UPPER SCHOOL (4th grade and up by placement)

New students must take a placement class in order to enter into the Upper School. For questions or to schedule a placement class, please contact the office at 978-263-6572 or administrator@actonschoolofballet.com. Click here to view the full School Schedule.

Classical Ballet Syllabus Track

Students proceed through the ballet syllabus via yearly level classes. Each level is designed to reinforce prior work and introduce and refine technique so that the students’ ballet education is cumulative and naturally evolving as they mature. A large emphasis is also placed on developing artistry and style as students progress into the highest levels or into the Pre-Professional Program. Students may continue on this formal path if promoted yearly by the faculty. Many students may spend more than 1 year in a level to ensure proper progression of technique.
See below for information regarding specific levels.

Once students have completed Level 5 or higher, they may move out of the formal track and into the Contemporary Ballet track (two classes per week). Some students elect to do this if they do not want to continue ballet training on pointe but still want rigorous technique training. Students can also continue on their formal track and add Contemporary to supplement their training.
See below for information regarding specific levels.

Contemporary Ballet Track

Advanced Ballet Track

Students who have completed Level 6 may continue into Level 7 if promoted by faculty, which is the first year when students perform en pointe in the year end production. Level 7 requires attending three technique classes per week. If a student can not commit to that schedule, she or he may transfer to the Advanced Ballet track, which requires only two days of classes and continued pointe training. Students perform in the final Spring Performance, but not on pointe.
See below for information regarding specific levels.

Students in 4th grade and up may elect to take only Modern Dance classes and not participate in the ballet syllabus. Modern classes perform in the year-end performance. Many students take Modern as a supplementary class to their syllabus classes.
See Supplementary Classes for information regarding specific levels.

Modern Dance Track

Level 3

Two times per week / 2.5 hours total
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This class is the first year of the Upper School in which students must take class twice a week. Emphasis is placed on the knowledge of proper ballet terminology and students begin to learn turns, complex combinations, and proper use of body positions.

Level 3/a: Monday 4:00-5:15 pm / Thursday 4:00-5:15 pm (DuPaul)
Level 3/b: Tuesday 6:00-7:15 pm / Saturday 10:15-11:30 pm (Moncrieff)

Optional Supplementary classes - Modern 1/2 and Junior Repertory 3/4

This class meets for 1.25 one day and 1.5 hours the other day. The additional .25 hours focuses on pre-pointe work so that female dancers are prepared to take the pointe exam in Level 5. Emphasis is placed on the knowledge of proper ballet terminology and students begin to refine turns, complex combinations, and proper use of body positions.

Choose 2 of the 3 classes listed below:

Level 4: Tuesday 6:00 - 7:30 pm (Diarbekirian
Level 4: Thursday 6:15 - 7:30 pm (Diarbekirian)
Level 4: Saturday 10:00 - 11:30 am (Diarbekirian)

Optional Supplementary class - Modern 1/2 and Junior Repertory 3/4

Level 4

Two times per week / 2.75 hours total
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These classes meet twice a week; they consist of two 90-minute ballet technique classes. Students in Level 5 will take a pointe assessment and will begin pointe work at the barre if the Director feels students have the strength and proper technique to begin pointe work. Rising Level 5 students will spend one or two years in this level based on pointe progression and technical advancement, by recommendation of faculty. Additional Supplementary Classes are recommended for strengthening and advancement.

Level 5: Monday 5:15 - 7:30 pm (Stark)
Level 5: Wednesday 4:45 - 6:30 pm (Stark)
Level 5: Friday 5:30 - 7:00 pm (Stark)

Supplementary classes available to Level 5 students include Variations 5/6 and Modern 1/2

Level 5

Two times per week / 3 hours total
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Level 6 is a formative year in which students continue to build strength on pointe and learn the steps to transition them into a pre-professional track. Rising Level 6 students will spend one or two years in this level based on readiness to perform en pointe in Level 7 and technical advancement, by recommendation of faculty. Students will learn the steps relevant to this level in year one and will work on refining those steps in year two so that they are ready to perform en pointe in Level 7.

Students must take Level 6, Level 6 pointe, plus one Level 6 open class.

Required Classes:
Level 6: Monday 5:15 - 6:45 pm/Wednesday 6:15-7:45 pm (DuPaul)
Level 6 Pointe: Monday 6:45 - 7:15 pm (DuPaul)

Choose one of the following additional Level 6 classes:
Level 6 Open: Friday 5:30 - 7:00 pm (Morris)
Level 6 Open: Sunday 11:30 am - 1:00 pm (Morris)

There are many additional Supplementary Classes available to Level 6 students including Supplementary Pointe, Variations 5/6, Contemporary, Modern 1/2 or 3 (depending on experience), Ballet Conditioning, Choreography, Improvisation and Pilates. Students are recommended to take at least 1 Supplementary Pointe to enhance their training.

