Gainesville School of Ballet

Contact us:

770.534.6282

 

   tstevenson1@brenau.edu
Text Box: HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY For four decades the Gainesville School of Ballet has been a leader in dance education. Known throughout the Southeast for its outstanding and comprehensive program; its success comes as a result of providing solid training and quality service. Founded in 1969 by Diane Callahan, what began as just one professional dancer, supplementing her income with teaching, rapidly grew into a school of the first order and; for Miss Diane, a life-long commitment to share her passion for dance with children. While most of the school’s students will not become, nor want to be, professional dancers; she believes every student should have the opportunity to learn the art form properly, in a healthy, loving atmosphere, and have fun doing it! The student-teacher ratio at the Gainesville School of Ballet is unrivalled. Most children’s classes include at least one Brenau University dance education major as an assistant, ensuring the students enjoy an extraordinary level of personal attention. Creative movement, beginning ballet, tap, jazz and hip-hop are offered for recreational and beginning dance students. Students who desire a more rapid progression are offered an intensive course of study that can develop the skills, experience and discipline required to pursue opportunities with the Gainesville Ballet Company, college scholarships and professional careers. The school’s students have become professional dancers and performers, instructors, choreographers and arts administrators. Some have joined the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, the Feld Ballet, the Atlanta Ballet, and many regional companies throughout the Southeast. Whatever a student’s goals, they can be realized at the Gainesville School of Ballet! Text Box: Click here to meet the Faculty & Staff

Afternoon, Evening & Saturday classes are offered for your convenience! 

Please scroll down for course descriptions, calendar, tuition, and recital information.
Text Box: F.A.Q’s

Class Code: PIV-PV and SI

Class Code: Int I-III

Primary Ballet (Ages 6-8) &  Secondary One Ballet ( Age7+)

)

Advanced Level & Junior/Senior Company Level Classes

Intermediate Ballet  (Ages 8 & older)

    Senior Company dancers typically take class four to five times a week and rehearse three to four times a week.  Participation in the annual summer course is required.

Enrollment in advanced level classes is based on a placement class.  Membership in the Junior and Senior Company is by audition only.  Please call  the studio for more information. 

    Dancers in the Junior Company take class three to four times a week and usually rehearse one  to two nights a week.  Participation in the annual summer course is required.  Junior Company members are eleven and older. 

TAP   -  Ages 5 and up

 

HIP-HOP  - Ages 7 and up.

 

Tap is the rhythmic study of music and movement. For the young child, it is one of the best means of developing musicality and coordination. 

High-energy and upbeat, hip-hop is performed to today’s most current music.  It is designed for those who want to have fun and exercise while learning the newest street dance moves.

A stylized form of dance - from swing & blues, to pop.  Jazz has its foundation in ballet.  To more fully understand its concepts and become a successful jazz dancer we recommend that ballet be taken with jazz. 

JAZZ  -  Ages 6 and up.

    Your child will learn the basics of the ballet barre and some center work.  One  ballet and one jazz class a week are recommended.  Some students opt for an additional ballet, tap or hip-hop class.

    A further expansion of the basic barre techniques.  Increased centre work to develop a dance vocabulary.  Two ballet classes a week are required and one jazz class is highly recommended.  Students in the Intermediate III level are evaluated for pointe work in December.

Classical dancing is like being a mother:

if you’ve never done it,

you can’t imagine how hard it is.

 ~ Harriet Cavalli

Class Code: PI - PIII

The early childhood program promotes the love of dance through the joy of movement combined with music.  Simple dance concepts are taught beginning with the identification of body parts, coordination skills, and movement patterns.  The basics of ballet are introduced along with the development of critical rhythm skills, strength, and the ability to follow directions.  These creative and imaginative classes broaden every young child’s love of dance and the performing arts.  At this age, children typically take one hour a week although a few choose to take more frequently.  We offer Saturday and evening classes for working parents.