An introduction to the world of dance designed for 3 & 4 year olds. Students will work to develop balance, coordination, and rhythm. Through the use of structured games and activities, each class will allow students to explore different ways of moving.
Designed for 5 & 6 year olds who have either completed Creative Movement or who are new to ballet. Students will learn basic ballet steps and terminology while continuing to develop balance, coordination, flexibility, and rhythm.
For all students age 7 to 11 who are new to ballet. Students begin learning basic ballet barre and across the floor exercises. In addition to learning basic steps and terminology, dancers will begin to focus on correct technique and alignment. Students must be 7 by December 1st.
All levels beyond Level 1 are by instructor permission only. New families should contact Ryland Acree, Director of School & Education for placement and evaluation at racree@chaballet.org before registering. Completion of the prior level, with instructor permission or equivalent, is required. Each level emphasizes proper placement, alignment, and execution of ballet technique at the barre and across the floor.
A ballet class specifically designed for boys aged 7 to 12 who are just beginning ballet or with a few years' experience. Dancers will learn ballet terminology while developing balance, coordination, flexibility, and rhythm. When taken alongside ballet, students receive a 50% discount for this class.
A ballet class specifically designed for boys aged 7 to 12 who are just beginning ballet or with a few years' experience. By instructor permission or equivalent is required.
An introduction to ballet for ages 12 through adult. Dancers will learn basic ballet techniques while working to improve coordination, flexibility, and strength.
A beginner/intermediate level ballet course for ages 12 and up. Recommended for dancers with a minimum of 3 years ballet experience. Dancers will continue focusing on ballet technique while working to improve flexibility, coordination, and strength.
Designed for dancers ages 13 through adult who have had consistent years of ballet training and are looking to get back into the studio for exercise, strength, and love of the art of ballet.
This class is designed for the beginner Tap student ages 8-14. The benefits of tap to a ballet dancer are balance, strength, and rhythm, along with providing news ways of exploring artistry. When taken alongside ballet, students receive a 25% discount for this class.
This class is designed for 8 and up (or students in levels 2-4) to help dancers explore different movement qualities and complement their ballet training. Dancers will learn new ways of utilizing their ballet technique and incorporate more grounded and alternating styles. When taken alongside ballet, students receive a 25% discount for this class.
Tap is a wonderful form of dance that has pulled from various cultural backgrounds to become an American art form. The benefits of tap to a ballet dancer are balance, strength and rhythm, along with providing news ways of exploring artistry. Tap is a fun outlet for dancers to find new ways to love the art of dance. When taken alongside ballet, students receive a 25% discount for this class. These classes are by instructor permission only.
Contemporary 2 (Intermediate Level 1 & 2)
Contemporary 3 (Intermediate 3 - Advanced)
This class will work to develop non-traditional movement through the basis of ballet technique. New styles of jumps, turns and floor work will develop the strength and artistry of dancers, and will provide them opportunities to explore improvisational work resulting in a complete dancer and artist. It is also a great chance for dancers to let their hair down, get grounded and have fun. When taken alongside ballet, students receive a 25% discount for this class.
Chattanooga Ballet is partnering with Eurotard to provide an online store with leotards in all class colors. Click the link to purchase online: https://www.eurotard.com/v4/classes.aspx?studio=S-Ch0617
• Creative Movement: White
• Pre-Ballet: Light Pink
• Levels 1 & 2: Lavender
• Levels 3 & 4: Burgundy
• Intermediate 1 & 2: Eggplant
• Intermediate 3 & 4: Navy
• Advanced: Black for weekday classes, any solid color for Saturday class
• Solid color leotard in class color
• Light pink tights & light pink ballet slippers OR skin-tone tights & skin- tone ballet slippers
• Tights and shoes should match in color
• Hair in a ballet bun, pulled back neatly if short
• No skirts, jewelry, or watches. Small earrings and hair accessories are acceptable.
• Solid white fitted T-shirt
• Black full footed ballet tights, black leggings, OR fitted bike shorts.
• Please, no baggy clothing.
• Black ballet slippers, no socks OR thin black socks optional
• Long hair should be pulled back
• In addition to their white shirts, Intermediate-Advanced level men may also wear black or solid class color T-shirt
• Comfortable attire that is easy to move in
• Suggested clothing items: leotard, tights, leggings, tank tops, skirts, etc.
• Hair in a ballet bun, pulled back neatly if short
• Ballet slippers are required
• Comfortable attire that is easy to move in
• Suggested clothing items: leotard, tights, leggings, tank tops, skirts, etc.
