongating muscles. The deep stretches you perform will help with flexibility and tight limited muscle groups. Throughout the class, exercises will work through deep stretching, flexibility and core strength. This is a perfect class for those that sit much of their day.

Whether it’s been a season or several years since you’ve been in the studio, you will feel right at home with this intermediate/advanced ballet class. You will enjoy a traditional classical ballet class starting with barre, moving into center for adage & allegro exercises and ending with grand allegro. This class will be rewarding for students with diverse backgrounds in dance and builds upon the concepts and technique studied in the beginning ballet class, allowing for a range of abilities to join.

Have you always wanted to learn ballet? No experience necessary! This class will introduce you to the history and concepts of classical ballet. Barre work incorporates learning and mastering body alignment, core strength, muscle strength, stamina, flexibility, and working with music. Exercises are built upon in center floor work, incorporating coordination and musicality. As you progress, you will move into combinations that include turns and jumps, work across the floor, increasing coordination between arms and legs and head positions. You will be amazed how toned your body becomes while enjoying this beautiful art.

Traditional Ukrainian classes are high energy courses that build strength and flexibility. Dancers will learn the basics and aspects of the culture and its art form. Ukrainian folk dance classes are available for both Co-Ed and Boys, a highly recommended addition to the dancer’s curriculum. The Boys Class will focus on high impact movements, intensive foot work, and jumps. Dancers enrolled in these classes will have the additional opportunity to perform in our productions in character dance roles.

Character Dance is a subdivision of classical dance. Learning Character Dance helps dancers gain a deeper understanding of story ballets, while boosting strength and musicality. Dancers will begin their training starting at Grade 2. Character Dance will be integrated into the regular class training. For a more robust training, we offer Character classes as an add-on for our dancers. In these classes we focus on performance style, pantomime, and specific character dance steps.

Dancers will learn partnering skills, musicality, lifts and turns to selected repertoire pieces in this class. A variety of variation pieces will be taught to prepare the dancers for professional performance. This is an essential part of classical training for both male and female dancers.

Lyrical uses an emotional connection to the music to define the routine. A combination of ballet and jazz movements make up smooth, fluid routines. Modern pushes the boundaries of traditional classical dance training. In these classes, dancers will gain insight of their own artistic self through emotion and practicing choreography. The focus will be on body placement, flexibility, turns, leaps, and floor progressions.

The PBT program is designed to enhance ballet technique and strength based on dance medicine, training, safety, and knowing how the body works from within. PBT encourages an understanding of which muscle groups take part in each movement. This class is recommended for all dancers beginning at Grade 2 and is required for dancers at Grade 4 and above.

Your dancer will be able to demonstrate an expansive range of vocabulary communicating through a mature and accomplished sense of performance. They will be able to interpret music and display a sophisticated response to musical content and style. At this level, your dancer is considered pre-professional and is usually auditioning for professional positions or advanced college programs during their coaching.

At this level, your dancer will be expected to understand the fundamental and relevant technique required, including performing a range of movement sequences and a range of performance skills in ballet. In order to excel at this level, no less than 4 technique classes a week are required. Throughout this level, an increasing vocabulary of the syllabus content is expected to be demonstrated by students with an understanding of technique and the ability to coordinate more complex movements.

Students will have an increased level of performance skill, interpretation of music, a developing spatial awareness, responsiveness to an audience, and an ability to work with others. Their technique and artistry will begin to be polished as they complete this level, opening up additional performance opportunities throughout our community. They become role models to the younger students as their strive for excellence is apparent in their work ethic.

In progressing through to this level, Grade 5 focuses on developing an understanding of technique reflected in the ability to coordinate movements in a series of sequences with an increasing vocabulary and awareness. Daily pointe work is added throughout the classes with attention to increased awareness of the body and technique to enhance performance. Concentrated work on petite allegro, adage and flexibility continues.

As the curriculum develops in Grade 4, rhythmic patterns are emphasized and attention is given to aiding the dancer’s ability to “tune in” to muscular feelings. Emphasis is placed on greater stability and complexity in the study of adagio and developing graceful and subtle qualities in movement. Study of turning in open positions is part of the daily routine at this level, as is the study of battu, petite allegro, and grand allegro. Regular and repeated reference will be made to facilitate the dancer’s understanding of movement goals and ability to “self-correct”. Evaluation for pointe work is typically conducted by the end of this level.

Your dancer will begin to develop the more mature sense of musicality and quality of movement that is emphasized in Grade 3. Students grow strength and stability in the demonstration of pirouettes and grand allegro. Suppleness and smooth, graceful movements are developed in these levels along with the coordination of the head, arms, legs, and body. Dancers continue PBT/conditioning classes and are recommended to dance 2-3 times per week. This helps teach consistency for muscle memory and technique as they build upon their pre-pointe work. By Grade 4, dancers will be fully immersed in the pre-pointe program.

Your dancer will begin to develop artistry that will integrate into the movements in this level. Concentration on smooth transitions of head and arms throughout the exercises is emphasized. With continued focus on theory, technique and footwork, your dancer will further enhance their articulation through the metatarsals and develop elongated lines. Your dancer will begin the strength work needed for our upper levels through Progressing Ballet Technique and Conditioning classes, in addition to attending classes 2 times per week.

Your child will step into the Graded curriculum with excitement and delight. They will begin barre exercises with focus on developing proper placement of torso, hips, and legs without exceeding their anatomical limitations. The coordination of arms and head begin to be developed at this level. Your child will see the beauty in the work they put in, which will build their confidence and pride.

We ease your little ones into the standard Ballet 1 curriculum that will spark their interest for the future ahead. They will be immersed in a syllabus that focuses on proper posture and feet placement. Through imagination and creative development your dancer begins their journey of expression and technique. We will teach them the love of movement through a variety of exercises they will soon be practicing on their own, captivated by their own expression.

Your child will step into their dance experience with joy and anticipation as they begin to utilize the foundational steps in classical ballet. They are excited to begin use at the barre while learning proper etiquette and technique in their foundational work. Your child’s spark will glow after each lesson, forming their lifelong love of movement.

Imagine your child taking their first ballet steps into the studio, watching with delight the joy their movement brings. Your child will be immersed into the wonderful world of ballet, as they blissfully skip, gallop, and leap across the floor learning beginning ballet steps.

For your little one that’s full of energy and loves to move. They will be introduced to musical rhythms to teach basic dance movements of ballet, tap, and jazz. They will find themselves craving to come to dance and see their friends as they form lasting bonds through teamwork. Balance and coordination developed through the use of props will be utilized throughout the semester to round out their curriculum in this fun, energetic class. Our creative movement class is a non-performing class that will have a simple showcase at the end of each semester.

Experience with your child their very first movements of dance. They will be introduced to the joy of music and encouraged to play, imagine and explore. Your little one will have the opportunity to move freely, while being inspired to learn their first ballet steps through creative movements and the use of props. Their creativity will be ignited through the joy of movement.