Common Questions
If your child is pre-school-aged (ages 3, 4, or 5), you may enroll them in our Creative Movement program. This 45-minute class meets once a week and captures the joy of dancing in the students. Using playful, creative stories and themes we begin basic ballet technique, conditioning and strengthening exercises, and free-form and structured group movement activities. Ballet vocabulary and class etiquette are introduced in preparation for pre-ballet.
The first-year dancer, ages 5-7, will enroll in our Pre-Ballet 1 classes. Pre-Ballet classes meet once a week for an hour. The class more closely follows the structure of a ballet technique class, but still allows for the use of the students’ imaginations. The class begins with conditioning exercises worked around a creative theme to stretch and strengthen their muscles. Students will become familiar with the use of the ballet barre as well as ballet terminology, body placement, class etiquette, and musicality.
Students that are 9 years or older can enroll in our Beginning Ballet class for Teens/Tweens. This class meets twice a week and allows older first-year dancers to learn the basics before being placed in a level. We also offer a beginning adult ballet class in the evening, which is perfect for older teens and adults.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with placement questions, especially for the first-time dancer. Trial classes are often used to place students in the correct classes.
If your young child has had dance training at another studio, please contact us to determine their placement. Bluegrass Youth Ballet uses its own curriculum and we want to place your child in a class where they will successfully grow and mature as a ballet dancer.
Our Director and Founder, Adalhi Aranda has made it her mission to create a space for all who love dance. It is our vision to have enhanced recognition, awareness, and the accompanying financial support from businesses, community partners, and schools in order to provide equal access to dance opportunities for all youth in Lexington and surrounding counties, with a special emphasis on outreach to disadvantaged or marginalized youth. We want anyone who is passionate about dance to be able to access it.
Learn about our story by watching KFB’s Bluegrass and Backroads special on Bluegrass Youth Ballet.
Visit our Boutique to purchase our BYB Logo Uniform Leotard and any other things you may need! It’s time to dance! Questions regarding uniform and attire can be directed to Sara Clark at boutique@bluegrassyouthballet.org.
Adult classes do not have a uniform
Girls
All girls must wear pink tights and pink ballet shoes. Hair must be pulled back into a tight bun.
- Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet: Pink skirted BYB embroidered leotard
- Elementary Levels: Royal Blue BYB embroidered leotard
- Intermediate Levels: Burgundy BYB embroidered leotard
- Advanced: Black BYB embroidered leotard
- Pre-Professional: Teal BYB embroidered leotard
Boys
All boys must wear black shorts or tights and black ballet shoes. Longer hair needs to be pulled back from the face.
- Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet: White BYB embroidered T-shirt
- Elementary and Intermediate Levels: White BYB embroidered T-shirt
- Advanced: Black BYB embroidered t-shirt
- Pre-Professional: Black BYB embroidered t-shirt
Bluegrass Youth Ballet students in Pre-Ballet 2 and up are able to participate in our productions every year. In order to keep the instruction quality high and consistent during classes, our performance rehearsals are separate from our semester classes. We have observation week each semester as well as performance opportunities for our enrolled students in Pre-Ballet 2 and older, that are not required. Our Primary Level students will have an end-of-the-year presentation on May 18th at BYB.
Our enrolled students Pre-Ballet 2 level and higher will receive communication on how to enroll in our upcoming productions. More information can be found during enrollment in our Performance Policy Agreement.
Bluegrass Youth Ballet has classes for ages 3 – adult. Our preschool-aged children enroll in our Creative Movement classes. Our beginning students that are ages 5-8 can begin in our Pre-Ballet program.
In our Open Division, ages 9 and older can enroll in our Tween/Teen Beginning Ballet classes. We also have Daytime Intermediate/Advanced-level classes for homeschooled students, college students, and adults. We offer Jazz Fusion and Contemporary classes, as well as barre fitness, Jazz Funk Fitness/Zumba, and Beginning and Intermediate/Advanced evening ballet classes for adults.