Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts
Class Descriptions for 2023-2024

Ballet Program:

Pre-Ballet, ages 3-4
Students in pre-ballet will be introduced to basic ballet technique while learning to follow directions and work on gross motor skills.  The concentration in this level is posture development, musicality and rhythm, coordination, and creative expression through movement.

Ballet 1, ages 5-6
Students in Ballet 1 will be developing basic ballet technique working from the five positions.  They will concentrate on posture with the use of the core muscles, plie and tendu variations, and center work that evolves gross motor skills, in addition to creative expression and musicality.

Ballet 2, ages 7-8
Students in Ballet 2 will be working on basic ballet technique through both barre and center work.  Concentration in this class is the awareness of turn out, emphasis on straight lines, vocabulary development, rhythm and tempo.  

Ballet 3A and 3B,  ages 9+ Requirement: minimum 2x/week, Recommended: PBT/Pre-Pointe 
Students in Ballet 3A and 3B will be working on ballet technique at the barre and center.  In this class, students are expanding their vocabulary and learning many new exercises.  The emphasis is on establishing turn out, articulating the feet, and strengthening their ability.  

Ballet 3C, ages 10+ Placement Class Required, Requirement: minimum 2x/week, PBT/Pre-Pointe

Students in Ballet 3C will enhance their technique through both barre and center work.  Similar to Ballet 3A and 3B, students are rapidly expanding their ballet vocabulary.  The emphasis is developing posture and whole body coordination, articulating the feet and strengthening their ability.  Female students in Ballet 3C will also take PBT/pre-pointe class.

Ballet 4, ages 11+ Placement Class Required, minimum 3x/week, Pointe, PBT
Students in Ballet 4 will be working on intermediate ballet technique at the barre and centre.  Concentration in this class is given to improving ballet posture, body positions, and movement quality.  Female students in Ballet 4 will also take pointe class. Students in this level wishing to perform will audition for roles.  

Ballet 5, ages 12+ Placement Class Required, minimum 4x/week, Pointe, PBT, one hour additional genre 
Students in Ballet 5 will be working on intermediate ballet technique to improve their strength and precision. Students will advance to difficult skills to improve their alignment, technique, and movement quality. Female students in Ballet 5 will take pointe class twice a week.  Students in this level wishing to perform will audition for roles.

Ballet 6, ages 12+  — Placement Class Required, minimum 4x/week, Pointe, PBT, one hour additional genre
Students in Ballet 6 will be working on advanced ballet technique in order to improve their ability and skills in the art.  Concentration will be placed on alignment, epaulement, and artistry. Female students in Ballet 6 will take pointe class twice a week.  Students in this level wishing to perform will audition for roles.

Freshman Ballet, ages 10+
Students in Freshman Ballet are older beginners to ballet.  They will be working on beginning ballet technique through barre and center work.  Concentration in this class is establishing basic feet and arm positions, posture, strength, and movement quality.

Sophomore Ballet, ages 10+
Students in Sophomore Ballet are older beginning to intermediate students in ballet, who have not yet built the strength necessary for pointe.  They will be working on ballet technique through barre and center work.  Concentration in this class is establishing basic feet and arm positions, posture, strength, and movement quality.

Pre-Pointe Class, Level 3-4
Training on pointe is a serious step in ballet training.  Click here for a description of our studio’s guidelines for pointe work.  Pre-pointe class focuses on foot-strength building and alignment that will develop pointe readiness. Students will learn conditioning exercises for the legs and feet and practice pointe barre technique. Students are required to take two ballet technique classes a week at this level. 

Pointe Class, Levels 4-6
Students will participate in a weekly pointe class in order to improve their pointe technique.  These classes will continue to work on foot, leg, and core strength through both barre and center exercises.  Concentration will be on alignment and correct distribution of weight over the shoe, ability to maintain balance, and increased security and control.  Advanced pointe students will also learn and analyze classical variations from famous ballet repertoire.

Stretch and Strength Program:

Dance with Me, ages 18 mos-2yrs

Help develop gross motor skills, work on musicality and rhythm, and instill a love of dancing in this class for our littlest students.  Any parent or caregiver will join to help guide students in exploring dance with child friendly music, engaging exercises, and fun props.