• Socks required for Contemporary
• Tap shoes required for Tap
Link to purchase dancewear online: https://www.eurotard.com/v4/classes.aspx?studio=S-Ch0617
This document includes information on arrival, parking, class policies, tuition payments etc.
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The faculty at Chattanooga Ballet brings with them a variety of professional experiences through training, performing, and academics. Their real-life experiences in the ballet world inform how they apply the curriculum and develop the culture of the school. All current professional company members of CHA Ballet also teach within our school. Additional faculty member bios are found below.
Caroline Blair began her pre-professional dance training at Community Ballet in Huntsville, Alabama at age 13. She furthered her training with American Ballet Theatre and the Joffrey Ballet. Upon graduating from the University of Arizona with degrees in Linguistics and Russian & Slavic Studies, she returned to Huntsville Ballet as a dancer and faculty member. In 2015, Caroline joined Chattanooga Ballet, where she danced for six seasons. While with Chattanooga Ballet, she held the position of Pointe Coordinator and was an active member of the faculty. Career highlights include Sugar Plum in Nutcracker, Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Tsarevna in The Firebird, the Lilac and Violente Fairies in productions of The Sleeping Beauty, and Dream Laurey in Oklahoma. Other credits include soloist roles in Romeo and Juliet, Paquita, Giselle, and The Magic Flute. Since retiring from full-time professional ballet in 2021, Caroline remains an active part of the dance community in Chattanooga - teaching, choreographing, and occasionally performing with organizations throughout the region.
Elena Bozzone is from Aiken, South Carolina and has taught dance since she was 15. Elena danced professionally with Roanoke Ballet Theatre for three years and spent the past year dancing with Gwinnett Ballet Theatre. With them she performed repertoire including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Snow White, Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Carmen, and Dracula. Though her primary training was in Ballet, she is versed in tap, jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop.
Lydia Campbell began her training at Chattanooga Ballet. While at Chattanooga Ballet she performed many corps de ballet roles in Hippolyta’s Acolytes, A Midsummers Night Dream, Giselle, and Ruby Jewel variation in Sleeping Beauty. Over the years at Chattanooga Ballet, she performed in the Nutcracker as a Snowflake, Waltz of the Flowers, and as demi soloists in Arabian and Chinese. In 2016, she performed the lead role as Clara. For the 2018-2019 season Lydia participated in Nashville Ballet’s Academy where she performed in Paul Vasterling’s Nutcracker and in the 20th Anniversary Gala with Nashville Ballet at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. In 2019, Lydia moved back home to Chattanooga and has been a part of the faculty inspiring young dancers through the art of dance. She graduated from Chattanooga State Community College with an Associates of Science in 2021. Lydia is also the head instructor at our newest satellite location at Silverdale Academy.
Dillon Davis is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee and began his ballet training at Chattanooga Ballet and Center Stage Dance at age twelve. Dillon started his professional career as a trainee at Alabama Ballet under the direction of Wes Chapman. While with Alabama Ballet he danced in George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes, An American in Paris, Giselle and The Sleeping Beauty. He later attended the highly respected Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under the tutelage of Marcia Dale Weary.
After completing his training at CPYB, Dillon performed professionally with Nashville Ballet and Dance Theater of Tennessee dancing various soloist roles such as Escamillo in Carmen, Peter in The Diary of Anne Frank, the jester in Cinderella, and Franz in Coppélia. While with Dance Theater of Tennessee, he had the opportunity to work with world renowned choreographers Ma Cong, Darrell Grand-Moultrie and Ron De Jesus of Hubbard Street. Dillon then moved back to Chattanooga and danced the rest of his career with Chattanooga Ballet for seven seasons and retiring from the company in 2021. Dillon is happy to continue to be a member of the Chattanooga Ballet community by teaching in the school.
Jane began dancing as a young child with her babysitter in Atlanta. Soon after, she began taking formal ballet classes throughout the metro area. After graduating high school, Jane moved to NYC to train as a scholarship student at The Ailey School, where she studied modern forms of dance including, but not limited to Horton, Graham, Taylor and Dunham. Performance credits include The Metropolitan Opera and The Lion King. Ms. King is ecstatic to resume her teaching journey here in Chattanooga.
Rebecca has taught dance, movement, and yoga for students aged three through adult for over twenty years. She grew up in Maryland and has danced with several ballet companies in the United States, including American Repertory Ballet (NJ) and Grand Rapids Ballet (MI). Most recently, she taught elementary school for eleven years in Chattanooga and Cleveland, TN. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Elementary Education. When not in the studio and classroom, Rebecca enjoys spending time outside with her husband and their four-year-old daughter.
