Beginning ballet classes for teens
Hi all! We are looking for beginning ballet lessons for our teen (13) daughter in the east bay. Besides ABA beginning teen lessons does anyone know any other (advanced) beginner teen ballet classes? I'd love to hear your recommendations!
It having a nutcracker/swan lake recital would be a plus!
Thx!
-A
Jan 24, 2023
Parent Replies
Van Der Zwaan Dance Studio in Berkeley has a beginning teen ballet class. You can try a class before signing up.
http://www.zwaandance.com/winterspring-classes.html
Shawl Anderson Dance on Alcatraz and College generally has a teen beginner ballet class and camps too I believe. They are a very good and comfortable dance school with many options.
I highly recommend Shawl Anderson for this.
Ah Lan Dance in El Cerrito has ballet for teens. https://ahlandance.com/
Most schools may be able to offer a school type recital, but in terms of performances, I think your expectations do not meet reality. Putting on a full-length Nutcracker is something few schools are able to manage, aside from ABA and BBT. And Swan Lake requires a level of technical difficulty for dancers far beyond the student level. If your daughter is insistent about performing in Nutcracker, Oakland Ballet holds auditions every fall for student dancers, and many of the roles do not require much technical skill.
Take a look at Piedmont Ballet Academy. Last time I looked, they had a beginning teen class and they do a Nutcracker performance every year in early December. The owner, Neela is fantastic, and we’ve been very happy there.