Courses & Dress Code

ACADEMY 1 AGES 8 AND UP

As the child advances to the academy they attend 2 classes a week and begin to learn the positions, steps and arm movements used by every ballet student and dancer in the world. They now use the barre with one hand and to move across and around the room with the basic steps created in the court of King Louis four hundred years ago.
Creative exercises include dance mime, music and stories of the ballet as well as learning a simple dance from the ballet they are studying.

ACADEMY 2

As the dancer progresses they learn more complicated steps and combination’s they attend class 3 times a week. At this level much of the barre work is preparing them to eventually start Pointe work. It is in this year that the dancer starts to pirouette and learn beaten jumps. If they are physically ready they may start very simple Pointe (dancing on their toes) at the end of this year.They continue to learn dance, mime and more about the classical ballet stories, the music, composers, choreographers and dances.

INTERMEDIATE I

As the student progresses in to the Intermediate levels they learn more complicated steps, dance en Pointe and begin to learn variations from the classical repertoire. They are now attending 3 classes per week and it is at this level that they make close bonds with their fellow students. Their experience with the stories of the classical ballets involve comparisons of great works such as Romeo and Juliet as a ballet, drama, opera etc… Music appreciation continues.

INTERMEDIATE II

By the time the student reaches Intermediate II they are usually deciding that they will follow a career or college course. It is during this year that the training becomes more intense. Attending 4 days a week they are required to add one class of either Modern or Jazz to their curriculum. They receive weekly variations classes learning sections of the traditional ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty At this time they are old enough to audition for most major summer programs and occasionally, competitions such as Youth America Grand Prix. The small classes at the Academy become even more important as they can get the individual attention needed.

PRE PROFESSIONAL

Dancers in this level attend classes daily and are required to take one modern and one jazz class weekly. Their training includes one class of classical variations, elements of partnering as well as repertoire and rehearsals for performances. It is at this level that they can also audition to dance with the corps de ballet for Long Island Ballet Theatre. During their time in the Center they can obtain counseling on college and, summer programs, and as they get older, auditions for professional companies.
HBA students have auditioned successfully and attended summer programs such as The Rock School, American Ballet Theatre, Nutmeg Conservatory , Burklyn Ballet Theatre , Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Walnut Hill, The Joffrey Ballet, Atlanta Ballet. Graduates have danced with Pennsylvania Ballet, Ballet Theatre Maryland, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Alabama Ballet.

Dress Code

Leotard Colors

• Academy 1- pink leotard
• Academy 2 – light blue leotard
• Intermediate I – red leotard
• Intermediate II – forest green leotard
• Pre-professional – black leotard

Shoes

• Academy 1 – Intermediate I – pink leather ballet slippers, pink tights
• Intermediate II & Pre-professional – pink ballet slippers, pink pointe shoes w/ribbon & elastic, pink tights.

Hair

• Hair securely in a bun, no jewelry except small studded earrings. Please contact us for more details.