Curriculum preview — not currently scheduled

This eight-week program is a learning outline, not a currently bookable course. For available class formats, dates, venues and prices, see the current schedule. The outline does not describe the equipment or exact content of every current class.

Ballet Basics · 8-week series

Your first
step into ballet.

A welcoming, carefully paced introduction for complete beginners. Learn the foundations, understand the language, and leave moving with more confidence—one hour at a time.

See current classes Explore all 8 weeks ↓

The bright Ballet No.9 studio ready for class

No experience
required

The complete curriculum

Know exactly what you’ll learn.

Open any week for the full 60-minute lesson plan. The structure stays familiar while the movement vocabulary grows—so you can spend less time guessing and more time dancing.

Class 01Foundations & alignment

Feel at home in the room.Learn safe posture, comfortable turnout, basic positions and how to hear counts of eight.

PliéTenduRelevéPort de bras

00:00–05:00Welcome, studio etiquette, the barre, working and supporting legs
05:00–12:00Standing warm-up: breath, shoulders, ankles, parallel pliés and rises
12:00–18:00Posture; parallel, first and second positions; preparatory, first and second arms
18:00–27:00Demi-plié facing the barre, with knee tracking and even foot pressure
27:00–36:00Battement tendu front and side; articulate whole foot, ball and toes
36:00–43:00Relevé, low retiré and supported balance
43:00–52:00Center positions, port de bras, marches and musical counting
52:00–57:00Ballet walks, walk-point-close and simple traveling pattern
57:00–60:00Calf release, reverence and recap

Optional practiceFive minutes of posture, foot articulation and arm positions—without forcing turnout.

Class 02Footwork & port de bras

Coordinate from fingertips to toes.Revisit alignment, add dégagé and connect the arms to the movement.

DégagéEn croixSupporting leg

00:00–06:00Warm-up: breath, ankles, pliés, rises and weight shifts
06:00–13:00Arm pathway from preparatory to first, second and back; add the head
13:00–21:00Pliés in first and second, port de bras, weight transfer and balance
21:00–30:00Tendu front, side and gently to the back; both sides
30:00–37:00Battement dégagé front and side, returning through tendu
37:00–44:00Relevé, coordinated arms and low retiré balance
44:00–52:00Center combination: plié, tendu, port de bras and balance
52:00–57:00Walk-point-close, step-point and introductory chassé
57:00–60:00Reverence and vocabulary review

Optional practiceEight slow tendus in parallel while holding a stable surface.

Class 03Circles & weight transfer

Move around a steady center.Introduce circular leg action and transitions between two feet and one.

Rond de jambeEn dehorsEn dedansFondu

00:00–07:00Warm-up: pliés, ankles, feet, relevés, hips and port de bras
07:00–14:00Pliés at the barre, side port de bras and balance
14:00–22:00Tendu and dégagé en croix: front, side, back, side
22:00–31:00Rond de jambe à terre, en dehors and simplified en dedans
31:00–38:00Fondu preparation with simultaneous bending and lengthening
38:00–44:00Relevé, retiré and spotting to the front
44:00–52:00Center weight transfers through second with coordinated arms
52:00–57:00Ballet walks, chassé and changes of direction
57:00–60:00Release, reverence and vocabulary check

Optional practiceTrace small half-circles with the toes while keeping the pelvis quiet.

Class 04Balance & body directions

Discover ballet’s sense of space.Develop one-leg coordination and the facings that make simple steps feel like dancing.

CroiséEffacéÉpaulementRetiré

00:00–06:00Warm-up: pliés, feet, rises and gentle torso rotation
06:00–13:00Plié with port de bras, side stretch and controlled balance
13:00–21:00Tendu en croix with arms and head
21:00–28:00Dégagé: slow articulation followed by a quicker tempo
28:00–36:00Fondu front, side and back with a stable supporting leg
36:00–43:00Rond de jambe, relevé and low retiré balance
43:00–51:00Center facings: front, croisé, effacé and simple diagonals
51:00–57:00Traveling phrase with chassés, walks, point and presentation
57:00–60:00Reverence and recap

Optional practiceBalance in low retiré for up to eight counts with light support.

Class 05Dynamics & introductory turns

Move with clarity and direction.Develop a sharper foot action and understand safe quarter- and half-turn mechanics.

FrappéSpottingPreparation

00:00–06:00Warm-up: pliés, relevés, feet, port de bras and spotting
06:00–13:00Plié, rise, hold and controlled lower with coordinated arms
13:00–21:00Tendu and dégagé en croix with contrasting dynamics
21:00–29:00Frappé preparation front and side, prioritizing articulation
29:00–36:00Fondu, rond de jambe and balance review
36:00–43:00Fourth-position preparation, weight transfer, quarter- and half-turns
43:00–51:00Slow center phrase with tendu, transfer, retiré and port de bras
51:00–57:00Chassé, step, quarter-turn and walk to finish
57:00–60:00Cool-down and terminology

Optional practiceSpot a fixed point while making four slow quarter-turns in parallel.

Class 06Lift & beginner jumps

Learn to land before you leap.Explore safe landing mechanics and optional two-foot jumps. A non-jumping version is always available.

SautéLandingDemi-pointe

00:00–07:00Warm-up: pliés, feet, relevés, calves and dynamic mobility
07:00–14:00Landing mechanics: knees over toes and quiet foot articulation
14:00–21:00Tendu and dégagé with quick footwork
21:00–28:00Fondu and frappé preparation
28:00–35:00Relevé, low retiré balance and optional quarter-turn
35:00–43:00Sauté preparation at the barre; parallel and first position
43:00–49:00Center sautés or brisk relevé alternative
49:00–56:00Traveling phrase: chassé, point, walks and half-turn
56:00–60:00Calf release, ankle mobility and reverence

Optional practiceEight slow relevés and controlled demi-pliés; no jump practice needed.

Class 07Coordination & complete phrases

Turn exercises into dancing.Connect familiar steps into longer phrases and introduce changement when appropriate.

AdagioAllegroChangementPhrase

00:00–06:00Warm-up: pliés, relevés, feet, arms, spotting and weight shifts
06:00–13:00Plié combination with port de bras, balance and transfer
13:00–21:00Tendu and dégagé combination en croix
21:00–29:00Rond de jambe, fondu and retiré balance
29:00–35:00Frappé, relevé and quarter-turn
35:00–42:00Center adagio with transfer, fondu and balance
42:00–49:00Spotting, quarter-turns, half-turns and optional fuller rotation
49:00–55:00Sautés and optional changements, with a no-jump alternative
55:00–60:00Learn the final class sequence

Optional practiceMentally rehearse the final phrase and review the vocabulary.

Class 08Review, dance & celebrate

See how far you have come.Consolidate the vocabulary, complete a short ballet phrase and find your next step.

MusicalityReverenceConfidence

00:00–06:00Warm-up: posture, pliés, feet, relevés, arms and spotting
06:00–13:00Plié combination with port de bras and balance
13:00–21:00Tendu and dégagé en croix with arms and head
21:00–29:00Rond de jambe, fondu and low retiré
29:00–35:00Frappé, relevé and optional quarter-turn
35:00–42:00Center adagio review
42:00–48:00Quarter-turns, half-turns and optional full turn
48:00–53:00Sautés and optional changements
53:00–58:00Final combination in small groups
58:00–60:00Reverence, celebration and what comes next

Next stepSee current classes

8Weekly classes

60Minutes each

0Experience needed

1Clear foundation

Eight weeks.
A real beginning.

Every class builds on the one before it. You will repeat what matters, add one new layer at a time, and always understand why you are doing each movement.

Week 01Foundation