Ryan was born in Oklahoma City and raised in Chattanooga, TN. Ryan found his love of Hip Hop dance at the tender age of 9 years old and has been dancing ever since.
To better his Hip Hop skills, he took several dance classes anywhere he could and loved to watch live performances from his favorite artists. From 2013-2015 Ryan trained at WEAVE: A Conceptual Dance Company to help shape his Hip Hop style and learn other dance styles.
Ryan has taught Hip-Hop at various dance studios and schools around Chattanooga such as Ballet Tennessee, Chattanooga Ballet, Modern Play, Divine Dance Studio, Raw Art Dance and Entertainment Corp, Baylor School, Girls Preparatory School, Chattanooga High Center of Creative Arts, D. Williams Dance Academy and Tennessee Association of Dance. He is currently teaching Hip-Hop at Velocity Dance Center, Normal Park Museum Magnet School, Red Bank Middle School and High School.
Ryan is also an Artistic Teacher, dance instructor and company member of The Pop-Up Project and appeared in their dance film “The Light We Share”. Ryan preforms at different events and collaborates with local artists on special projects around the Chattanooga area.
Megan Quiroz McSween is a native of Grand Rapids Michigan where she began her professional ballet career as an apprentice with the Grand Rapids Ballet at age 16. From there, she was hired as a Seasonal Artist with the Joffrey Ballet during her senior year of high school. After a year as a trainee at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle, she returned to the Joffrey Ballet where she remained for eight seasons, performing featured roles in ballets such as Robert Joffrey's Postcards, Edwaard Liang's Age of Innocence, and Christopher Wheeldon's Carousel, A Dance. In 2009 Meg was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch”. Since then, Meg has served on faculty for the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City, the Grand Rapids Ballet School, Grand Valley State University, IPC Ballet and Ballet Memphis. In addition to teaching dance, Meg is a certified GYROTONIC instructor. Since moving to Chattanooga in 2019 Meg has loved exploring the beautiful terrain with Brian and their three kids, Connor, Micah and Madelyn. Meg enjoys her time in the studio with the CHA Ballet dancers and students, as well as the occasional opportunity to guest perform with the company.
A native of Mayfield, Kentucky, Emily received her early training with Joan Crawford School of Dance in tap, ballet and jazz. At age fourteen she became a teacher’s assistant for the family dance studio. She received a summer intensive scholarship in Los Angeles with Dupree Dance USA at age sixteen. After high school, she attended Columbia State Community College in Franklin, TN on a commercial entertainment scholarship. Her passion for teaching brought her back to Kentucky where she assumed ownership of her family's dance studio. As the principal instructor, owner, and operator for 10 years, she choreographed annual recitals, performance events and top award-winning competition routines. Many of her students have received scholarships through convention circuits such as L.A. Dance Force and Dupree Dance USA. She and her students received numerous awards from Showstopper National Competitions. Summers were spent training at The Edge Performing Arts Center in West Hollywood, California to hone her craft.
2002 Emily moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career in dance, dancing professionally in the television series "American Dreams" and as a principal dancer and choreographer for "The Rick Alviti Elvis Tribute Band". While living in LA, she was on faculty at Dance Dimension Performing Arts Center. After her move to Chattanooga, she was the tap instructor for Ballet Tennessee under Anna VanCura from 2015-2020. Her choreography credits include the Newsies production in 2016, Singing in the Rain 2017, and Teen Beach Movie 2018, just to name a few.
She is the choreographer for Christian Family Theatre where her credits include Disney’s Camp Rock, High School Musical Jr. , School House Rock, and High School Musical 2 Jr. Currently, along with teaching at Chattanooga Ballet, she is an adult tap instructor for The Joy Ensemble. Emily’s teaching experience is vast and she is respected by dance parents for her ability to challenge and motivate her students to achieve their personal best.
Auditions August 24 & 25, 2024
Every year Chattanooga Ballet presents The Nutcracker featuring the professional company, the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra performing live, and students from Chattanooga Ballet's School. Students are invited to audition for Chattanooga's most beloved holiday tradition and enjoy a professional production experience at one of the city’s largest venues.
Auditions for Nutcracker are held the last weekend of August. Students auditioning must be enrolled in ballet at any local dance studio. A $60 performance fee is required for all cast members. As this is a professional production, there is an expectation of prioritizing this commitment.