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Online ballet classes for kids and adults

April 1, 2020 / Educational Resources / 0 comment

Online ballet classes for kids and adults

Ready to try your first ballet class? Or are you and the kids stuck at home and looking for online training? These amazing (and mostly free!) online ballet classes for kids and adults, taught by some of the world’s top professional dancers, will have you and the little ones dancing the day away.

The American Ballet Theatre

One of America’s premiere ballet companies, the ABT has uploaded a series of virtual ballet classes for kids from tiny tots up.

YouTube Channel

The Wiggles

Join Emma’s Bowtiful Ballet Studio on the Wiggle’s YouTube channel for plenty of toddler-friendly ballet classes.

YouTube Channel

The Australian Ballet

The Australian Ballet is teaching ballet basics through live streamed videos on their Facebook page that can be joined or watched later.

Facebook Page

They have also launched an online studio where classes of various levels can be access for free. Suitable for beginners through to advanced.

australianballet.com.au/event/studios

The Australian ballet has also launched a pre recorded series of online ballet classes for kids of all ages.

australianballet.com.au/education-resources/classroom-warm-up-activities

The Nationale Opera & Ballet

The Dutch national ballet company is live-streaming free basic ballet classes to their YouTube channel. You can tune in live or watch them in your own time.

YouTube Channel

Francisco Gella Dance Works

The founder and artistic director of contemporary dance company Nuevo Dance has published a series of instructional dance videos on YouTube.

YouTube Channel

Kathryn Morgan

The former New York City Ballet soloist has created over 300 videos that cover everything from ballet technique to full barre classes and variations. Her videos are suitable for intermediate to advanced students.

Youtube Channel

Lazy Dancer Tips

Presented by Alessia Lugoboni, these 10-15 minute ballet workouts are suitable for all ages and beginners to intermediate level dancers.

Youtube Channel

Website

The Ballet Coach

An English National Ballet School-rained dancer, Sarah De-Feu has a range of ballet videos to suit preschoolers to even grandparents who want some exercise. While she has previously uploaded most of her free coaching videos to Facebook, she has recently started uploading her videos to YouTube where they are now live-streamed and available to watch later at any time.

YouTube Channel

Ready Set Dance

The preschool set will adore these fun, energetic dance classes that are the perfect entry into the world of dance.

YouTube Channel

Sydney Dance Company

Kids and adults can try live, online ballet classes. Kids classes are aimed at kids aged 8+ with a moderate amount of ballet experience. Adult classes start at beginner level.

sydneydancecompany.com

Tiler Peck

The star of the New York City Ballet, Tiler Peck, is live-streaming classes on her Instagram account.

Instagram page

View this post on Instagram

Hey guys! My sister’s school @garces.memorial is taking precautionary measures and going online for classes. I teach their Advance Dance class tomorrow and I wanted to open it up to everyone since so many students won’t be able to go to their normal classes. The first class will be tomorrow at 10PST/1EST on my Instagram live. I know this is a really hard time for us and dancers around the world are looking for ways to stay in shape while being at home! Let’s do it together, kitchen countertops and all ? #dowhatwecan #togetherisbetter #ballerina #TurnItOutWithTiler #dancetogether

A post shared by Tiler Peck (@tilerpeck) on Mar 15, 2020 at 4:15pm PDT

Ashley Bouder

A principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, Ashley Bouder is live-streaming classes and saving them on her YouTube channel.

YouTube Channel

Dancewear Royale

Thanks to Leotard brand Dancewear Royale, you can watch a series of dance classes on their Instagram account. The classes are a range of styles from ballet to pilates and core workouts to contemporary. Even beginners can have a go.

