BALLET ONE - FOUR PROGRAM

CMRC is always striving to provide a better learning environment for our students and create stronger more well rounded dancers. We have discussed various ways to continue increasing the integrity of our ballet program for the benefit of our students. This year, we have created some new rules and guidelines that we ask all of our Ballet One-Four students to follow to help us continue in our growth.

Please read below for some specific information about our Ballet One- Four program-

ATTIRE- All students are asked to wear a solid black leotard and pink footed or convertible ballet tights with pink ballet slippers. Please no shorts, shirts, skirts, etc. Hair should be pulled off of the face in a neat bun with bangs pinned back. This will help create a cleaner look in the classroom and will allow for the teacher to focus more on the students instead of being distracted by excess clothing or an array of colors.

STRETCHING- It is strongly suggested that students arrive 10- 15 minutes early to class to being stretching and warming up in the lobby. We have given our students many different stretches to try, should you have specific questions, please ask your teacher. When students begin class warmed up, they can maximize the use of their class time to improve their technique instead of 15 minutes being spent warming up during valuable class time. This will allow more time to focus on new terminology or improving the basics. Warming up before class also decreases a student’s likelihood of being injured during class.

ATTENDANCE- In ballet class attendance is very important! Each class a student misses puts her one more class behind her peers. A dancer cannot improve if they are not in class to practice and receive feedback. This can affect a dancer staying in their assigned level as well as moving up to the next level at the end of the year. Excessive absences may also affect stage time in the final class piece for the show.

POINTE - Students in Ballet 3 and 4 are required to have their pointe shoes beginning the first day of class. Shoes that are old or “dead” (as the dancers call it) need to be replaced. The importance of new pointe shoes cannot be stressed enough! Shoes that are too worn in cause a dancer to begin training incorrectly therefore weakening her feet, knees and ankles and making her more prone to injury. They make doing pointe work correctly almost impossible. Should I feel that a dancer is wearing shoes that are too worn, We will not allow her to continue with pointe work in the classroom until they have new shoes. This is in the best interest of the dancer!

SHOES - Students in Ballet 2 should begin to prepare to purchase their first pair of pointe shoes sometime during this coming year. We will let a student know when we feel they are ready for pointe work and will give them more information on getting the shoes. Once a student has been placed en pointe, it is important for them to have pointe shoes. Students will not be able to progress to the next level until they have had time working in the shoes. Students who do not get the shoes when recommended, will need to move back to Ballet 1 so that the rest of the class isn’t held behind.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding our pointe program please contact Melissa Heick at (410)426-5625 or by e-mail at glenheick@netzero.com.