TECHNIQUE, PERFORMANCE BALLET, PRE-POINTE AND POINTE CLASSES ARE AVAILABLE AT YOUNG AT ARTS.

Ballet is the foundation of all dance, this is why the YAA offers beginner, intermediate and advanced Cecchetti ballet classes. Cecchetti is a style of ballet training that seeks to develop essential skills in dancers as well as strength and elasticity. Our ballet instructors have trained extensively in the instruction and mastery of the Cecchetti method.

Correct body alignment, flexibility, and physical coordination will be stressed, helping to foster strong, lean dancers enhanced by artistic expressiveness. It is recommended that ALL dancers study ballet and build a foundation in this first foremost core dance style before moving on to study stylized disciplines.

The focus of a Cecchetti Ballet class is learning the Cecchetti Syllabus which is taught throughout the world. The syllabus is a series of exercises, performed to music, which must be memorized in order and demonstrated with correct technical skills, musicality and style.  Students will also develop a solid understanding of theory and vocabulary suited to their level.  

Your child will gain physical strength, enhance their mental strength through memorization of terminology, steps and combinations, and will gain self-confidence and a positive attitude toward dance.

The YAA offers Cecchetti ballet classes as part of the Intensive Program or they can be taken own their own to help dancers further develop their technical skills.

 As well, the YAA offers students the opportunity to partake in Cecchetti Ballet exams that take place at our studio once a year. Continue reading for more information regarding these exams.

Cecchetti Society of Canada Ballet Exams 

What are Cecchetti Ballet Exams?  

The Cecchetti Society of Canada offers exams:

• as a way of maintaining a solid foundation of ballet training

• continuing the Cecchetti tradition of ballet started by Enrico Cecchetti when he was training professional dancers

• allowing students to be evaluated by Master teachers

 These exams are an assessment of technical level, artistic ability and knowledge retention. The examiners are past professional dancers who have taught, or currently teach, at some of the most prestigious ballet academies in North America. The examiner, who will be traveling from within North America, will evaluate and grade the students on their technical execution of the exercises, musicality, performance, and Cecchetti Theory. A certificate and report are then given to the student. The Young at Arts hosts the ballet exams on site in our studios.

What are the benefits of the Cecchetti Ballet Exams?

For a student who has successfully completed these exams, a sense of pride and accomplishment is achieved, as they have attained a high standard of excellence in this art form. It also creates more confidence in his/her abilities while allowing them to be critiqued by those who do not know them. Dancers often tend to gain a better appreciation for the art of ballet as they work towards each exam. At the higher levels of this work, a student can also receive fine arts credits, that can be used towards high school graduation. For other dancers, working towards an exam provides motivation and a desire to push themselves just a little bit harder.

Dancing in front of an individual can be challenging for some dancers and is a different experience than at a competition where there is a level of separation between the dancer and the audience. By partaking in ballet exams, students become accustomed to performing and showing off their skills for a visible audience, thus giving them extra confidence later in life should they decide to audition for professional dance programs.

We feel that the degree of technical difficulty in the Cecchetti Ballet exams is very high and, as such, we are pleased that our students have the opportunity to be challenged and to work hard towards these high standards.

At The Young at Arts, we want to encourage the students’ love of dance and their self-confidence by providing a supportive environment for them to learn. The syllabus work that is a part of Cecchetti Ballet can be a positive and successful experience for all of our students regardless of when or if they are invited to participate in an exam.

Those dancers chosen to participate in the exams will be required to attend extra classes and a package fee including all exam-related expenses will be required to accompany the participation agreement.