Instagram page

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Soloist dancer with @balletvlaanderen @shelbygrooves and creator of @biscuitballerina teaches a really nice contemporary ballet class for the living room or small spaces (part II). Enjoy! About the artist: Shelby received her professional training on scholarship at the Washington School of Ballet and the Houston Ballet Academy. Shelby began her career with Houston Ballet 2 and as a apprentice with Dresden Semperoper Ballett (Germany). She was a soloist with both BallettMainz and the Hessisches Staatsballett in Germany before joining the Royal Ballet of Flanders in 2016 under the direction of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui where she is currently a soloist. She has danced leading roles in works by Crystal Pite, Pina Bausch, William Forsythe, Akram Khan, Hofesh Schechter, Ohad Naharin, Johan Inger, Martha Graham, and Merce Cunningham amongst others. In Dance Europe Magazine Critic's Choice (October 2017), she was nominated in the category "Outstanding Performance of a Female Dancer" for her performances in "Approximate Sonata 2016" by William Forsythe and "Café Müller"by Pina Bausch. In 2017, Shelby created the viral social media personality Biscuit Ballerina® as a way to encourage a sense of humor around ballet and promote mental health awareness. Shelby leads mental health workshops for dancers around the USA and UK and also publishes interviews and articles on the subject of dancer mental health on her website. Biscuit Ballerina® has been featured in The New York Times, Dance Magazine, and Pointe Magazine. The creation of Biscuit Ballerina® was nominated in the category of "Best News" in Dance Europe Magazine Critic's Choice (October 2018). . . #dancewearroyale #bestrong #coronavirus #ballet #balletto #calisthenics #pilates #yoga #physicaltherapy #danceclasses #stayingsafe #workouts #principaldancer #onlineballetclass #ballerinalife #stayingstrong #stayinginshape #activewear #customdancewear #balletlifestyle #modernballet #contemporaryballet #balletdancer #royalequeen #ballerinalove #balletlovers #dancelovers #activewear #activelifestyle

A post shared by Dancewear Royale (@dancewearroyale) on Mar 31, 2020 at 6:31am PDT

Mary Carpenter

Ballet teacher Mary Carpenter is now filming full-length “kitchen ballet classes” and uploading them to her YouTube channel.

YouTube Channel

Facebook page

Tanya Pearson Academy

One of Sydney’s leading ballet schools, TPA has been live streaming their ballet conditioning classed and uploading them to their YouTub channel for everyone to enjoy.

YouTube Channel

Claudia Dean Coaching

The Aussie ballet star is a former dancer with The Royal Ballet who now runs a private coaching business. She has over 70 videos available to browse and try.

Youtube Channel

Claudia Dean Live.

Bloch

Bloch is streaming live ballet classes on their Instagram Stories.

Instagram account

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Former dancer with Hungarian National Ballet and Bloch Europe Influencer, Camilla Mancuso is an exquisite Italian dancer based in Rome, Italy. Currently in quarantine, this inspiring and dedicated ballerina invites us into her home to follow her dance journey whilst �in isolation.

A post shared by Bloch Australia (@blochau) on Mar 27, 2020 at 10:02pm PDT

Dance Domain

This dance studio located in Sydney’s Inner West is moving to online classes. Check their Facebook page for details, or enjoy their live-streamed classes that are already running.

facebook.com/DanceDomain

Tutu Studios

A tiny dance in the house? The beautiful Tutu Studios, where we used to take classes in Sydney, is moving to online classes. Check the website for details on how to enrol.

tutustudios.com.au

More things to do at home

Travel the world with kids without leaving your house.

Free online educational resources for kids.

Live stream animal cams from around the world.

Enjoy the perfect virtual day at Disneyland.

Help little ones stay zen with these free online yoga videos for kids.

Get creative at home with these online art classes for kids.

Enjoy free Disney activities for kids and adults.

Get fit with kids’ exercise videos and online classes.

Babies Prom: Music For Tutus

March 12, 2016 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

The first Babies Prom of the year, Music for Tutus is the perfect way for littlies 2-5 to experience ballet for the first time. Held in the intimate Studio inside the Sydney Opera House, tiny tots are invited to watch, dance and direct the performers throughout the show – making it a stress-free way for families introducing their children to the arts.

This gorgeous performance features music by the famous composer, Tchaikovsky, with two ballet dancers pirouetting their way through melodies from The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, and an orchestra including a stunning harp, cello, violins and conductor. The two dancers, Emma and Jacob, led their rapt audience through the three ballets in a way that showcased their skills as well as engaged small children with short attention spans.

The classical music, performed by the Babies Proms orchestra, swept not just the children, but the adults, too, up on an enchanting discovery of three of Tchaikovsky’s best-loved pieces of music.

