Pas De Deux Dance Studio

New students with no previous ballet experience come in to the beginning level class that works best for their age level.  Dancers with previous experience who tell me about their dance background will receive recommendations of 2 or 3 classes to try out.  After trying out those classes (free of charge), we choose the class that is the best fit for that dancer. 

I studied 2 years of tap and jazz before switching to a ballet only studio at age 11.  I studied the Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet for 14 years at Delange Dancers Studio, and through that am a Cecchetti certified dancer.  I have also participated in Irish dancing for over 13 years.  In addition to my dance training, I have a degree in elementary education from the University of St Thomas.  

For the 2016 - 2017 dance year (approximately 33 weeks) prices were:

$150 / year for one 30 minute class per week

$210 / year for one 45 minute class per week

$270 / year for one 60 minute class per week

Recital fees and costumes are an extra cost, as are optional opportunities such as the Winter Ballet Production, dance competitions and dance trips.

When I was in high school we had a community service requirement each year to be able to graduate.  When I was 16, I was old enough to teach through St Paul Community Education, so I started a summer dance program as a community service project.  The dancers paid $5 (to cover community ed's costs) and came for 6 to 9 classes in June.  By the time I graduated, I had a group of dancers that returned every year and wanted me to continue the program.  I ran the Zachari's Ballerinas summer program for 10 years, and began my studio in September immediately after that 10th anniversay.

I teach dancers ages 3 through adult at all ability levels.  Most of my dancers are "typical" dance students - they start lessons somewhere between 4 and 8 years old and progress through the levels until they either graduate from high school or realize that their passion lies elsewhere.

Since I did not start ballet until age 11, I believe that it is never too late to learn ballet, and I encourage any dancer, regardless of age, to come and take classes at my studio.  My tween and teen beginners often get worked into the general technique classes for the studio.  My adult beginners start in the adult class.  Some choose to stay in the adult class, while others eventually choose to join the technique classes so they can take pointe and participate in the annual spring recital.

I have had a lot of amazing experiences over the past two years.  We had the opportunity to be a host studio for the Moscow Ballet Nutcracker's youth cast in 2014 and 2015.  It was an incredible experience being backstage at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis and watching dancers I had trained performing with the professionals.

December of 2015 also saw the premier of my original story ballet "The Enchanted Forest".  Everyone loved dancing in it and it was wonderful seeing my story to come to life.

May of 2016 was the studio's 10th anniversary performance.  I enjoyed the opportunity to look back over the first 10 years of the studio, and to share some of my favorite dances from those years with my current dancers.

In June 2016, 4 of my dancers participated in Dance the World, which is a performance festival in Walt Disney World.  We all (dancers, families and myself) had a great time and I am looking forward to taking another group down in the next year or two.

If you are doing you research in the spring, go to the studio's spring recital or performance.  You can get a good feel for the studio environment and style by watching what they put on stage.  

If the studio has a summer session, this can be a good way to try out the studio.  Just remember that summer classes usually differ from school year classes - teachers are either running intensives and therefore packing a lot of content into a short period of time, or are holding more laid back "fun" classes as a change since it is summer break.

Be ready to enroll in classes starting in September if you are new to dance, since most studios follow the general school calendar, and have a lot of the learning of steps in the first part of the year.  

If you have experience and are switching studios in the middle of the year, it is important to be okay with joining a slightly lower level class to finish out the dance season if that is what your teacher recommends.  Since all methods of ballet are different, starting at a lower level will give you a chance to focus on adapting to the new method of ballet and internalizing the stylistic differences.  It will also allow you to catch up on any steps that you may not have been introduced to yet.  If you feel like the class is too easy for you, you can talk to your teacher about what you need to do to get into a higher level class for the next year or term.

Keep in mind that many studios order recital costumes at the end of December or beginning of January, so if you start after those orders have been placed, you may not be able to participate in the spring production.  Taking classes is still worth it, as you can shadow the dance, fill in as an understudy when someone is sick, and show how much ballet means to you.

What are you wanting to get out of the class?  Are you wanting a career in dance, to develop a hobby, to get exercise, to become more flexible or graceful or something else?

Do you have previous dance experience?  If so, what styles of dance?  If you have previous ballet experience, what methods have you studied, what level did you get to, and have you taken any exams in that method?

What time commitment are you willing to put into your classes?  Once a week, twice a week, sporadic?

If you are an older beginning dancer, are you content to be in whichever class is best suited to you (even if the other dancers are younger than you)?  If not, are you willing to set up (and pay for) private lessons to help you catch up with dancers who are closer to your age?

If you are an adult dancer, are you interested in performance opportunities?