Preliminary

Ages 5–6 | Two classes per week

Preliminary is the entry point into Adage Ballet Academy’s curriculum and is designed for young dancers ages five to six with no previous dance experience required. At this level, students take their first steps into the world of dance through a joyful, imaginative, and carefully structured approach that prepares them for future classical ballet training. Rather than rushing children into formal technique too early, the Preliminary Tier places them in contact with the fundamental elements of dance: space, time, form, momentum, movement, pattern, and expression. Students begin learning how to listen, observe, remember, coordinate, respond to music, move through the studio with awareness, and participate confidently in a class environment.

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About Preliminary

Each class is organized into several periods of study, including floor barre, introductory ballet technique, conditioning, composition, and play studies. This program allows young dancers to experience the diverse aspects of dance in an intuitive way before the work becomes more formal and abstract in higher tiers of study. Floor barre gives students a first relationship to posture and placement with the support of the ground; introductory technique begins to shape the earliest habits of classical training; and composition and play studies keep imagination, memory, and expression active within the learning process. Conditioning is woven into the class through a playful animal-pose system inspired by yoga, giving students a joyful way to explore the many possibilities of the body. At this level, the goal is not to teach yoga as a separate discipline, but to use its shapes and physical intelligence to support healthy movement habits from the very beginning.

As a performing academy, Adage believes that dance education is enriched by the experience of the stage. Preliminary students are included in performance opportunities, such as Winter Tales and the Spring Showcase, where they begin to experience performance as a natural extension of their work in class. These experiences give young dancers a first encounter with the world of the theater, the responsibility of participating in an ensemble, and the excitement of sharing dance with an audience. In this way, the Preliminary tier introduces ballet as a living art form that connects training, imagination, music, theater, and community.

Preliminary students attend two classes per week.

Wednesday – 4:00–5:00 PM

Saturday – 10:00–11:00 AM

This schedule provides young dancers with consistent weekly training while remaining age-appropriate for their first stage of study at Adage Ballet Academy. To keep families connected to their dancer’s progress, Adage hosts six official observation days throughout the year, aligned with the end of each six-week session. These observation days give families the opportunity to see how their dancer is developing within the class environment and to better understand the progression of the curriculum.

Apply for Preliminary

Preliminary is the earliest entry point into Adage Ballet Academy’s curriculum and does not require a formal audition. Families interested in enrollment should complete the application form below. After reviewing the application, Adage Ballet Academy may recommend a trial class to ensure that the student is placed in the environment best suited to their age, readiness, and early development.

A $25 non-refundable application fee is required to process each application. Following the application review or trial class, accepted students will receive a formal placement offer by email.