The Babies Proms are aimed at children aged 2-5, but this doesn’t mean that kids older or younger won’t enjoy the show. Babies and grade schoolers alike were enchanted by the beautiful dancing and music, along with parents and grandparents. This parent will admit to feeling a tear come to her eye when the score to Swan Lake was soaring through the Studio.

As the show came to a close, the dancers came down to the children and led them through basic ballet steps, much to the delight of the tulle-clad masses who jostled to get up closer to the pair in their stunning costumes.

Sadly all good things must come to an end, and Music For Tutus ended in the same fashion as all Babies Proms do, with the children being invited to meet the musicians, touch their instruments and pose for photos. Cheese has just started playing the cello at school, so this was a wonderful experience for her to hear a professional cellist live and realise where a lot of practice on this instrument could one day take her.

Kids can ask the musicians questions – or just strum a string and image that they, too, could one day perform in front of an audience at the Sydney Opera House.

If you haven’t been to a Babies Prom before, this is what you need to know:

Babies Proms are aimed at kids aged 2-5.

They are casual performances where adults sit around the sides of the studio, and kids sit on the floor in the middle. There is no pressure for kids to sit still or not talk – they are encouraged to dance, sing and interact with the performers.

The performance goes for 35 minutes, the perfect length for short attention spans.

All adults and children over 12 months need a ticket.

Seats are not numbered, so most people line up around half an hour before the start of the Babies Prom to ensure they get seats close to the floor where there kids will be seated.

There is stroller parking and baby change facilities in the foyer.

While train is the easiest way to get to the Sydney Opera House, you can also park in the car park underneath. Book online at Wilson Parking for a $9 weekend deal.

For lunch, grab a sandwich at the Sydney Opera House kiosk outside the theatre, or enjoy a sit down meal at Opera Kitchen on the lower concourse level. Their kids’ fish and chips is a winner.

Babies Proms: Music For Tutus
Dates: March 9-20, 2016
Studio, Sydney Opera House

Thank you to the Sydney Opera House for hosting us at this performance, and for use of some of their images by Dan Boud in this blog post. Photography during performances are not permitted.

Storytime Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty

December 23, 2015 / Cheese, Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

The last of our wonderful theatre outings for the year was the brand new Storytime Ballet The Sleeping Beauty by The Australian Ballet.

The Storytime Ballets are a new initiative born out of a growing demand for ballets suitable for children to enjoy from an early age. According to The Australian Ballet’s Executive Director Libby Christie, over 420,000 children participate in dance activities across Australia every week (including little Cheese!). Designed for children aged three and up, the Storytime Ballet has been created from start to finish with young theatre-goers in mind.

Last week we were lucky enough to see another version of The Sleeping Beauty, the Once Upon A Time version also by The Australian Ballet. I wasn’t sure how the two performances would differ, and was really happy to see that this brand new Storytime Ballet show was actually a completely different performance in every way. Unlike the Once Upon A Time ballets, which are almost the same as the original performances with a few tweaks, the Storytime Ballets are built from scratch to engage children with an interactive performance.

It’s really the perfect way to introduce very young children to the ballet. A narrator, who is also part of the cast of characters, talks through the performance as it is happening to make it easier for little kids to understand the story (I get it, ballet mime can take a bit of getting used to!). The kids felt like part of the show instead of just observers thanks to interactive moments where they were asked to use their magic to drive the story forward. I particularly appreciated the acknowledgment of parents too, when it was suggested that, instead of magic, we “use the force”.

A smaller cast and set allows the show to travel nationally – and also made the show a lot less overwhelming for children. It’s much easier to focus on what’s happening when there is less to take in. I did notice that the kids, even little toddlers who looked to be under the recommended age of 3, were highly engaged throughout the show, and I think that this, as well as the addition of the narrator, certainly helped to make this ballet a success. At just under an hour, the ballet is also the perfect length to entertain kids before they lose attention.

In the foyer outside the Drama Theatre are a range of free activities for kids to enjoy before and after the show. iPads set up with ballet-themed drawing activities that can be sent to parents’ phones, there are ballet costumes for kids to dress up in and also an irresistible store stocked with ballet-themed gifts such as clothes, wands, tiaras and The Sleeping Beauty music on CD. The proceeds from sales all to back to The Australian Ballet and supporting their amazing work.

