Pre-professional training for dancers ages 8-18
School of Nashville Ballet faculty members carefully nurture each Academy student’s technical execution, artistic expression, and maturity. Through careful development and attention to the syllabus, our instructors implement a curriculum that is designed to produce dancers with both expressiveness and clear classical lines. This guidance enables students to develop their own artistry, while pure classical technique provides the vehicle for their artistic expression.
ENROLLMENT GUIDELINES
Academy Division assignment is based on a placement exam according to age, ability, and experience.
New Students
New students seeking admission into the Academy Division must audition for placement. Open auditions are held in the spring and fall of each year. To inquire about a placement class outside of open auditions, please contact School of Nashville Ballet at 615-297-2966 x910 or school@nashvilleballet.com.
Current Students
School of Nashville Ballet’s Children’s Division is a natural feeder into the Academy Division. Students graduating from Pre-Ballet III in the Children’s Division are notified of their acceptance into Level 1 of the Academy by mid-April. Students currently enrolled in the Academy are notified of their level placement for the following year by mid-April as well.
For assistance, contact us at 615-297-2966 x910 or school@nashvilleballet.com.
Academy Level Descriptions
Enrollment is on an annual basis. Read more about each level below.
Young Men’s Scholarship Program students are placed in an Academy level and receive supplemental classes detailed below.
-
Students learn basic stance, physicality in turnout, essential vocabulary, and fundamentals.
Meets 2 days per week
-
Students gain a more expansive ballet vocabulary and begin to master fundamentals. Classes emphasize strength and flexibility, increased physicality, and more complex movement patterns.
MEETS 3 DAYS PER WEEK
-
Students delve more deeply into complex movement patterns, learn more vocabulary, increase linking combinations (en chainments), across-the-floor movement, focus on strength and conditioning, and an added jazz class. Level 3 now starts Pre-Pointe and working on foot and ankle strength.
MEETS 4 DAYS PER WEEK
-
Areas of focus include ballet technique, stretch and conditioning, corps de ballet class, character and pointe. Students solidify foundational vocabulary and increase awareness of presentation and artistic sensibility. Students focus on strengthening feet and ankles for more pointe work.
MEETS 5 DAYS PER WEEK
-
Classes include ballet technique, pointe, stretch and conditioning, variations and contemporary. Students experience more pointe work in Level 5 and work toward mastery of all foundational vocabulary. Level 5 is offered as a two-year progression.
MEETS 6 DAYS PER WEEK
-
Level 6 curriculum emphasizes ballet technique, pointe, stretch and conditioning, variations, corps de ballet selections, and contemporary. Students develop turning sequences and allegro, bigger movement and bravura, complex movement patterns, and skills in dynamics. Major areas of focus are developing artistry, strength-building, stamina, speed, and dynamics. After completing at least two years of Level 6, students have the skills to advance into a professional program, such as Nashville Ballet’s Professional Division.
MEETS 6 DAYS PER WEEK
-
At School of Nashville Ballet, we are committed to fostering the next generation of ballet professionals by providing a comprehensive, versatile, and personalized training environment. Our newly structured Pre-Professional Division is designed to accommodate the unique needs of dedicated dancers seeking a high-caliber ballet education alongside their academic pursuits.
Young Men's Scholarship Program
Male and female dancers require different skills to perform different roles, so why should their training be exactly the same?
Nashville Ballet’s Young Men’s Scholarship Program offers specialized training for young men, tailored to their unique needs and taught by men. Working together, male dancers push themselves and each other in a supportive environment that centers on athleticism, strength, camaraderie, and discipline.
YMSP students take class in their assigned Academy Level and receive additional training in men’s technique and conditioning classes. The curriculum mirrors elements of the Academy Division, but with a special emphasis on developing specific male techniques and addressing the unique challenges that face young men. Email us to set up a placement class at school@nashvilleballet.com.
Education Outside the Studio
NEW! LAUREL SPRINGS SCHOOL (K–12)
School of Nashville Ballet is excited to announce our new partnership with Laurel Springs School, a fully accredited, private online school for students K-12. Founded in 1991, Laurel Springs School offers challenging and flexible programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. With college prep academics, they have a 91% college acceptance rate. Laurel Springs School graduates enter the most selective colleges and universities of their choice in the U.S. and throughout the world. Click here to view a sample of Laurel Springs School college acceptance list.
Online schools such as Laurel Springs School offer pre-professional dancers who are still in high school the flexibility they need to achieve academic success without sacrificing hours spent training for a career in dance. We have chosen to partner with Laurel Springs School because they allow students and their families to set their own graduation goal, and will work with you to ensure you meet each deadline while being mindful of your requirements as an aspiring professional dancer. To learn more about Laurel Springs School, visit their website or contact us at school@nashvilleballet.com. Brochures and additional information is available upon request.
To enroll in Laurel Springs School, please contact Laurel Springs School directly at 484-653-3445 and make sure to mention that you are a student at School of Nashville Ballet.
Enrollment and Tuition Policy
School of Nashville Ballet reserves the right to cancel classes due to lack of enrollment. Canceled classes will be prorated and refunded.
Enrollment is for the entire semester. There is no proration for scheduling conflicts. Classes are not transferable to other students.
In the case of serious injury or illness, refunds may be considered on an individual basis, are not guaranteed and may be subject to a 25% administration fee. Voluntary or involuntary withdrawal and missed classes are not considered eligible for refunds.
Questions?
If you need additional assistance, please contact School of Nashville Ballet at 615-297-2966 x910 or school@nashvilleballet.com.