Classical ballet

Little ones

Little Bear Feet with Melody Bear® for 18 mo to 2.5 years. Melody Bear Ballet classes for ages 2.5 to 4 years. Little ones can also begin in the Pre-primary classes (age 4-6). The littlest children have a perfect introduction to dance and movement and older ones are enthralled by dancing to the accompaniment of our wonderful live pianist Ann. 

Older children/teenagers

It's never too late to start ballet. We work hard to place your child in classes with the best fit for both age and ability. New students can overlap their classes for extra experience to get up-to-speed with their age group.

Adults

Ballet, Stretch, Tone and Dance! Fridays 11:30-12:30. Revisit a childhood activity or start something completely new, all are welcome no matter what previous experience you have.

Exams & competitions

The Academy offers ballet exams at all appropriate levels. Pupils find this challenging and rewarding to have something to work towards. Exam entry is optional if you wish to follow the syllabus without formal examination. Pupils may also enter competitions such as the Mabel Ryan Awards which are held at Sadler's Wells in London. An amazing experience and to take part is something to really be proud of. Other experiences include the Cecchetti Southern Awards and the Cecchetti Choreographic Competition. In 2018 we won the Junior Group Musicality Award in the Choreographic Competition and were awarded commendations in the Solo and Duet categories.

Shows

All ballet pupils have the opportunity to take part in the shows that are staged by Vanessa Gardner. Dances are specially choreographed for the class size and ability levels. Recent shows have included Fire & Ice and The Secret Garden. 

The Cecchetti method

We follow the Cecchetti method which was was vital in the development of Classical Ballet in the United Kingdom and contributed heavily to modern day British teaching methods.

Enrico Cecchetti and his wife opened a ballet school in London in 1918, and his pupils included some of the most well known names in British Ballet, many also influencing ballet throughout the world.

Dame Marie Rambert was a former pupil and colleague of Cecchetti and she also established a professional ballet school teaching his methods. This led to the formation of the UK’s first ballet company, which survives today as the country’s oldest established dance company, although it is now known as Rambert Dance Company and specialises in contemporary dance. The school also remains and is known as the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Dame Ninette de Valois was a colleague of Cecchetti during her professional career with the Ballets Russes. She established The Royal Ballet in London, with many of the companies early dancers being pupils of Cecchetti. The Cecchetti method was also favoured by de Valois when she formed the Royal Ballet School and worked with Doris Stainer to form the dancing school in Charters Road, Sunningdale where Vanessa Gardner started training at age 2!  Phyllis Bedells, another Cecchetti pupil, would also play an important role in the teaching of ballet in Britain, as a founder member of the Royal Academy of Dance, which today is the worlds largest Classical Ballet teaching organisation.