Level 6

Three times per week / 4.5 hours total
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Students are required to take 3 technique classes per week and at least one Supplementary Class is highly recommended. This level stresses refinement of technique and placement as well as strengthening pointe work and jumping. Level 7 dancers perform en pointe in the spring performance.

Required Classes
Level 7: Monday 7:15 - 8:45 pm (Moncrieff)
Level 7: Thursday 7:30 - 9:00 pm (Moncrieff)

Choose at least one additional Level 7 class
Level 7 Open: Tuesday 4:30 - 6:00 pm (Diarbekirian)
Level 7+ Open: Sunday 10:00 - 11:30 am (Morris)

There are many Supplementary Classes available to Level 7 students including Supplementary Pointe, Variations, Contemporary, Modern 3, Choreography, Improvisation, Pilates, and Ballet Conditioning. It is strongly recommended that Level 7 students take at least one additional Supplementary Class to enhance their training.

Level 7

3 times per week, plus one supplementary class of choice strongly recommended
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Students complete their learning of the canon of classical ballet steps in this level. The classes emphasize performance quality, musicality, and integration of technique into advance combinations.

Required Classes
Level 8: Monday 4:00 - 5:45 pm (Stark)
Level 8: Wednesday 6:30 - 8:00 pm (Stark)
Contemporary 8: Tuesday 7:30 - 9:00 pm (Utz)

Choose at least one additional Level 8 Ballet class
Level 8: Friday 4:00 - 5:30 pm (DuPaul)
Level 7+: Sunday 10:00 - 11:30 am (Morris)

Choose one additional Supplementary class
There are many Supplementary Classes available to Level 8 students including Supplementary Pointe, Variations, Contemporary, Modern 3, Repertory, Choreography, Improvisation, Pilates, and Ballet Conditioning.

Level 8

4 ballet classes per week, plus one supplementary class of choice.
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This is considered an advanced level class, not only by the complexity of material that is given, but also by the commitment and dedication expected from each student.

Required Classes
Pilates: Thursday 5:15-6:15 pm (Chapman)
Level 9/10: Monday 7:30 - 9:00 pm (DuPaul)
Level 9/10: Thursday 5:15 - 7:00 pm (DuPaul)
Level 9: Friday 7:00 - 8:30 pm (Morris)

Choose one additional Ballet classes
Level 9/10: Tuesday 7:30 - 9:00 pm (Morris)
Level 9/10: Wednesday 6:15 - 8:00 pm (Chapman)
Level 7+: Sunday 10:00 - 11:30 am (Morris)

Choose one Supplementary class
Contemporary Ballet: Tuesday 6:00 - 7:30 pm (Utz) or Thursday 7:30 - 9:00 (Utz)
Repertory 8/9/10: Wednesday 8:00 - 9:00 pm (Chapman)
Modern 3: Thursday 4:00 - 5:15 pm (Utz) OR Modern 4 Monday 6:15 - 7:30 pm by Invitation only (Utz)
Variations 7+: Friday 5:30 - 7:00 pm (DuPaul)

There are other additional Supplementary Classes available to Level 9 students including Repertory, Supplementary Pointe, Choreography, Ballet Conditioning and Improvisation.

Level 9

4 ballet classes per week plus one supplementary (listed below)
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This pre-professional class concentrates on refinement of technique and performance of the classical repertory. Guest teachers bring new perspective throughout the year. Level 10 students take four ballet technique/pointe classes each week and at least one additional Supplementary class chosen from the selection below.

Required Ballet classes
Level 9/10: Monday 7:30 - 9:00 pm (DuPaul)
Level 9/10: Thursday 5:15 - 7:00 pm (DuPaul)

Choose two additional Ballet classes Level 9/10: Tuesday 7:30 - 9:00 pm (Morris)
Level 9/10: Wednesday 6:15 - 8:00 pm (Chapman)
Level 7+: Sunday 10:00 - 11:30 am (Morris)

There are many additional Supplementary Classes available to Level 10 students including Supplementary Pointe, Choreography, Improvisation, Pilates, and Ballet Conditioning.

Level 10

4 ballet classes per week plus one supplementary (listed below)
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Advanced Ballet

2 ballet classes per week
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Required Ballet Classes
Tuesday 7:30 - 9:00 pm (Diarbekirian)
Thursday 7:30 - 9:00 pm (Diarbekirian)

There are many additional Supplementary Classes available to Advanced Ballet students including Supplementary Pointe, Choreography, Contemporary Ballet, Modern 3, Improvisation, Ballet Conditioning, and Pilates.

Contemporary Ballet