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 2025/2026 school year is by age as of August 31, 2025

Age on 8/31/25 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   2025 / 2026 school year

 

Grown-Up & Me

18 months - 3 years by 8/31/2025
$270 per semester
Main Campus, San Rafael
  Tuesday 9:00 - 9:30am G&M  
         
  Saturday 9:00 - 9:30am G&M  

Corte Madera Studio
  Monday 9:00 - 9:30am G&M  
         
  Thursday 9:00 - 9:30am G&M  

Early Intro

2 years by 8/31/2025
$270 per semester
Main Campus, San Rafael
  Tuesday 9:30 - 10:00am Early Intro  
         
  Friday 3:00 - 3:30pm Early Intro  
         
  Saturday 9:30 - 10:00am Early Intro  

Corte Madera Studio
  Monday 9:30 - 10:00am Early Intro  
         
  Thursday 9:30 - 10:00am Early Intro  
         
         

 

Introduction to Ballet

Intro 1 (3 years by 8/31/25) | Intro 2 (4 years by 8/31/25) | Intro 1/2 (combination class)
$370 per semester
Main Campus, San Rafael
  Tuesday 3:00 - 3:45pm Intro 1/2  
         
  Friday 3:30 - 4:15pm Intro 1/2  
         
  Saturday 10:00 - 10:45am Intro 1  
  Saturday 10:30 - 11:15am Intro 1  
  Saturday 11:00 - 11:45am Intro 2  
  Saturday 11:15 - 12:00pm Intro 2  

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

 

Pre-Ballet

Pre 1 (5 years by 8/31/25) | Pre 2 (6 years by 8/31/25) | Pre 1/2 (combination class)
$410 per semester
Main Campus, San Rafael
  Wednesday 4:00 - 5:00pm Pre 1/2  
         
  Thursday 4:00 - 5:00pm Pre 1/2  
         
  Saturday 12:00 - 1:00pm Pre 1/2  
  Saturday 12:00 - 1:00pm Pre 1  
  Saturday 1:00 - 2:00pm Pre 2  

Corte Madera Studio
  Wednesday 4:00 - 5:00 pm Adams  
         
         
         
         
         
         

 

Elementary 1

7 years by 8/31/2025
$410 per semester
Main Campus, San Rafael
  Wednesday 5:15 - 6:15pm Elem 1  
         
  Saturday 2:00 - 3:00pm Elem 1  

Corte Madera Studio
  Thursday 4:00 – 5:00pm elem 1  
         
         

 

Elementary 2

8 years by 8/31/2025
$690 per semester
Main Campus, San Rafael
  Elem 2 - Monday 4:00 – 5:00pm Technique  
  Elem 2 - Monday 5:00 – 5:45pm Specialty  
         
  Elem 2 - Friday 4:15 – 5:15pm Technique  
  Elem 2 - Friday 5:15 – 6:00pm Specialty  

Corte Madera Studio
  Elem 2 - Thursday 5:00 – 6:0pm Technique  
  Elem 2 - Thursday 6:00 – 6:45pm Specialty  
         
         
         

 

Ballet Foundations

9+ years by 8/31/2025
$690 per semester
Main Campus, San Rafael
  BF - Wednesday 6:15 – 7:00pm Stretch & Strength  
  Monday 7:00 - 8:00pm Technique  

Corte Madera Studio
  not offered at this location  
         


 
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