Pointe Class - Intermediate Ballet Technique and Beginner Pointe (2x per Week)

This class is designed for dedicated dancers who are transitioning to pointe work. Through a targeted blend of strength training, flexibility exercises, and ballet-specific conditioning, students will focus on building the foundational strength and alignment needed for safe and successful pointe work. Emphasis is placed on foot and ankle strength, core stability, and proper alignment of the legs and body. Students will also engage in exercises that enhance balance, turnout, and overall body awareness.

Students who have not been promoted to pointe may take this class in ballet slippers.

Class meets 2x per week. We begin with a ballet technique class in soft ballet slippers, followed by about 30 minutes of pointe. The commitment required for learning ballet and maintaining the strength for pointework is similar to learning how to play a sport - regular weekly practice of each movement and concept, including the fundamentals, are essential in building strength and flexibility in a dancer's body. 

Teaching Style:
I use the watch me, we try, you try method. I encourage questions as long as they pertain to the current exercise and try to give students opportunities throughout class to ask them. We will occasionally have themed classes around holidays and sometimes just for fun! These will be announced throughout the semester.

Etiquette:
I honor traditional ballet etiquette. (ATTIRE) All students must be in ballet attire and hair in a bun (short hair must be secured and pulled back away from the face). (TARDY) If signing into class late, I will allow entrance only after the current exercise is complete - this may mean that you will be in the waiting room for several minutes, please be patient. Students arriving 10 minutes late (or later) will be asked to observe class since they have missed key warmup exercises and will not be properly warmed for class.

Curriculum:
Each week we will focus on a new element of movement, building upon and reviewing what we have learned in prior weeks. New elements will only be introduced as the class is ready. It can be expected to spend several consecutive classes studying and practicing a new movement for new ballet students to fully understand. Ballet is both a sport and an art - practice makes perfect and repetition is the key to mastery!

We will focus on technique from Level 2, Level 3, and pointe conditioning in this class.

**Dancer MUST have completed the Pointe Readiness Assessment prior to enrollment in this class. Students enrolled in this class who have not completed their assessment will not be permitted to dance in pointe shoes and asked to remove them. This is for the dancer's safety.

Amber Roberts is proud to include the AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE® National Training Curriculum, a breakthrough 9 level program that combines high quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development. The ABT® National Training Curriculum consists of a comprehensive set of age-appropriate, outcome-based guidelines to provide the highest quality ballet training to dance students of all ages and skill levels. Pre-Primary through Level 3 will be taught by ABT® Certified Teacher, Amber Roberts, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.