PRIVATE LESSONS
Private lessons can be an excellent supplement to your group classes. While we do not consider private lessons to be a pre-requisite of success in the Training Program, they can be a very useful tool to facilitate improvement. We find private lessons to be particularly effective when the student is struggling with a concept or skill, or when the student desires an accelerated rate of training.
Private lessons are billed at $90 per hour ($100 per hour if the lessons is with our Artistic Director). Typically, private lessons are a 30 minutes long. Longer lessons (45 or 60 minutes) can be scheduled, if desired.
Private lessons are also used to make-up a missed rehearsal. If you miss a rehearsal due to illness, or another pre-approved absence, you will need a private lesson to make-up/review what you missed. Often rehearsal make-ups can be a 15 or 20 minute lesson, rather than a full 30 minutes. Obviously, a number of factors come into consideration, including the student's competency with the role, how many rehearsals they missed, and whether or not they already knew the choreography.
SINGLE LESSON
A single private lesson can be a great gift for a dancer who has been working really hard, or who earned a special reward at home, or as a birthday present. Please click to email Mrs. McLeish to arrange a single private lesson. Please let her know which teacher you prefer and she will respond with times/availability. Alternatively, you can speak to the teacher directly and arrange a time, however ultimately all scheduling needs to be approved by Mrs. McLeish and payment must be made through the front desk.
4, 6, 8 or 10 LESSON PACKAGE
We recommend purchasing a package of 4, 6, 8 or 10 lessons for maximum improvement. 4 and 6 lesson packages are billed at the $90 per hour rate ($100/hr w/Mrs. McLeish). If you reserve and purchase an 8 or 10 lesson package, you receive a discounted rate of $80 per hour ($90/hr w/Mrs. McLeish). Private lesson packages can be customized to focus on one of the targeted areas listed below. We recommend having a target area in mind when purchasing a package. It will help with improvement and with productivity if both teacher and student have a specific goal in mind. Please click to email Mrs. McLeish to arrange a private lesson package. Please let her know which teacher you prefer and what area you would like to target, and she will respond with times/availability. Alternatively, you can speak to the teacher directly and arrange a time, however ultimately all scheduling needs to be approved by Mrs. McLeish and payment must be made through the front desk.
TARGETED LESSONS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE:
TARGET: PIROUETTES
This target is best for Levels 3 and up, when pirouettes become much more critical to your dancer's technique. If your dancer is feeling frustrated with their turning ability, we can work with them to trouble shoot, overcome weaknesses and build confidence. Your teacher would work on both traditional en dehors and en dedans pirouettes, as well as turns across the floor.
TARGET: POINTE STRENGTH
If your dancer feels frustrated with their pointe work, we can help maximize and accelerate their competency en pointe. Through customized exercises to build strength, and supervised repetition, we will help your dancer gain the strength they need to excel. We strongly recommend the 8 or 10 lesson package, and suggest booking with Miss Lauren.
TARGET: LEVEL SPECIFIC SKILLS
If your dancer has recently moved up and feels a little lost or confused in their new level, we can help your dancer review, memorize and master the skills required of their new level. Often breaking down the steps with a little more detail and patience than we have time for in class can give the dancer the confidence they need to perform to their maximum ability in their group classes.
TARGET: ALIGNMENT
"Line" is a word that we use in the dance industry to describe the shapes and positions that we move our bodies through during class and rehearsal. If your dancer feels frustrated with their form, we can help them discover tricks and tips to maximize their positions and demonstrate textbook alignment. We strongly recommend the 8 or 10 lesson package, booked with Mrs. McLeish.
TARGET: CONTEMPORARY DANCE
Does your dancer look forward to their contemporary dance classes and crave more experience in this genre? We would be happy to schedule a series of private lessons for your dancer to dive deeper into contemporary movement. Miss Hannah would be the instructor for this target area, and she will foster and grow your dancer's contemporary interests.
TARGET: JUMPS/ALLEGRO
Jumping comes very naturally to some dancers and other dancers struggle to master this special skill. Jumping requires the perfect marriage of strength and timing. We will work to identify what is holding back your dancer's jump, and will give them the tools needed to improve their height and form. Dancers will need to be consistent with "homework exercises" between lessons.
TARGET: EXPRESSION/PORT DE BRA
Some dancers are naturally very expressive with their port de bras (arms) and face. Other dancers are hesitant to put their individual personality in their dancing and struggle to let go and enjoy the expressive side of ballet. Our faculty can help your dancer find the confidence within to fully express themselves on stage and in class. We particularly recommend Miss Laura for this package.
TARGET: TURN-OUT AND PLACEMENT
Turn-out and placement is the foundation of ballet class. These concepts can be particularly challenging for younger students, late beginners, or for those older students who have a natural sway back or hyper-mobility. We will work with your dancer to deepen their understanding of their hip rotation and torso alignment to maximize their understanding and tangibly improve their dancing.