Lower School (ages 8-12)

New Student Placement 2010/11

Ages 8-10 (No previous dance experience):

• Students age 8 to 10, with no previous dance experience, are placed in Level 1 of the Lower School. Refer to the schedule below for Level 1 class options and then CLICK HERE for new student registration information.

Ages 8 and older (With previous dance experience):

• Students age 8 and older, with previous dance experience, who are new to Ballet Austin, will be required to attend a placement class to determine their level for the fall. CLICK HERE for placement class information.

Ages 11-12 (No previous dance experience):

• Students age 11 to 12, with no previous dance experience, are recommended to attend Beginning Ballet on Ballet Austin’s Butler Community School (BCS) Kid’s Zone schedule. CLICK HERE for the BCS Kid’s Zone summer schedule of classes.

Starting in Level 1 of the Lower School, students begin formal training in traditional classical ballet. The syllabus progresses at a rate that allows the student to learn the exercises correctly and with full physicality. Repetition and slow careful work is emphasized, with the students learning discipline and control of their bodies. Students progress to the next level when they have mastered the material and physical understanding of the syllabus in their current level. For some students, this may take more than one year. Students may be moved to the next level during the year if they have met the requirements of their level before the end of the year.  

• Level 1 meets two times per week for 1 hour.
• Level 2 meets two times per week for 1.25 hours.
• Level 3 meets three times per week for 1.5 hours.
• Lower School students are required to attend all scheduled classes for their level.

Children in the Lower School are encouraged to take as many make up/extra classes as they can in the same or a lower level. For highly motivated students this will help accelerate their progress; the more classes a student is able to take, the quicker the work of each level will be learned. Students receive a written evaluation with the level recommended for the fall in the registration packet sent in June.  

All Lower School students are eligible to audition for Ballet Austin’s The Nutcracker. At the end of the year, they are encouraged to participate in the Academy's Spring Presentation, an informal performance held in our AustinVentures StudioTheater. 

Dress Code

Level 1, 2 and 3 Girls: Lavender Bloch, Harmonie or Baltogs leotard, short sleeve style only, pink tights, pink ballet shoes. No skirts. Hair must be secured in a bun.

Level 1, 2 and 3 Boys: Body Wrappers white fitted t-shirt, black footed tights, black ballet shoes, Body Wrappers dance belt brief. 

Electives through the Butler Community School (Lower School)
Additional dance classes are offered specifically for Academy children through the Butler Community School.  BCS Kid’s Zone classes include jazz, tap, hip hop, modern and musical theatre. Students are encouraged to participate in order to expand their physical understanding of movement and build connections to the greater dance community. Both the Academy and Community School are housed at the Butler Dance Education Center. Community School classes allow for a flexible, pay-as-you-go schedule with no minimum attendance requirements. Class-Cards may be used interchangeably at any or all of the BCS Kid’s Zone classes. While enrolled in the 2010/11 school year, Academy students may purchase a Class-Card at a special rate of 50% off the regular Class-Card rate.

2010/11 Class Schedule
The 2010/11 school year begins September 7, 2010.