Prix de Lausanne winner and Pre-Professional student Christopher Evans
Photo by Jean-Bernard Sieber

BalletMet Dance Academy
Pre-Professional Program

The full-time Pre-professional Program is designed for students of classical ballet who have reached an advanced level of study and are preparing to begin a career as a professional dancer.

Students will strengthen and refine their artistry, classical ballet technique and virtuosity while developing their versatility studying other relevant dance techniques and body conditioning methods. Outreach Performances include opportunities to be cast with the Company of BalletMet, Senior Performance Ensemble and Academy annual performances will hone students' performance skills.

The Dancers Core Academic Program focuses on material and issues that directly affect young professional dancers artistically, practically and emotionally.

Student Selection
Students are selected through an audition process and taken into the program at the discretion of the Academy Director. This may take place as part of the National Audition Tour, by application for an individual audition at the BalletMet Dance Centre at any point during the year or by selection from the Summer Intensive Program or Summer Pre-Professional Program

Student Assessment
Evaluations are given twice yearly with student conferences four times yearly. A member of the Academy staff will mentor students individually.

Company Performances
The Artistic Director takes any decisions regarding casting for company repertory. If cast in company performances rehearsals will take precedence over scheduled classes. Any changes to normal scheduling due to rehearsals will be made on a weekly basis and must be approved by the Academy Director

Curriculum and Class Scheduling
All Pre-Professional students participate in morning classes. Evening and Saturday schedules are designed based on individual students' level and personal needs.

Dress Code (PDF)

Morning Classes include:

Evening/Saturday Classes include:

Dancers Core Academic Program

Divided into six six-week study blocks of one 1.5 hour classes a week, this program introduces students to material that will provide support for their chosen career, both artistic and practical. The study blocks are project-based and designed to promote student participation and independent study.

Students will understand:

• How their specialized dance form has developed, historically, philosophically and culturally and how it relates to other dance forms and styles both past and present.
• How to present a personal view of the subject using appropriate technical and critical vocabulary to analyze and justify their interpretation and evaluation of the work.
• The relationship of dance to the other arts
• The use of technical and design elements of theatre and performance technology.

Material will include:

Click here for a list of BalletMet Academy students who have pursued professional careers.