Ballet Level 2
Ages 8–10 | Foundational Progression

Every young dancer reaches a moment when the work begins to deepen — when posture, control, and precision start to replace the simplicity of imitation.

 

Ballet Level Two at Northern Nevada Ballet Academy is designed for students who have built a solid foundation in Ballet Level One and are ready to refine their technique and awareness. Here, they begin to connect strength with artistry and focus with freedom.

 

This level introduces students to a more structured and demanding environment. Dancers develop consistent turnout, placement, and control while building endurance and refinement at the barre and in the center. They learn how to translate vocabulary into movement that feels both intentional and expressive — discovering that discipline is what allows creativity to flourish.

 

Parents continue to be part of this shared journey — supporting focus, consistency, and resilience at home. Their understanding of the dancer’s daily discipline helps each child stay grounded, patient, and proud of their steady growth.

 

At this stage, we begin to see dancers mature not only physically but emotionally. They start to take responsibility for their learning, take notes after class, and become aware of the artistry behind precision. Every combination becomes a conversation between effort and elegance — between what the dancer knows and who they are becoming.

 

 

 

 

Curriculum Overview

Ballet Level Two refines the vocabulary introduced in Ballet One while preparing students for more complex coordination, musicality, and body awareness. Each class encourages attention to detail, artistic phrasing, and readiness for future pointe preparation. Students are asked to bring a notebook and take notes weekly to reinforce vocabulary and personal corrections.

 

Our curriculum focuses on the following core areas:

 

• Warm-Up / Floor: Core activation, alignment resets, Theraband footwork, demi-pointe mobility, and gentle splits with safe positioning.

• Barre: Full barre on one hand; demi and grand pliés in all positions, tendus and dégagés en croix, rond de jambe à terre, fondu, frappé, développé, petit battement, pas de cheval, grand battement, sous-sus, soutenu turns, piqué to relevé, pirouette preparation, and coordination drills for endurance.

• Center (Adagio / Pirouettes / Petit Allegro): Mastery of the 8 Body Positions (croisé, écarté, effacé, etc.), simple adagio with développé lines, balances in retiré and arabesque, chainé preparation, soutenu turns, pas de basque, temps lié, glissade, assemblé, jeté, échappé, and sissonne.

• Traveling / Across the Floor: Two-step combinations (e.g., glissade–assemblé, tombé–pas de bourrée), chassé and battement sequences, emboîté, chaîné and piqué turns, pas de chat, polka and waltz variations, temps levé, arabesque diagonals, and the introduction to grande jeté technique.

• Artistry & Habits: Development of articulation, musical phrasing, and unity through ensemble awareness. Students practice clarity of footwork, learn to identify duple vs triple rhythm, and refine timing and lines in group combinations.

 

 

Performance goals include a clean presentation of the 8 Body Positions tendu adagio and a glissade–assemblé petit allegro performed in unison.

 

 

By the end of Ballet Level Two, students know how to move with structure and grace while expressing artistry through precision. They will demonstrate mastery of the essential vocabulary — plié, tendu, dégagé, rond de jambe, fondu, frappé, développé, soutenu, pirouette preparation, glissade, assemblé, jeté, échappé, sissonne, and more — with confidence and control.

 

At this level, dance becomes more than repetition; it becomes refinement. Dancers begin to embody resilience, discipline, and humility — qualities that shape not only skilled performers but extraordinary human beings.

 

This is where artistry begins to take form.