Ballet for Teens & Preteens

2 parent questions ▼
Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Beginning ballet classes for teens

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    Jan 24, 2023

    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

    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

    Jan 30, 2023

    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. 

    Jan 30, 2023

    I highly recommend Shawl Anderson for this. 

    Jan 30, 2023

    Ah Lan Dance in El Cerrito has ballet for teens. https://ahlandance.com/

    Feb 6, 2023

    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.

    Feb 13, 2023

    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. 

    Feb 20, 2023

  • Ballet Class With Recital For Pre-Teens

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    Nov 4, 2022

    Hi I am looking for ballet classes for a 12 going-on-13 year old in the East Bay. We checked The Berkeley Ballet Thearter, Alameda Ballet, Shawl Anderson, and  many others. However, it seems that classes go by  season and since fall season registration is closed you can't start until the spring next year. We're especially looking for classes that do recitals and performances rather than just lessons. Are there any classes at the moment that preform and start in November or December this year?

    Please let me know your experiences with ballet for your kiddos! : ) Thank you so much!

    Nov 4, 2022

    Alameda Ballet Academy does a spring recital every year. Even if you sign up for the new session in January your dancer will participate, the recital is usually in April/May.

    Both BBT and ABA do annual recitals and Nutcrackers. In the ballet world Nov/Dec are for rehearsing and performing Nutcracker, so no, you won't find any classes that start now.

    12/13 is kind of late to start, but for sure ABA has a beginner class for teens, and I think BBT may as well. Good luck!

    Signed, a ballet mom for 14 years and counting....

    Nov 9, 2022

    I just signed up my 11 yr old with Oakland ballet on Piedmont ave run by Denise.    Very good teacher.   Performances are scheduled.    
     

    Nov 9, 2022

    Katie’s Dance Studio in El Cerrito has ballet classes that take students mid-season.  The annual Showcase is usually in June, and the studio participates in various competitions and other performance opportunities also. 

    Nov 13, 2022

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions

Ballet for 12 year old with no experience

May 2014

My 12 year old daughter would like to learn ballet. She had limited lessons years ago. Are there classes or camps where a 12 year old can learn the basics? Ballet Enthusiast

I don't know if you're only looking for summer camps, but Alameda Ballet has a Teen
Intro to Ballet class that's for kids 9+ who are just starting ballet. Check out
http://www.alamedaballet.com/classes_description_children.htm
Jillian 

Beginners' ballet classes for almost 15 y.o.?

Sept 2013

My daughter is interested in learning ballet. Ideally, she would prefer a class with other teens (rather than 6 y.o. or adults), and an environment that is serious about ballet but not preprofessional. Shawl-Anderson has received positive reviews on BPN in the past, but I'd like to hear about the recent experiences of other teens who started ballet lessons as teens, either there or at other studios. What did you or your teen consider when you were looking for a studio? We're interested in studios in Berkeley, North Oakland, or Albany. BTW, she took lessons for a year when she was 5, but doesn't really remember it. Mom of exploring teen

About Shawl-Anderson....there are several dancers at Shawl-Anderson who follow a teacher and attend all of that teacher's classes. This means that very advanced dancers can be in a beginning class! My teen found this very intimidating because it seemed that everyone else was getting the choreography faster than she was. I think this may be the experience at many dance studios, but it might be useful to give her a heads-up. Anonymous

My son started ballet when he was much older, at 21. He's tried lots of places. He liked Berkeley Ballet Theater, on College, which has good teachers and a warm atmosphere. He also loves the SF Academy of Ballet, right at Church and Market. He takes BART and transfers to MUNI and then is right there, just by the MUNI stop. They have a good and thorough and progressive program for young people that is after school and then in the summer, with individual attention for the students and good teachers. hope she has fun!