PNBS Student Division Class Descriptions
Acceptance into the Student Division at Pacific Northwest Ballet School is by invitation or audition only.
LEVEL I
Children must be at least 8 years old by August 31st of the current school year to be considered for Level I. Students are evaluated for Level I acceptance after taking a year of Pre-Ballet classes with PNBS, or from an audition class.
Level I students meet twice a week for an hour and 15 minutes each class, and all classes are accompanied by live piano music. Level I registration and commitment are for the full PNBS school year.
Proper classroom etiquette and responsible behavior is expected of all students at PNBS. Self-discipline, along with focus and concentration, are important skills for Level I students to develop in their classwork . A strong interest in the work and details of ballet training, beginning in Level I, is an essential element to steady progress.
Level I is considered the first year of formal ballet training at PNBS. Students work to develop the physical strength needed to maintain proper body alignment and correct placement for classical ballet. Emphasis is placed on the quality of movement and the correct execution of each position and skill learned. At PNBS, correct balletic line and clean, simple, articulate work is the most important benchmark in a student’s early ballet training.
Beginning barre work in Level I is done facing the barre and holding it with both hands. This helps to build core strength and stability as our Level I students work towards more muscle control in their exercises. Barre exercises are introduced in one direction, usually to the front first, and many progress to En croix by the end of the Level I year. Relevés and simple jumps are taught at the barre first and then repeated in center. Facing the barre also encourages our students to use the mirror as a helpful tool in applying corrections, and for self-correction as they become more independent in their classwork.
Musicality and the use of different musical timings and accents are an essential part of PNB’s curriculum at every level. Level I students learn how music is used for different steps, and to understand how the musical rhythm and timing can affect the quality and execution of a movement.
Level I center floor work includes exercises for increasing flexibility, working on Port de bras and head positions, exercises for strengthening balance, and simple jumps to build leg and foot strength.
Skips and chassés, which are basic traveling steps, help students to build stamina and coordination while experiencing the joy of moving across the studio. Level I students work to refine these steps all year. Emphasis is put on musicality, body control, pointing feet in the air and making correct ballet positions. A variety of floor patterns and movement directions are introduced to build more spatial awareness and add new challenges as the students’ progress.
Level I students must have a strong mental and physical understanding of all their classwork to progress to Level II.
Level I students are eligible to participate in Pacific Northwest Ballet School’s year end performance at McCaw Hall.
Ballet Terminology: Level I
“Line” in ballet is the physical shape of the dancer’s body. The shape of the body outlined by the space around it. The two main components of shape are curves and angles. These are what the eye sees.
En croix is a classical ballet term meaning “in the shape of a cross.” This term is usually used in ballet class and lets a dancer know the step should be done to the front, side and then back. Doing steps encroix can also be done in reverse where they start from the back, side, then front.
Relevé is a classical ballet term meaning “raised.” It describes the action when a dancer rises up and seemingly is standing “on their toes” in a demi-pointe or a fully en pointe.
Port de bras is a classical ballet term meaning “carriage of the arms”. While the term relates to a broad spectrum of arm movements, port de bras also includes the use of the head in relation to the arms.
Chassé is a classical ballet term meaning “to chase.” When a dancer is doing a chassé, they have one foot extended forward, the back foot then “chases” and meets up with the front for a quick moment before the front foot shoots forward again, all while traveling forward.
More Information:
Additional Ballet Terms and Definitions can be found online via the following link: