Don’t let the “Princeton” in the name fool you. The Princeton Ballet School has been a vibrant part of the New Brunswick community for 30 years. It offers ballet classes in the Crossroad Theater building at 7 Livingston Avenue on the fourth floor for children from four years to age 17. Recently the school added an all boys ballet class. An open enrollment dance class for adults is excellent as an exercise class and provides a great work out.
According to Mary Pat Robertson, director of the school, two qualities enhance the educational dance experience. “Our affiliation with a professional company, the American Repertory Ballet (ARB), adds another dimension to our students’ experience of dance.” Ms. Robertson said. “We want to communicate in every class, for every age group and level that dancing is a joyous human experience – for everyone! Classes are more about immersing the student in an art form, not a study of specific exercises.” By the time students reach the intermediate level they can audition for parts in the professional company. ARB ‘s world class Nutcracker includes children as young as six and seven years of age. Along with providing private ballet instruction, the Princeton Ballet School has provided dance instruction to the eight New Brunswick public elementary schools for the last three decades. According to Lisa Beth Vettoso, director of Educational Programming, the DANCE POWER program is the longest running arts and community partnership in New Jersey. The program started by pulling out 10 – 20 students and has grown to be a push in program. “For 20 weeks from September through April, second and third graders, during their gym periods are taught ballet by 10 teaching artists from the ballet school,” Ms. Vettoso said. “The culmination of the program is a performance at the State Theater in New Brunswick for the third graders.” Thirty-two students are selected for scholarships to continue classes at the Princeton Ballet School. The students are invited to take classes for free through their high school careers. According to Ms. Robertson, the Princeton Ballet School mission is two fold. Students can enjoy dance as recreation and they can also take their commitment to a professional level. “We work with each body at their own level. We want students to take away a love for ballet that will last a life time,” Ms. Robertson said. “And we work on having fun together.” Beginning Dance Sunday 12:30pm – Beginning Dance (ages 4-5) Children’s Ballet Sunday 1:15pm – Children’s Ballet 1 (ages 5-6) 2:00pm – Children’s Ballet 2/Intermediate 1 (must be at least 6 years old) Intermediate Level Ballet Wednesday 4:30pm – Middle School Ballet (by evaluation only) 5:30pm – Boys Ballet ** new offering! (must be at least 6 years old) Thursday 4:30pm – Middle School Ballet (by evaluation only) 5:30pm – Student 1 (by evaluation only, generally age 9 and up) 6:45pm – Student 2 (by evaluation only, generally age 10 and up) Sunday 3:00pm – Intermediate 2 (by evaluation only, generally age 7-10) 4:00pm – Intermediate 3 (by evaluation only, generally age 8-10) 5:00pm – Student 1 (by evaluation only, generally age 9 and up) Mixed Level Teen Wednesday 6:45pm – Dance Mix (generally ages 13-17) Open Enrollment Adult Wednesday 7:45pm – Adult OE – GREAT EXERCISE FOR ADULTS OF ALL AGES! For more information or to register, visit us online at www.arballet.org, or call 732-249-1254 ext. 19