1. What if my last ballet class was when I was 8 years old (or 10 or 15…)?
Welcome back! If you’re looking to try ballet once again, we often recommend you consider our Adult Beginner classes that are taught at a slower pace and will re-introduce you to ballet in an intimate classroom setting (as AB class size is limited). Some students have also found they enjoy the structure of the weekly commitment over the semester period as they re-learn ballet basics.
2. What is the Adult Beginner (AB) Program?
Adult Beginner (AB) Ballet classes are designed for first time students or those who would like to return to the dance studio after many years and are looking for a “refresher” course. Students attend two classes per week, each one and a half hours long, from September through June; semester enrollment is available. Programs vary by location.
Boston:
The Adult Beginner Ballet program at the Boston studio is designed to be a full year program, providing students with a firm foundation in ballet technique and vocabulary in a series of two semesters. Students begin in Adult Beginner 1 and then move into Adult Beginner 2. Students who complete one semester of Adult Beginner 1 in the Boston studio will be eligible to enroll in the next semester of Adult Beginner 2. Students who complete Adult Beginner 2 are welcome to join the Open Adult program at the elementary level.
MetroWest:
The Adult Beginner program in the MetroWest studio is designed to be a full year program running from September through June. After completing one year of the Adult Beginner program, students are welcome to join the Open Adult program at the elementary level. Students are welcome to register either for one semester at a time, or for the full year program.
3. What is the difference between AB1 and AB2?
Adult Beginner 1 has a curriculum designed for adults with no prior knowledge or memory of ballet vocabulary. For adults wishing to begin ballet or resume their study of it following many years away from the studio, this class prose is ideal in terms of pace, class size and instruction. Adults in AB2 are expected to have an understanding of ballet fundamentals such as plié, entendu, etc. The general population of this course is adults who have completed one semester to one year of AB1 classes and wish to attend one more year in AB to strengthen their skills and technique before graduating into Open Classes. It also consists of adults returning to the studio for the first time in a few years who wish to take a “refresher” course before moving into Open Classes.
4. What is the Open Adult Class?
Students in the Open Adult Classes are presumed to have previous ballet training and to be familiar with basic ballet vocabulary. Registration is not required for Open Adult Classes as they are offered on a drop-in basis. We currently have three levels of Open Adult Class; Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. For those with no experience or for students who have been away from a dance studio since studying as a child, we recommend our Adult Beginner classes. In addition to ballet classes, we offer Modern and Pilates class at the MetroWest studio. If you are unsure of which level you should attend, we recommend trying an Open Elementary class because you can move through the levels at your own pace.
5. How can I pay for an Open Adult class?
Boston Ballet School accepts several forms of payment including cash, personal check, money order, Visa, MasterCard and American Express. If you purchase a 10-class card, you should present it as payment for each class that you attend.
6. What happens if I lose or forget my class card?
If you have lost your card, please notify us and we can replace it. Class cards will only be re-issued once, so please be careful with your card.
7. What should I wear?
The only traditional ballet attire we require of our adult students is ballet slippers. Otherwise, students wear what is easy to move in and makes them feel? most at ease. For some, this is the traditional leotard and tights; for others, this is closer to typical work-out clothing – sweats, leggings, t-shirts. Whatever you choose to wear, we ask that it be form fitted, stretchy, allow for freedom of movement and be comfortable. Longer hair should be pulled back away from the face and dangling jewelry is discouraged
8. How do I find out if classes are cancelled due to inclement weather?
When the weather turns bad, we assess canceling classes three times during the day: 7am, 12pm and 3pm. Subsequently, we update our Class Cancellation Line. Please call this hotline at 617.695.6950, ext. 567 to learn which classes are being held and which classes are not.
9. How do I withdraw from Boston Ballet School?
Withdrawals are handled by the administrative staff – notifying your teacher or principal is not considered a formal withdrawal. Should you decide to leave the school, please call the Office of Administration at 617.456.6267 as soon as possible. Until the administrative staff hears from the student of the departure, you are considered enrolled and your account will be charged for the weeks you were enrolled even if you did not attend. When we hear from you, we will send you a Formal Withdrawal Request Form, which must be completed and signed in order to process an account adjustment. A $100.00 early withdrawal fee is assessed for students who withdraw unless the withdrawal is due to medical concerns, in which case a doctor’s note should be submitted.
