PPAS PARTNERSHIP
Ballet Tech is in partnership with Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS) to provide high school students with pre-professional dance training while attending an academically rigorous high school. Students attend PPAS for the first part of the school day for their academic courses (8:15AM – 1:20PM); at 1:25PM they board a bus that takes them to Ballet Tech for their dance classes.
Ballet Tech launched its high school training program with PPAS in September 2014.
Curriculum
Students in the High School are part of the Upper School division. They dance 5 days a week, Monday through Friday. The curriculum is advanced and prepares students for entrance into the professional dance world. Each week students take 5 ballet technique classes, plus classes in modern dance, classical variations, pointe, partnering, men’s strengthening, stretch, and, for 9th graders, tap.
In their ballet classes, High School students:
- Learn and retain advanced ballet vocabulary
- Learn more advanced combinations
- Have an innate understanding of the use of épaulement in all combinations
- Have the strength to do more advanced jumps and multiple turns
- Learn classical variations (excerpts from classical ballets)
- Study partnering, which leads to learning classical pas de deux (duets)
DANCE 9 (9th Grade)
Weekly Classes:
5 ballet technique classes
1 modern dance class
2 pointe classes
1 classical variations class
1 partnering class
1 men’s strength and stretch class
1 tap class
1 Theater Dance class (Summer Session only)
1 West African class (Summer Session Only)
DANCE 10 (10th Grade)
Weekly Classes:
5 ballet technique classes
1 modern dance class
2 pointe classes
1 classical variations class
1 partnering class
1 men’s strength and stretch class
1 Theater Dance class (Summer Session only)
1 West African class (Summer Session only)
DANCE 11 (11th Grade)
Weekly Classes:
5 ballet technique classes
1 modern dance class
2 pointe classes
1 classical variations class
1 partnering class
1 men’s strength and stretch class
1 Theater Dance class (Summer Session only)
1 West African class (Summer Session only)
DANCE 12 (12th Grade)
Weekly Classes:
5 ballet technique classes
1 modern dance class
2 pointe classes
1 classical variations class
1 partnering class
1 men’s strength and stretch class
1 Theater Dance class (Summer Session only)
1 West African class (Summer Session only)
Throughout the summer session and the regular school year, High School students have opportunities to learn repertory and work directly with professional choreographers. They also have the opportunity to audition for Kids Dance, Ballet Tech’s annual season at the Joyce Theater.
The Summer Session
During the summer, Ballet Tech students participate in a mandatory 4-week dance intensive. Students begin their new ballet level during the summer. In addition to their regular dance classes, students take classes that are not offered during the school year, such as West African and Theater Dance.
Dancewear
Ballet Tech equips students with complete dance attire, including leotards, tights and ballet slippers.
Studios
Ballet Tech’s facilities include five dance studios. The studios have marley-covered, sprung-wood floors, mirrored walls, and 13 foot ceilings.
Van Lier Fellows
The New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowship generously sponsors some of Ballet Tech’s current 9th and 10th grade dancers and will continue to do so through October 2019. This is NYCT’s second fellowship at Ballet Tech, having sponsored the current 12th grade dancers during their freshman and sophomore years.
The arts in New York have been enriched by the Van Lier fellowships. There are now more artists from diverse backgrounds able to pursue their dreams thanks to NYCT.
Current Van Lier Fellowship Recipients:
Princely Emile
Jayden Franco
Aqeel Haynes
Michelle Kong
Allison Lee
Tobi Lee
Diana Park
Sanjay Ramnarine
Sofia Villa
Past Van Lier Recipients:
Hasana Boodhoo
Tristan Brooks
Albert Chang
Johnson Guo
Kyunghee Hori
Lucy Hu
Joseph Noesi
Rashel Orellana
Zuzu Park-Stettner
Neil Smith