Elementary Academy
Elementary 1 Schedule & Tuition
Elementary 4 Schedule & Tuition
Elementary 2 Schedule & Tuition
Elementary 5 Schedule & Tuition
The Elementary Academy
Children ages 5 to 10 years old
(Kindergarten to Grade 4)
Ballet, Jazz and Acrobatics
The adventure continues as your child dives deeper into dance exploration at the elementary dance academy. Filled with curiosity, passion, and creativity, your child will unlock powerful social and emotional tools in dance class that help them inch closer to understanding their true potential as an individual.
Your child’s confidence will flourish as they discover their unique self-expression through fascinating imagery, pantomime, and engaging materials used in their dance class.
As your child develops in their dance lessons, they will begin laying the foundation for the formal training they will experience in the Junior Academy. Your child will be eager to leap into the next chapter of their journey, alongside the cheerful friends they have made at their dance school!
About Leap ‘N Learn
Leap ‘N Learn is an effective, safe, and developmentally appropriate dance program that will take your child from the basics of creative movement dance classes to beginning ballet.
Designed by master teacher Beverly Spell and expert child psychologist Dr. Annie Spell, this curriculum for dance lessons combines the healthiest practices for teaching children ballet technique. At the same time, simultaneously encourages pretend play in our children’s dance classes, creating a positive and nurturing environment.
Capitalizing on children’s cognitive and neural development, the Leap ‘N Learn curriculum provides the tools and knowledge needed for a successful dance class learning environment. Through natural development, students in Leap ‘N Learn dance lessons build motor, cognitive, and social skills that support lifelong success.
Your child will focus on ballet and stretching in Elementary 1. In Elementary 2 and 4, your child will start to incorporate acrobatics and jazz. In Elementary 5, students will be eligible for our Ballet East Youth Ensemble II.
As students build on basic dance skills, they gain confidence, independence, and self-expression through creative movement, imagery, and pantomime. Classes are designed to support growing cognitive, physical, and social development while introducing new challenges that strengthen coordination, focus, and reasoning skills.
Join The Ballet Club
Give your child the chance to step into the magical world of classical ballet! Each class introduces beloved stories through creative movement, storytelling, and imaginative play, bringing ballet to life through dance, music, costumes, crafts and behind-the-scenes theatre fun.
What’s included:
Choreography & Creative Movement
Pantomime & Storytelling
Ballet-inspired Arts & Crafts
Story Time with Ballet Classics
Obstacle Courses & Imaginative Play
Behind-the-Scenes Theatre & Stagecraft Fun
An engaging blend of dance, creativity, and play—perfect for sparking imagination while building confidence and joy in the arts!
Performance Opportunities
Beginning in our Petite Academy, young dancers build confidence, creativity, and a love for performing in a nurturing and supportive environment. In Petite 1, dancers begin preparing for the main stage through special in-studio performances that help them develop comfort, focus, and confidence in front of an audience.
In Petite 2, dancers take the next exciting step by transitioning to the live theater stage, where they gain the opportunity to perform in both The Nutcracker and the end-of-season performance, experiencing the joy and excitement of sharing their artistry with family and friends.
Faculty Member
Charlene Shaw
Shaw began her dance training at age six and has studied with critically acclaimed artists such as David Howard, Melissa Hayden, Finis Young, Merdith Baylis, Suki Schorer, Stanley Williams and Madam Antonia Tumkovsky. As a professional, Shaw danced with the National Ballet of New Jersey, performing many principal roles in classics such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle, Firebird, Stars and Stripes and Rodeo.
Along with being a versatile performer, Shaw has extensive teaching experience and is dedicated to providing a solid technical foundation to her students. Shaw's outstanding choreography has won numerous awards and has been recognized on the state and national levels.