Pre-Acro, ages 3-5

Core strength, balance, coordination and locomotion skills will be taught as your student enjoys rolling like a log, walking like a bear and stretching up to the sun in this fun, active class!

Acro 1-2, ages 5-8
This class will focus on the foundations of Acro, a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with precision acrobatic elements.. Students will do stretch and strength exercises, full body conditioning, and learn basic acro including forward rolls, back bends, and walkovers. This class is done in the studio on the dance floor with the occasional use of thin mats.

Acro 3-6, ages 9+
This class will build on the foundations of Acro, a combination of elements of gymnastics and dance to paint a fuller picture. Students will do stretch and strength exercises, full body conditioning, and work toward acro skills of backhand springs, handstands, front handsprings, walkovers.

Progressing Ballet Technique, Ages 10+
(PBT) is a fun and revolutionary training program that combines physiological expertise with enhanced ballet practices to help students increase muscle memory, improve flexibility, and strengthen technique.

 

Musical Theatre Program

Pre-Musical Theatre, ages 3-4 
If you have a child that loves to “put on a show!” this class is for her/him! This 30 minute class is full of theatre games, music and movement. It helps to build confidence and channel creative energy. We work on theater skills like speaking in front of a group, improv, and character development in an age-appropriate way! 

Musical Theatre 1, ages 5-6 Recommended: Ballet 1 and Tap/Jazz 1
Working and playing with the three main components of Musical Theatre: Singing, Dancing and Acting, MT1 teaches articulation, proper vocal production, and basic dance steps for ages 5-6. Students will sing and dance simultaneously, learn theatre vocabulary, play improv games and have a lot of fun!

Musical Theatre 2, ages 7-8 Recommended: Tap/Jazz combo class, Ballet 2
This fun and energetic class will be exploring the three main components of Musical Theatre: Singing, Dancing and Acting. MT2 teaches articulation, proper vocal production, and basic/intermediate dance steps for ages 7-8. Students will sing and dance simultaneously, learn theatre vocabulary, play improv games, sing in rounds, learn basic harmony, how to read a script and write blocking notes.

Musical Theatre 3, ages 9-12  Requirement: Jazz 3 or Freshman Jazz, Ballet 3 or Freshman Ballet (1x per week) Recommended: Tap 3 or Freshman Tap
One of our most popular classes at HBPA, this class dives into singing, dancing and acting! With increasingly challenging music, choreography and character work, the students continue to develop technique and artistry, and learn to perform authentically.

Musical Theatre 4, ages 10+ Requirement: Jazz 4, Freshman or Sophomore Jazz, Ballet 4, Freshman or Sophomore Ballet, Recommended: Acro and Tap 

Students in MT 4 will be challenged with more difficult material as an actor, singer and dancer. Increasing emphasis on style, audition technique, retention, and singing in parts will build the student’s confidence and prepare them for Musical Theatre Company.

Musical Theatre Company ages 12+  Requirement: A minimum of one level 4 Ballet class per week and one Jazz, Contemporary, and Acro class. Recommended: Tap, PBT
In this class, students will continue to advance their performing skills as a triple threat. Audition technique, professionalism, history and genres of Musical Theatre will be addressed, as well as basic music theory. Students in this class will audition for roles in our annual spring musical.

Freshmen Musical Theatre, ages 10+ 

This class is designed for the older beginner.  Perfect for the student that wants to step out of their comfort zone in a fun environment, fundamental dance, vocal, and acting skills will be taught in addition to basic audition skills and theatre vocabulary.

Sophomore Musical Theatre, ages 10+

This class continues to build on the fundamental musical theatre skill set of singing, dancing and acting for older beginners. Watch as your student’s confidence grows alongside the mastery of new skills!

 

Jazz Program: (most jazz classes in levels pre-3 are combined with Musical Theatre)

Jazz 1, ages 5-6
This combo class will introduce the students to the basics of broadway tap and classical jazz dance. Through warm up, center work, and across the floor, 30 minutes will be spent in each discipline, focusing on proper technique, musicality, execution of basic steps and performance.

Jazz 2, ages 7-8
This combo class will continue to increase skills and vocabulary of broadway tap and classical jazz dance. Through warm up, center work, across the floor and short combinations, 30 minutes will be spent in each discipline, focusing on proper technique, musicality, execution of basic steps and performance. Introduction to proper turning/leaping technique in addition to an increased focus on core strength and flexibility is emphasized.

