Ballet Exams: For Ages 7 & Up
Our goal is to nurture and help each student develop in dance and vision, as well as to learn to enjoy the self-discipline involved as their skills and artistry grow.
Our exams provide individual goals and are highly successful and rewarding for our students.
Our teachers are qualified, experienced and have a passion for dance and their students. They are leaders and role models, in addition, most of them are currently professional dancers having traveled the world many times with Ballet Excelsior of Houston. They bring a wealth of knowledge to each class and understand exams thoroughly; and with care and diligence, they know how to coach students.
We are proud to incorporate the AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE (ABT) National Training Curriculum, a breakthrough 8 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, age- appropriate, outcome-based set of guidelines to provide the highest quality ballet training to dance students of all ages and skill levels. E.S.D. holds 12 levels of ballet from our 3-Year-Old ballet classes through Level 9.
Pre-Exam Classes
On Saturdays, usually during the month of April, we hold extra exam preparation classes (Pre-Exam Classes). We keep these to a minimum, but they are a requirement for the exam. The exam date is usually the last Saturday in April, or the first Saturday in May.
After the required Saturday PEC, the students will perform a class with an examiner present. The students will later be given a written report and a mark for their exam. Exams are usually on a Saturday at the end of April or beginning of May.
Importance of Attendance
Students in ballet classes Primary through Level 9 will do an exam in order progress to the next ballet level. In order to do the exam and progress, regular attendance to classes is required, with maximum absences of 3-4 classes per semester. These absences will need to be ‘made-up’ within the same month to ensure ongoing physical practice. Email Ashley and she will advise you regarding your makeup class. In addition, attendance to the Saturday Pre-Exam classes is required for each student to examine.
Exams are a highlight of our year here at Excelsior! They are a great tool to assist and motivate students towards their personal goals. Our teachers will personally guide, teach and prepare each child, and it is always a revitalizing experience. We encourage parents to bring camera and flowers – it is truly an achievement to be celebrated!