New Haven Ballet is introducing pointe class to its open division drop-in schedule. The class will be held on Friday mornings following the beginning technique class. Participation in the technique class is required. Click here for more information or contact New Haven Ballet at 203-782-9038 or email: administrator@newhavenballet.org
New Haven Ballet has announced that registration for its 2024 Children’s Division Fall Semester has opened. Classes are offered at studios in New Haven, Hamden, Bethany, and Branford starting on August 26, 2024.
The Gentle Syllabus
The Children’s Division is a special segment of the school that caters to young students ages 3 through 2nd grade. According to Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn, what sets the program apart is that “[w]e begin training by using our gentle approach syllabus, which introduces our youngest dancers to the joys of music and movement through a system that gradually adds structure as students mature.” Sanborn adds, “Classes are filled with laughter and held in spacious, sunny, state-of-the-art studios by the region’s best instructors. Dancers in Creative Ballet and higher are also invited to audition and perform in our large productions at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven.”
Sanborn refers to the carefully constructed syllabus she created, which was later supplemented by Children’s Division Director Timothy Fountain. The syllabus uses age-appropriate exercises and stretches while gently introducing students to classical dance and musical tenets. For example, in First Steps, students in 3-K pre-kindergarten use their creativity to learn the fundamentals of musicality, while in 4-K pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten, students participate in Creative Ballet, focusing on motor skill development and musical awareness. Pre-ballet students are in 1st grade, and Primary students are in 2nd grade. These students begin formalized classical ballet training and learn more advanced vocabulary and movement.
Students who successfully complete New Haven Ballet’s Children’s Division enter the Student Division ready to join Level 1, where they continue building a clean classical foundation. As the standard for classical ballet training for over thirty-five years throughout greater New Haven, the school is known for producing dancers with excellent technique and beautiful artistry.
But the journey doesn’t end with classes. Dancers in Creative Ballet and higher are not just learning; they perform. Dancers in 4-K pre-kindergarten and older are invited to audition and showcase their skills in New Haven Ballet’s large productions at the prestigious Shubert Theatre in New Haven. The next grand performance will be The Nutcracker, starring guest artists from New York City Ballet.
Parents often enroll children to participate in the arts because they wish to support better academic achievement and the gain of critical skills for their children. These skills might include discipline, fine motor skills, physical strength, critical thinking, coordination, and confidence. However, according to Sanborn, the best reason to join is because “New Haven Ballet’s trained instructors teach using our highly sought-after gentle approach, allowing children to build these skills without them knowing. Over time, students acquire the foundation for a beautiful classical technique and embrace discipline, learn to listen and follow instructions, and the rigors ballet presents. And they make friendships and memories that last a lifetime, too.”
New Haven Ballet is at www.newhavenballet.org. For more information about classes, call 203-782-9038 or email administrator@newhavenballet.org.
About New Haven Ballet
New Haven Ballet is led by Artistic Director Lisa Kim Sanborn and Children’s Division Director Timothy Fountain. As a community-based ballet school in New Haven, Connecticut, it offers dance classes in state-of-the-art studios to dancers ages 3 to adult. Regarded as the standard for classical ballet training throughout Greater New Haven, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offers classes to the Children’s Division at studios in New Haven, Bethany, Hamden, and Branford. In addition to performances, New Haven Ballet’s outreach programs, including DanceAIR, which offers free training to New Haven Public School children in traditionally underserved communities, and Shared Ability, which provides weekly dance workshops to disabled artists, are made possible through the generosity of Stonesthrow Fund, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, City of New Haven Creative Arts Advancement Program, Anna Fitch Ardenghi Trust, State of Connecticut Office of the Arts, the Jordan Fund, NewAlliance Foundation, Ethel & Abe Lapides Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Bank of America, City of New Haven Creative Sector Relief Fund, the Zayas Law Fund, and the Branford Community Foundation.
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Photo: (c) 2024 Kelsey Paff Photography. If you want more information about New Haven Ballet, please call 203-782-9038 or email administrator@newhavenballet.org.
New Haven Ballet offers classes to students ages 3 years to adult and Fall 2023 Class Registration is open. New students to the school should contact NHB School Administrator, Ruth Barker, at Tel. 203-782-9038 or Email: administrator@newhavenballet.org to set up a placement class. Students are encouraged to register early to ensure their preferred class selections are available. Once classes are full waitlists will form.
New Haven Ballet’s Monday morning 10:00 a.m. beginning ballet class will be offered through November 28. This one-hour class is perfect for beginners, those who may have taken a long hiatus away from ballet, and those recovering from an injury who are reintroducing a slower paced, lower impact class as they return to full capacity. If you are interested in trying ballet for the first time we encourage you to attend our Monday morning class taught by Kelsey Paff in our beautifully appointed studio in downtown New Haven. Email: administrator@newhavenballet.org for more information.
Click Here for Nutcracker Audition Registration Form
Click Here for Nutcracker Audition Video
Auditions for The Nutcracker are open to New Haven Ballet students enrolled in Creative Ballet 2 – Level 8.
For more information Email: administrator@newhavenballet.org
Click Here for Open Division Welcome Video
Click Here for Open Division Class Rates
Click Here for Studio COVID protocols
More Information Email: administrator@newhavenballet.org
Photos: Kelsey Paff Photography (c) 2022
Welcome back students!
Registration for Fall 2022 classes is open. If you are a new student ages 10-18 years, please contact: administrator@newhavenballet.org to arrange for a placement class.
We have exciting events planned this year and cannot wait to welcome students back.
Fall 2022 Classes start August 29. Click Here to Register
Student Division
Widely regarded as the standard for classical ballet training throughout the Greater New Haven area, New Haven Ballet offers students an opportunity to improve their technical skills and artistry through a premiere summer ballet intensive experience. Learn More
Children’s Division
For those completing 4K Pre-kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grades 1-3, New Haven Ballet offers summer ballet classes. No placement class is needed to register for Children’s Division classes. Learn More
Students register by the week to accommodate summer schedules. Classes begin July 5.
Summer ballet at New Haven Ballet has begun! Through June, pay a flat fee each week for students in the Children’s and Student Divisions (ages 3-19 years). Morning ballet classes are also offered on a drop in basis in the Open Division (12+ years). New and returning students are welcome. For more information email: administrator@newhavenballet.org
Registration open for Summer 2022 at New Haven Ballet. Students aged 3+ years to adult welcome. Classes held in large, sun lit studios. Click Here for Information or Email: administrator@newhavenballet.org
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