• Mommy and Me/Caregiver and Child
• Creative Movement
• Pre Ballet
• Pre Primary
• Primary
• Ballet 1
• Ballet 2
• Ballet 3 
• Ballet 4/5
• Intermediate and Advanced Company      
• ​​Pointe Classes
• ​Progressing Ballet Technique
• ​Adult Ballet
• Contemporary Dance
• ​Summer Classes​​

Vertical Divider

Classes

Private and semi-private classes are available for students ages 8 and up to supplement regular classes, at instructor’s availability. All scheduling is through Moira Frazier Ostrander. You can email mfrazier@bristolballet.org for more info.

Classes are open for all ages 12 months and up. The descriptions below give a general idea of the progression of technique, and age or other requirements and guidelines. Performing company members will perform in major productions in December and May, and will perform smaller scale productions in local schools in the spring, to educate elementary school children about the arts and dance, and other small performances as opportunities arise.  Other students will be invited as appropriate. All students will participate in the Annual Spring Student Concert at the end of the season, in May, except for our Creative Movement and Mommy and Me students, who have class observations for parents and friends at the end of each 8-week session. Seasons run August through May, with separate classes/camps or intensives for summer study. Performing company members do not purchase costumes; however, a production fee and costume rental fee may be charged to participants in the major productions. Students not in the performing company must purchase the selected costumes for the Annual Student Concert, and will pay a nominal production fee.

Bristol Ballet offers Mommy and Me/Caregiver and Child classes, where caregivers can enjoy movement and dance with their toddlers. We offer a class for 2 year olds and their caregivers and a class for toddlers aged 12-24 months and their caregivers. These classes are introductory dance classes that encourage toddlers and their parents to enjoy the freedom of movement together. The classes use a developmentally appropriate curriculum (Discover Dance) to help toddlers develop motor skills, muscle strength, and social skills, while also having fun.

Bristol Ballet's Creative Movement, Pre- Ballet, Pre-Primary, and Primary classes are preparatory classes that provide a structured and creative approach to dance education for preschool age children. Bristol Ballet proudly uses the Discover Dance program for its younger students. (Click HERE for more information about Discover Dance.) Class activities aim at developing an awareness of a dancer's own body and its capabilities as well as providing a foundation for the basic technique of any genre of movement. The classes combine skill development and self-expression through exploration of the elements or concepts of dance which will give dancers a way to eventually create their own way of dancing, Skills are developed in relation to the concept. As Bristol Ballet is primarily a ballet school and company, ballet terminology is modestly introduced as appropriate for each age level, however specific technique is not aggressively stressed for these preschool and lower elementary levels. In all techniques, proper body posture and proper execution of exercises or steps is always emphasized and should be mastered before progressing to the next level. Quality and proper development, as well as injury prevention, are the goals of every instructor at Bristol Ballet.

Creative Movement is taught in 8-week sessions that are designed for the flexibility of completing one session alone or multiple sessions with some progression. These students do not perform in the end of year Student Concert, but have a parent observation at the end of each eight weeks. The other levels are season-long classes that run from August through May. These levels will participate in the end of year Student Concert. Some levels may also be invited to perform in The Nutcracker if deemed appropriate for their level – Usually Ballet One and higher.

Bristol Ballet is proud to include the AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE® National Training Curriculum, a breakthrough 9 level program that combines high quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development. The ABT® National Training Curriculum consists of a comprehensive set of age-appropriate, outcome-based guidelines to provide the highest quality ballet training to dance students of all ages and skill levels. Pre-Primary through Level 3 will be taught by ABT® Certified Teacher, Moira Frazier Ostrander, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.