Jazz 3/4, ages 9-11
This class will continue to increase in difficulty of skills and vocabulary of classical jazz dance. Through warm up, center work, across the floor, and longer combinations, the focus on proper technique, musicality, and performance continues. Age appropriate goals for turns, leaps, stretch and strength are articulated for students.

Jazz 5/6, (formerly Broadway Rep) This class is by invitation or audition only.
Pre req: Students must have a full split on the right & left side, and an intermediate level understanding of jazz vocabulary, turns and leaps.Requirement: Students must be enrolled in at least 2 ballet classes per week.
This class will explore the choreography of current and past Broadway productions. Focusing on proper technique and honing specific styles of Broadway legends such as Robbins, Fosse, and Bennett, dancers will expand their skill set and push past their comfort zones.

Freshman Jazz, ages 10+, for older beginners
This class will focus on the basics of classical jazz dance. Warm up, center work and short combinations will focus on proper alignment, stretch/strength and musicality. This class is excellent for singers and actors that need a stronger handle on dance skills. The goal of this class is two fold: First, to make room for an older beginner to explore their interest in dance and second, to get older beginners up to speed, so they can transition into leveled classes asap.

 

Modern/Contemporary Program:

Contemporary 4/5/6, ages 12+, Pre-Req: Ballet 4
Contemporary dance encourages dancers to be versatile in their expressions and to be able to portray a wide array of movement styles and emotions. It focuses on spacial and body awareness, use of body weight, floor work, technique, efficiency of muscle usage, musicality and safe body alignment.

Family Worship Arts, ages 8+
An engaging class for the whole family. This liturgical dance style for beginners that engages the heart, mind, and soul. Beginners welcome!

 

Tap Program: 

Tap 1, ages 5-6,  Pre-Req: Students must be able to skip.
Through dancing and games students will learn the basics of Broadway tap, foot articulation, tempo, rhythm and downbeat. A combo class with Jazz 1, 30 minutes each week will be spent on each discipline.

Tap 2, ages 7-8
Students will continue to increase knowledge, technique and vocabulary of Broadway tap, including turns and increasing speed.  A combo class with Jazz 2, 30 minutes each week will be spent on each discipline.

Tap 3, ages 9-10
Through warm up, center work and across the floor, students will be working on increasing speed, and difficulty of Broadway style combinations. Introduction to rhythmic tap and hoofing will be explored in preparation for Tap 4.

Tap 4 ages 13-15  — Placement Class Required
Intermediate tap technique for older students, this class will build on basic technical skills, with increasing difficulty in footwork, rhythm, turning steps and speed. This class is not Broadway tap,  but a rhythmic/ musician’s approach, as seen in dance companies.

Tap 5/6 This class is by invitation or audition only.
Advanced Tap focuses on developing musicality through tap technique, improvisation, and listening. Students will learn basic elements of music and be encouraged to explore their own personal style and relation to tap dance. A typical class consists of warm-ups, followed by rudiment exercises, then choreography, and finishes with improvisation.  Students must be well-versed in tap vernacular and have established control of the physical steps.

Freshmen Tap,  ages 10+
Beginning tap technique for older beginners, this class will include warm up, center work, and simple traveling steps. Students will learn basic tap steps, how to differentiate multiple foot positions, count along with music, understand tempo, downbeats and upbeats.

 

Adult Program:

Family Worship Arts, ages 8+
An engaging class for the whole family. This liturgical dance style for beginners that engages the heart, mind, and soul. Beginners welcome!

Adult Yoga, Ages 17+

This class will use basic yoga asanas or poses which is designed to improve flexibility, strength, and balance. Learn pranayamas or breathing techniques and meditation that are used to handle stress and anxieties. A gentle form of practice to maintain physical and mental wellness.

Adult Tap Ages 17+
This class is for adults who want to explore and learn tap dance. It is a fun way to exercise, learn a new skill, and meet friends! 

Adult Ballroom Introduction Ages 17+
This shortened session will be fun for beginning and intermediate dancers while we explore several Latin styles such as swing, salsa, cha cha, rumba, waltz, merengue and more! The class will focus on basic steps with a partner, musicality and rhythm, and fun! Partner recommended.