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Young Dancer Division

Curriculum Overview and Class Placement

MDT's Young Dancer Division fosters an engaging and encouraging environment for your child's early ballet experience. Structured after our YDD curriculum, our classes are tailored to support the development of the full child, while facilitating and inspiring a love for dance. Our nurturing faculty specialize in early childhood education, providing the opportunity for our youngest dancers to develop initiative and passion for the art of dance through classical training and creative expression.

Placement for the 2024/2025 school year is by age as of August 31, 2024

Age on 8/31/24 Level Placement
   18-36 months   Grown-Up & Me          
   2 years   Early Introduction to Ballet
   3 years   Introduction to Ballet 1
   4 years   Introduction to Ballet 2
   5 years   Pre-Ballet 1
   6 years   Pre-Ballet 2
   7 years   Elementary 1
   8 years   Elementary 2
   9+ years   Balet Foundations

About Our Classes

 

Grown-Up & Me (ages 18 months - 3 years)

Grown-Up & Me classes provide a nurturing introduction to the art of dance and are designed to establish a development of trust in the environment and a foundation in autonomy and joy in movement. Children ages 18-36 months will explore movement through rhythms, music, and creativity of dance, together with their grown-ups. Classes are taught by MDT faculty specializing in early childhood education.

 

Early Introduction to Ballet (age 2 years)

Our Early Introduction to Ballet classes provide a gentle transition from Grown-Up & Me to our Introduction to Ballet classes for our youngest dancers. Class is designed to establish a development of trust in the environment and a foundation in autonomy and joy in movement. Children ages 2-3 years will explore movement through rhythms, music, and creativity of dance, independent from their grown-ups. Classes are taught by MDT Faculty specializing in early childhood education.

 

Introduction to Ballet (ages 3-4 years)

Our Introduction to Ballet classes for children ages 3-4 years provide a gentle introduction to the independence of a class setting alongside an exploration of movement through rhythms, music, and creativity. Our consistent class structure includes stretching, activities to develop coordination and musicality, across the floor work, and creative expression. Classes are taught by MDT Faculty specializing in early childhood education.

 

Pre-Ballet (ages 5-6 years)

Pre-Ballet level classes provide an encouraging class setting for children ages 5-6 years to discover the joy of dance through rhythmic and spatial patterns, music, and creativity. The Pre-Ballet program includes stretching, introductions to basic technical steps, activities to develop coordination and musicality, across the floor work, and creative expression in movement.

 

Elementary (ages 7-8 years)

At the elementary levels, students begin to connect a creative foundation of movement to the more technically focused elementary class work while developing initiative and passion for the art of ballet through classical training. Classes focus on joy of movement as well as technique and correct body placement, incorporating more technical work at the barre, and introducing the classical structure of a ballet class in an encouraging and inspiring environment. At the Elementary 2 level, specialty classes are added to the curriculum and foster a love for dance alongside developing musicality, coordination, and creativity through introductions to other dance styles.

Ballet Foundations (ages 9+ years)

MDT's Ballet Foundations class is a beginning ballet class design for students 9 years and older with no previous experience requirements. Ballet Foundations provides a foundation for classical ballet training while incorporating discipline, technique, and inspiration. Correct body placement, development of technical skills and vocabulary progression are developed in this level. In addition to ballet technique classes, the Ballet Foundations curriculum includes a stretch and strength class as an introduction to our Pilates strengthening program.

 

Summer Programs & Camps

Summer Camps info poster
 

Schedule of Classes   2024 / 2025

 

Grown up & Me

(18 - 36 months by 8/31/2024)
$270 per semester
San Rafael main campus
  Wednesday 9:00 - 9:30 am Pittman  
         
  Saturday 9:00 - 9:30 am Adams  

Corte Madera Studio
  Thursday 9:00 - 9:30 am Adams  
         
         

Early Intro

(2 years by 8/31/2024)
$270 per semester
San Rafael main campus
  Wednesday 9:30 - 10:00 am Pittman  
         
  Saturday 9:30 - 10:00 am Adams  

Corte Madera Studio
  Thursday 9:30 - 10:00 am Adams  
         
         

 

Introduction to Ballet

Intro 1 (3 years by 8/31/24) | Intro 2 (4 years by 8/31/24) | Intro 1/2 (combination class)
$370 per semester
San Rafael main campus
  Wednesday 10:00 - 10:45 am Pittman  
    *combined Intro 1/2    
  Thursday 3:00 - 3:45 pm Pittman  
    *combined Intro 1/2    
  Saturday 10:00 - 10:45 am Adams  
    Intro 1    
  Saturday 11:00 - 11:45 am Pittman  
    Intro 1    
  Saturday 11:00 - 11:45 am Adams  
    Intro 2    
  Saturday 12:00 - 12:45 am Pittman  
    Intro 2    

Corte Madera Studio
  Wednesday 3:00 - 3:45 pm Adams  
    *combined Intro 1/2    
  Thursday 10:00 - 10:45 am Adams  
    *combined Intro 1/2    
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         

 

Pre-Ballet

Pre 1 (5 years by 8/31/24) | Pre 2 (6 years by 8/31/24) | Pre 1/2 (combination class)
$410 per semester
San Rafael main campus
  Wednesday 4:00 - 5:00 pm Hoag  
    *combined Pre 1/2    
  Thursday 4:00 - 5:00 pm Hoag  
    *combined Pre 1/2    
  Saturday 12:00 - 1:00 pm Adams  
    Pre 1    
  Saturday 1:00 - 2:00 pm Pittman  
    *combined Pre 1/2    
  Saturday 1:00 - 2:00 pm Adams  
    Pre 2    

Corte Madera Studio
  Wednesday 4:00 - 5:00 pm Adams  
    *combined Pre 1/2    
  Thursday 4:00 - 5:00 pm Adams  
    *combined Pre 1/2    
         
         
         
         
         
         

 

Elementary 1

(7 years by 8/31/2024)
$410 per semester
San Rafael main campus
  Tuesday 4:00 - 5:00pm Hoag  
         
  Wednesday 5:00 - 6:00pm Pittman  
         
  Saturday 2:00 - 3:00pm Adams  
         

Corte Madera Studio
  Thursday 5:00 – 6:00 pm Adams  
         
         
         
         
         

 

Elementary 2

(8 years by 8/31/2024)
$690 per semester
San Rafael main campus
  Tuesday 5:15 – 6:15 pm
Technique
Hoag  
  Tuesday 6:15 – 7:00 pm
Specialty
Hoag  
  Friday 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Technique
Adams  
  Friday 5:00 – 5:45 pm
Specialty
Adams  

Corte Madera Studio
  Wednesday 5:15 – 6:15 pm
Technique
Adams  
  Wednesday 6:15 – 7:00 pm
Specialty
Adams  
     
 
   
     
 
   

 

Ballet Foundations

(9+ years by 8/31/2024)
$690 per semester
San Rafael main campus
  Monday 5:15 – 6:15 pm
Technique
Pittman  
  Monday 6:15 – 7:00 pm
Stretch & Strength
Pittman  

Corte Madera Studio
  *not offered at Corte Madera studio
 
 
         
         


 
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