Training Programs

Located on Manhattan's Upper West Side, The Ballet Hispanico School of Dance enjoys a stellar reputation among the nation's leading professional dance training programs. Serving hundreds of culturally diverse students annually, the School offers a well balanced curriculum in the core techniques of Ballet, Contemporary, Flamenco and much more.

Need and Merit based scholarships are available.

2009-2010 TRAINING PROGRAMS

ADVENTURES IN DANCE
(Ages 2-6)

Creativity, discipline and cultural awareness are nurtured in Ballet Hispanico's Adventures in Dance. Our highly qualified teachers will lead your child through a fun and active experience uniquely designed with the pre-school dancer in mind.

BOYS WORKSHOP
(Ages 6-11)

In Level I, students engage in dance activities that develop coordination, control, and creativity by exploring elements such as levels in space, directions, movement dynamics, and focus.

In Level II, students are introduced to the Limón technique that strengthens and expands the concepts learned in level 1 at the same time preparing them for the higher levels in the School program.

The registration fee is $30 and the Workshop is tuition-free. Special thanks to the Ted Snowdon Foundation for their generous support of this program.

ENRICHMENT CLASSES
(Ages 7-18)

The Enrichment Program offers a rich variety of classes taught by a professional faculty of exceptional teachers.

BALLET
The study of ballet technique fosters control, awareness, flexibility, strength, and a deep understanding of the mechanics of movement. Students will develop an understanding of fundamental concepts such as balance, alignment, transfer of weight, and fluidity of movement.

FLAMENCO
Flamenco, the most well-known Spanish dance form, engages the full body through the hand, arm, and footwork exercises of this dramatic technique. These classes feature complex rhythm exercises, full length choreography, and brief descriptions of the history of the flamenco art form and its expressive content.

AFRO–CARIBBEAN
This course follows the history of Afro-Caribbean movement, from the poly-rhythmic dances that originated in West Africa to the dance forms that subsequently developed in the West Indies and the Caribbean with the diaspora of African peoples. Emphasis is placed on isolation and proper body alignment, while using stretching techniques to build strength and flexibility, and learning West African and Afro–Caribbean dance combinations.

MODERN DANCE (LIMÓN)
This class offers a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental elements of the Limón technique, the singular movement vocabulary that has had a powerful influence on the modern dance field. The class explores concepts such as breath and flow of movement, tension and release, and fall and recovery. The exercises are challenging yet fun, historically important but contemporary in feel.

HIP-HOP
This class explores the distinctive history and culture of hip hop, focusing on five distinct styles: locking, popping, House, Breaking, and Freestyle. A featured dancer on MTV’s Hip Hop Honor Awards, “Mighty Mouse” draws on his own classical dance training to emphasize proper hip hop technique and the ability to retain movement patterns in a choreographed work.

LATIN JAZZ
Discover the rich mix of the Latin ballroom styles and classic Jazz dancing. This class will cover the historical backgrounds and rhythms of the Rumba-Bolero, Cha-Cha-Cha, Mambo-Salsa, Samba, Paso-Doble and Merengue. Emphasis is placed on the mastery of Cuban hip action, leg and arm styling, body shaping, body placement, characterization, musicality, and partnering (when applicable).

PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM
(Ages 9-21)

Ballet Hispanico empowers its Pre-Professional students with discipline and technical diversity, preparing the serious dancer with tools to be competitive in the dance landscape today.

Our core curriculum includes classical ballet, modern, and Spanish dance — a practice unique among America’s dance training institutions. The curriculum expands as the dancer gains mastery, as follows:

Levels 1 and 2:
Ballet
Spanish

Level 3:
Ballet
Pointe
Spanish
Latin Jazz

Level 4/5:
Ballet
Pointe
Spanish
Latin Jazz
Limón
Repertory

For more information, please contact Jessica Prohias at jprohias@ballethispanico.org or 212-362-6710, ext. 13.