While we saw The Sleeping Beauty at the Sydney Opera House, kids around the country will be able to enjoy the same show as it tours nationally over the summer.

STORYTIME BALLET: The Sleeping Beauty tour dates

Arts Centre Melbourne 16 – 20 December 2015
Sydney Opera House 23 – 27 December 2015
The Concourse Chatswood, Sydney, 30 December 2015 – 3 January 2016
The Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong, 7 – 9 January 2016
Evan Theatre Penrith, Sydney, 12 – 16 January 2016
The Playhouse Canberra, 20 – 23 January 2016
The Arts Centre Gold Coast, 29 – 30 March 2016
Brisbane Powerhouse, 1 – 2 April 2016
Further dates and venues will be announced early in 2016.

Once Upon a Time: The Sleeping Beauty

December 15, 2015 / Cheese, Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Once a year, the Australian Ballet puts on a special performance for children called Once Upon a Time. Last year’s ballet was The Nutcracker, and this year’s was The Sleeping Beauty. The show runs parallel to the major full-length ballet being performed, so while adults have been enjoying the full version of The Sleeping Beauty this month, for this one special day, kids were treated to a child-friendly version of the famous ballet in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

The Once Upon a Time performance is special because it’s the one show of the year where a child-friendly show is staged in the big theatre, using all the same props, performers and costumes as in the full-length version. Much of the choreography the children see is from the full-length performance too, so the children watch a first-class ballet company, performing exquisite dancing, in a world-famous theatre. Pretty amazing, right?

The main differences between the Once Upon a Time and full-length The Sleeping Beauty are the narrator and the show length. The narrator is a character within the ballet who explains to the children the story that is taking place, engages them by asking questions, and reminds kids of the characters’ names and plot points. The full-length ballet runs about 2.5 hours, and the Once Upon A Time version ran for about an hour and 10 minutes.

The Once Upon a Time series is aimed at children aged four and up, but there were plenty of younger kids (and older children aged up to 10) in the audience enjoying the performance.

Taking Cheese to this special ballet is a highlight of the year for me. I loved sitting with her in the auditorium and watching her face light up as she saw Aurora pirouetting across the stage in her stunning pink tutu. I believe kids are never to young to experience culture, particularly when it’s as breathtakingly beautiful as this ballet is.

“Once Upon a Time: The Sleeping Beauty“ is a performance designed for children aged four and above, adapted from David McAllister’s The Sleeping Beauty, with an original script.
Sydney Opera House

Cheese’s First Ballet: Once Upon A Time

December 12, 2014 / Cheese, Family, Kids / 2 Comments

Ballet has been one of the biggest loves of my life. From the age of three (yep, Cheese’s age!) I somehow became aware of ballet and started to beg for lessons. My parents thought it would be a fad like all others I’d had thus far and made me wait two years to take lessons. Unlike all of my other interests, which were mostly short-lived, ballet captured my imagination and then heart and soul.

Ballet has brought so much joy to my life that I’ve always hoped I could share this love with my child when I eventually had one. Little Cheese has clearly inherited some of my love of dance because she just loves to wiggle, twist and turn, pretty much all day long. She too, requested ballet classes recently, after our move back to Australia, and watching her twirl in a tulle skirt is one of the highlights of my week.

Since it became apparent that Cheese also enjoyed dance, I’ve been really looking forward to taking her to her first ballet performance. And that performance was Once Upon A Time, the Australian Ballet’s version of The Nutcracker for kids.

Cheese was so excited about the special outing, even more so when she saw the outfit I’d chosen – a very balletic dress and crossover I’d been saving for the occasion.

Once Upon A Time was performed at the Sydney Opera House. It’s a venue I’ve taken Cheese to a few times previously, but this performance was held in the main Joan Sutherland auditorium – the huge performance hall where all of the adult shows are held. It made the whole experience very grown up and exciting for Cheese – even more so when she saw the live orchestra under the stage tuning their instruments. She clapped her hands together, with a huge smile on her face, exclaiming “I’m so excited!”.

The show itself was a magical experience for Cheese. It’s a special story ballet created to be an introduction to ballet for children. Over 60 minutes, the show featured fully staged excerpts from The Nutcracker, with narration by one of the central characters to help younger kids understand what was happening on stage.

