SAN ANTONIO – Ballet is a sport, a dance and an art form with a long history, and the San Antonio Ballet School aims to teach all aspects of dance to the children who participate in its program.
The school opened in San Antonio three years ago, but its parent company has operated across the country for more than 30 years.
“I think having a school attached to a ballet company gives kids exposure to the arts and the full journey,” said Sofiane Silve, artistic director of the San Antonio Ballet School.
This ballet school is unique in that it teaches an exclusively French curriculum.
“The French curriculum is the mother tongue of ballet. It’s the original system of ballet that’s still taught in Paris and it’s been passed down from person to person,” said Michel Dement, vice principal of the San Antonio Ballet School.
Children who enroll in SBSA classes learn all the French terminology for ballet and the history of the art form.
Ballet originated in the 15th and 16th centuries. It began in Italy during the Renaissance to entertain royal courts. It eventually made its way to France, where it developed into the ballet we know today.
“The ballet steps are quantified in French, so (we) make sure (the students) understand what they mean, because ballet actually means what you’re doing,” Sylve said.
These terms include:
Plié – Bend
Dégajé – to move from one place to another
Ronde Jambe – Foot Ring
Fondue to Melt
“You’re trying to tone your muscles in a certain way, so you’re not just learning a little bit of the language, but what it means for your body,” Silve said.
Speaking of physical training, ballerinas have to train and stay fit for hours every day to be strong enough to perform a three-hour performance.
“Professional-level ballet dancers are athletes, just like when you watch the Olympics. Ballet is an art form and there’s no scoring element, so maybe that’s why people don’t really associate it with sport,” Silve said.
Sylve and Demento encourage parents to send their children to ballet, which they say not only teaches them the art of ballet, but also discipline, responsibility, work ethic and how to perform.
To help get kids started, SBSA is currently running summer camps.
The camp is open to children ages 4 to 10. Students spend the week learning a themed ballet, making costumes and learning about set design, then performing in front of their parents and families.
The camp contents and dates are as follows:
Fairytale Fun: June 17th – June 21st
Children will enjoy ballets based on classic stories such as “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Swan Lake” and “Coppelia.”
Peter Pan: June 24th to June 28th
Epic Villains: July 8th – July 12th
Nutcracker: July 15th to July 19th
You can register for one of the camps by clicking here .
“You can even apply late the night before,” Dement said.
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