Grand Rapids Ballet School

Ballet 4 students will continue to advance their technique with more difficult steps during both barre and center work, with the addition of more combinations en relevé, faster tempos and syncopation.  Students will continue to develop the 90-degree extension of their legs and the strength of their feet en relevé. Double pirouettes and more complex petite and grand allegro are introduced as well.

Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) is an innovative program developed by Marie Walton-Mahon for students to understand the depth of training muscle memory in achieving their personal best in classical ballet.  Each exercise has been developed with care and guidance with a team of physiotherapists.  Students will learn to use muscle memory to improve their understanding of core stability, weight placement, and alignment.  An exercise ball is continually mobile under the students’ body during the exercises, giving them a sense of posture and weight placement while feeling each correct muscle group. A smaller fusion ball is also used for specific exercises and resistance bands are used to strengthen the entire upper body and use of port de bras.  PBT is taught by certified instructors Attila Mosolygo, Mindy Mosolygo, and Lara Faucher.

Pointe introduces students to pointe shoes and pointe work, drawing on previously learned ballet technique and body strength. Students will focus on gaining the needed strength in their feet and ankles for the ability to roll through their demi-pointe with control and push all the way over the box of the pointe shoe with straight legs en relevé.  Each class will include combinations at the barre, and then progressing to the center and across the floor as the students gain strength and technique.  2^nd year students will continue to build upon this foundation with the addition of more difficult steps on one leg and double pirouettes.

Contemporary students are encouraged to be open-minded as they continue to explore new movements and create different shapes outside of their classical ballet technique.  They will work on finding the relaxation of their torso, the ability to isolate their joints, and breathing with each movement. Students will focus on coordination, gaining overall strength, and contemporary floor work. They will be challenged to put intention into every transition and step they execute.

Ballet 5 students are required to take technique class en pointe two times a week.  They will work on increasing their stamina and strength in order to execute all the steps en pointe.  The demands of the student are greater in Ballet 5, as class attendance increases to six days a week, pushing dancers to define and polish their technique.  Students also begin to add individual artistry, elegance and grace into their classroom work.  They are required to dance with more precision for complex combinations that include more difficult musicality and timing.  In this class, faculty will begin to put a greater importance upon students to self-correct and self-motivate themselves.

Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) is an innovative program developed by Marie Walton-Mahon for students to understand the depth of training muscle memory in achieving their personal best in classical ballet.  Each exercise has been developed with care and guidance with a team of physiotherapists.  Students will learn to use muscle memory to improve their understanding of core stability, weight placement, and alignment.  An exercise ball is continually mobile under the students’ body during the exercises, giving them a sense of posture and weight placement while feeling each correct muscle group. A smaller fusion ball is also used for specific exercises and resistance bands are used to strengthen the entire upper body and use of port de bras.  PBT is taught by certified instructors Attila Mosolygo, Mindy Mosolygo, and Lara Faucher.

Pointe students will continue to strengthen their pointe work and demonstrate progress made in overall foot strength, balance en pointe, and ability to execute combinations with more clarity.  All classes will include combinations at the barre and in the center. Steps will become more difficult with the addition of consecutive turns and hops en pointe, for example.

In Variations/Repertoire class, students will learn classical ballet variations and excerpts from classical and contemporary ballets or original choreography will be taught.

Contemporary students will continue to explore unique movement set to various types of music. They will use their strong, classical ballet training base to help them master different styles of dance. Students will be challenged to expand every movement they execute to its fullest and be encouraged to express their emotions.  Students will continue to explore floor work that includes rolling with ease and they will gain the ability to transition without any tension. Contemporary partnering work will also be introduced.

Ballet 6 students are required to take technique class en pointe 4 times a week as the training becomes more demanding.  Classroom work will include more complex combinations and advanced pointe work, as the students will be required to add strength, increased flexibility, and fluidity of movement into the combinations.  They will continue to polish their technique as they work to incorporate more use of their epaulement and port de bras, multiple pirouettes, as well as the development of individual artistry and a fine sense of musicality.  Ballet 6 students will work to gain consistency in their overall technique.

Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) is an innovative program developed by Marie Walton-Mahon for students to understand the depth of training muscle memory in achieving their personal best in classical ballet.  Each exercise has been developed with care and guidance with a team of physiotherapists.  Students will learn to use muscle memory to improve their understanding of core stability, weight placement, and alignment.  An exercise ball is continually mobile under the students’ body during the exercises, giving them a sense of posture and weight placement while feeling each correct muscle group. A smaller fusion ball is also used for specific exercises and resistance bands are used to strengthen the entire upper body and use of port de bras.  PBT is taught by certified instructors Attila Mosolygo, Mindy Mosolygo, and Lara Faucher.

Pointe students will continue to strengthen their work by executing the most advanced steps. They will work to refine all transitions and move with control as they incorporate more fluidity in their port de bras. In Variations class, students will learn classical ballet variations and in Repertoire class, excerpts from classical and contemporary ballets will be taught.

In Variations/Repertoire class, students will learn classical ballet variations and excerpts from classical and contemporary ballets or original choreography will be taught.

Contemporary students will continue to explore unique movements set to various types of music. They will use their strong, classical ballet training base to help them master different styles of dance. Students will be challenged to expand every movement they execute to its fullest and be encouraged to express their emotions. Students will continue to explore floor work that includes rolling with ease and they will gain the ability to transition without any tension.