I wasn’t sure how Cheese would go with the large sections of classical dance, but she surprised me. She adored the story and was concerned about what was happening to the lead character, Clara. She thought the costumes were beautiful (the flowers were her favourites after Clara), and was so inspired by the dancing that she thought she would break out a few of her own special moves after the show.

The ballet was a wonderful experience for both me and Cheese that I will never forget. I hope that it’s the first of many wonderful ballets we will see together.

Collette Dinnigan & The Australian Ballet For Target Collection

November 4, 2014 / Shopping / 0 comment

I don’t usually do fashion posts, but I am in LOVE with this new ballet collection for little girls from Target. Collette Dinnigan has once again created a gorgeous line of tutu-inspired dresses (and a skirt!) with The Australian Ballet, selling exclusively through Target.

Little E is obsessed with wearing ballet outfits, and she is going to loose her mind with these gorgeous dresses. I just wish they came in my size too!

What do you think of the collection? Does your daughter love to dress up in ballet oufits, too?

Images from here.

Tu-Tu Much: Ballet With Eloise At The Plaza

July 3, 2014 / Cheese, Manhattan Munchies, Midtown, Midtown East, New York Food / 4 Comments

Ever since I arrived in New York, I’ve been dying to take my little girl to one of the special Eloise-themed events at The Plaza Hotel. The Plaza pays homage to its most famous “resident” with a special Eloise suite, an Eloise afternoon tea at the Palm Court, and a series of special events run out of the Eloise Shop.

The Eloise shop is one of my favorite drop-ins when I’m in the area with my own E. It has the most adorable Eloise merchandise (that’s a given), but it also has a lovely Eloise tea room with tiny chairs and tables; and another room with a stage, surrounding mirrors, pint sized grand piano and dress up tutus, wands and shoes. (Needless to say, we are frequent visitors at the shop.)

I’ve always thought my E was too young for the events, but when I saw the special ballet event, Creative Ballet with an Eloise Twist (for ages 3-5), I just couldn’t resist. The events are on the pricey side (this one was $75 for adult and child, for a one hour event), but I thought it could be a special outing for us both. The ballet event included a 45 minute lesson followed by pink lemonade and treats, and a “mahvelous” ballet-inspired gift bag.

So on a rainy grey day, we dressed in our ballet finest (or one of us did, anyway), and joined other Eloise-loving ballet fans for a special class à la Eloise. The class was completely adorable: Two teachers led a bevy of ballerinas through stretches, tendues and twirls, encouraging their imaginations with a fantasy journey through Central Park and flying like a butterfly.

At a couple points during the class, my E had an attack of shyness (or nerves?) and freaked out a bit when she moved around the room and couldn’t see me anymore, which is so unlike her. The teachers couldn’t have been kinder or sweeter with her, gently encouraging her to join them, holding her hand, and including her in everything even when she was hiding in my lap.

Following the ballet class was snack time. Usually this is held in the tea room within the Eloise store, but today it was booked for a party so we had our snacks in the main restaurant in the hotel instead. The atmosphere was just not the same, sadly. The kids were seated at too-tall tables and large, uncomfortable chairs that were totally unsuitable for little kids. We were surrounded by adult diners enjoying their lunches, which meant that the kids had to sit still (uh-oh!), talk quietly, and stay put (which, frankly, is very un-Eloise-like).

The snacks were nice and simple, however: The menu included strawberry lemonade, fresh fruit skewers and sugar cookies. As we left, we were given our gift bag, which included a cute Eloise tee and water bottle.

Before leaving I let E have a run around the Eloise store. She adores the baby grand piano — as do a lot of aspiring Eloise’s!

Eloise At The Plaza Hotel
1 W 58th St
Manhattan, NY
Phone: (212) 546 5460
Get Directions

Such Is Life in New York City

December 12, 2012 / Family, Kids, New York Life / 0 comment

I don’t blog as much as I should about the amazing things I get to do living in New York. Here are a few fun things I’ve been up to recently.

Seeing the world premiere of Les Miserables with Beck, followed by a Q&A with the cast, including Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried.

Christmas decorations are up! Loving this beautiful tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Eloise also loved the museum – she has reached an age where she notices everything around her and is so curious about everything she sees.