Hi everyone!
I'm a new dance teacher looking for some Ballet lesson plans that I could use to teach 5 and 6 years old as well as adults. If anyone could help e out that would be great!

Thanks
Danielle

I am in your same boat! We can start swapping and sharing ideas until we get a nice syllabus if you'd like! Would anyone else like to share?

sounds like a plan

I would too...

I would love to share. I am in the process of doing this right now.

All I have done so far is make a list of all the ballet steps I can think of so I can start categorizing them into classes- so I have a good view of what all needs to get learned in each class each year.

Maybe we can all work on that list to make sure I dont leave anything out (I'm sure I did) and then people can use what they want of it.
?? Whats the best way to do this? Should I post the list on here? Its loooong

I would also love to be a part of this! It's always great to get input from other people... it helps spark your own ideas as well!!

yes, when we are done, let's just post our lists here so we don't have to email all.

Beg. Ballet (age 5-6) - 1st semester

Circle:

Sitting in circle simple stretches, point and flex the feet, butterfly stretch, turn legs in and out with pointed toes, “superman” stretch.

Standing up nicely

Standing in circle:

1. Foot progression in parallel – press one foot at a time through demi-pointe, full pointe, demi-pointe, flat. Repeat twice on each foot, then rise to demi-pointe in parallel twice. Hands holding skirt or on waist for entire exercise.

2. Demi-plies in 1st and 2nd position – holding skirt or hands on waist

Spread out to a line facing mirror (ballet walks):

1. Battement Tendus devant and A la seconde – holding skirt or hands lightly placed on shoulders for posture. (4 tendus in each direction, change sides and repeat)

2. Grand Battements devant with a step en avant. Hands holding skirt or lightly placed on the shoulders. (From 1st position, point, lift the leg, step forward, close in 1st. Repeat alternating legs)

3. Port de bra – 5th en bas, lifting to 5th en avant (1st), open to 2nd, close 5th en bas, repeat – eyes follow hand, alternate which side the head follows. Finish in 5th en bas. Head poised.

4. Transfer of weight with turning movements. Holding a scarf in the right hand, sway side to side, stepping to 2nd position and then transferring weight through a demi-plie in 2nd to the other side. Repeat for a total of 7 sways, stepping to 1st position on the 8th measure of music, rise to demi-pointe and spin around, then change the scarf to the other hand and repeat the entire exercise leading to the opposite side. (use ¾ music for flow)

5. Chasses a la seconde with claps – Chasse to the side 4 times, finish in 1st position clap to the beat 4 times. Repeat to the other side.

6. Sautes in 1st position

7. Echappe sautés from 1st to 2nd position

8. Spring Points and Spring heels

9. Marching around the room or en diagonale

10. Pony Trot & Pony Canter

11. Runs on demi-pointe

12. Reverance

Just in case....

Pony Trot:
a prancing movement - the foot picks up sharply, pointed, knee lifted and out in front of the body, then you quickly change to the other foot...sort of like the good ol' 80's Pony move....just alternating feet each step.

Pony Canter:
this is a jump from one foot to one foot and aids in teaching the muscle action that will later translate to pas de chats.

As if jumping over a log, one leg lifts as you leap off the ground, then the other lifts, land on the first leg, then step onto the 2nd. The rhythm is "up, up, down, up, up, down".

I can try to post a video sometime...

Hi! I would love to help as well. I have just finished doing this for some younger classes (5-7 years). Let me know any additions/feeback!

Primary Ballet Ages 5-7
Long Term Class Plans


Technique (steps):
- First, Second, Third, and Forth feet positions
- Bras bas, hips, first, second and fifth arm positions.
- Basic demi plie from 1st, 2nd and 3rd
- Basic tendu en avant and al la seconde
- Basic pique en avant
- Eleve and eleve combinations
- Triplets
- Skips forwards and backwards as well gallop skip combination
-Gallops forwards, sideways leading to chasses
- Sautes in first and second and basic changements and echappes
- Bourree runs
- Basic porte de bras
- Marches
- Beginning jete's as leaps
-Passe

Vocabulary:
- Demonstrating, explaining and naming all of the above steps

Concepts:
- Change of weight (tendu step plie tendu combination, gallops, skips etc)
- Turnout (floor exercises)
- Musicality and timing (games using different tempo's of music)
- Level change (Plie vrs elevee)
- Imagination

Props:
- Scarves, blocks, wands and crowns

Here is how I have it set up right now... I would love to hear some feedback from people if you think something should be changed, etc. the ages are approximate I put kids in classes based primarily on skill level. PM me if you would like me to email this to you.


Butterflies (ages 2 ½- 4)
- 1st position
- 2nd position
- Plie
- Tendu
- Sways (with a scarf)
- Walk with stretched feet
- Tip toe walks
- Releve
- Look to wall, jump to face wall (work on focus
- Sauté

Combo I (ages 4-5)
- 3rd position
- Bourrees
- Chasse
- Skips
- Passé
- Pas de chat
- Balance
- Changement
- Arabesque (1st)
- Little “rainbow” leaps (to prepare for grand jetes)

Combo II (ages 5-6)
- coupe
- jete
- glissade
- rond de jambe a terre
- pas de bourree
- soutenu
- little “rainbow” leaps (to prepare for grand jetes)
- spotting
- open & close across the floor (to prepare for chainees)
- prep for pirouette (no turn)
- degage

Pre-Primary (ages 7-9)
- grand jete
- basic port de bras
- cambre forward & back
- sus-sous
- grand battement
- pirouette
- temps leve
- pique (no turn)
- 4th position
- 5th position
- Royale
- Sat de chat
- Soubresaut
- Tour en lair

Primary I (ages 9-11)
- grand plie
- rond de jambe en lair
- developpe
- arabesque (2nd, 3rd)
- fondu
- assemble
- sissone
- temps lie
- front & back attitude
- echappe
- pique turns

Primary II (ages 10-12)
- waltz turns
- cabriole
- entrechat
- enveloppe
- frappe
- tour jete
- double pirouettes
- penche
- grand rond de jambe
- promenade
- temps de fleche

Ballet I, II, III (ages 13+ depending on skill level)
- more intricate foot work
- more beats
- turns- attitude turns, arabesque, fouette, etc.
- quicker pace
- more attention to detail
- higher extension

Hi,

Just wanted to say great thread! I am just about to start teaching ballet so this has been really helpful for me

I'm now coming up with my own lesson plans so when I've done them I'll share with you guys, see what you think!

Naomi

Thanks everyone so the ideas!!!!

This is a great thread, thanks everyone for these ideas!

I want to thank all of you who posted. You have no idea how help ful this was to me! Thank You!!!

I agree, thank you so much for posting! This has been so helpful to me as the classes I teach are starting up this week (8 classes from 2.5-10) and I sometimes struggle with having a planned-out syllabus. Please post anymore ideas!