Best Adult Ballet Classes San Francisco Near Me

4worldlovers: The Academy of Ballet offers training both for the student preparing for a professional career and those who are studying ballet for its many other benefits. All classes are carefully graded both for age and technical level and each student is given the individual attention so necessary for his or her progress.

Academy of Ballet is offering children and pre-professional student classes on site following city health guidance and regulations, please contact us for information.

As the COVID-19 pandemic and the forecasts of health professionals continue to become more serious, we are prioritizing the health and safety of our community and will keep you updated if plans change.

We are streaming classes and recorded classes online for our students; contact us for information.

4worldlovers: Terpsichora Ballet owner and founder Liezl Austria is dedicated to teaching her students the Vaganova Method of classical ballet in its purest form. Students training with Liezl learn ballet as she did at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Saint Petersburg, Russia. This world-renowned ballet school teaches Agrippina Vaganova’s method for learning classical Russian ballet, which produces a distinctive, high-quality of movement as seen in the graduates of the Vaganova Ballet Academy, which include, Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova, and Mikhail Baryshnikov. The clarity of the step-by-step Vaganova Method, and the exceptional dancers it creates, are why Liezl teaches her students this style of ballet.

Liezl was born in the Philippines and started her nearly 20-year career as ballerina when she moved to San Francisco, California at the age of 13. Liezl’s first ballet mentor was Augusta Moore, who recommended Liezl also train with mentors Yehuda Maor and Alba Calzada.

In the United States, Liezl performed with the Anne Bluethenthal and Dancers, American Repertory Theater Ballet, Pacific Dance Theater, BalletMindDance, Avenue Dance Project, Mark Foeringer Dance Project and the Robert Henry Johnson Dance Company. Internationally, Liezl has performed on tour in Holland, Aruba, in Germany. In 1989, while Liezl was still performing, she began studying the art of teaching dance with Augusta Moore who was in instructor at both Dance Mission and Dancer Stage in San Francisco, California. As a student in her class, Liezl showed a natural talent for ballet instruction. Moore recommended Liezl as a ballet instructor to Alonzo King LINES and in August 2001 she started working at LINES.

Augusta Moore was an important mentor for Liezl, and soon Liezl was so proficient at teaching ballet that Augusta hired her to teach with her ODC. Augusta took Liezl under her wing and encouraged her to seek out more advanced training in teaching classical Russian ballet. Liezl wanted to learn a ballet teaching style that was orderly, clear, and effective. So, Augusta recommended Liezl study the Vaganova Syllabus.

In 2006, Liezl began her study of the Vaganova Syllabus with John White in Pennsylvania, learning the syllabus courses 1, 2, and 3.. White taught at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet with his wife and former ballerina Margarita de Saá White. John and Margarita met while dancing professionally in Cuba for the Nacional Ballet de Cuba. While performing in Cuba, John received extensive training on teaching the Vaganova syllabus from visiting Russian ballet masters. John is known as an authority on the Vaganova Syllabus and has authored two books on the subject. The experience changed Liezl’s life and the way she looked at ballet. Liezl continued her studies with White the following year, taking Vaganova syllabus levels 4, 5 and 6. John taught nearly 700 teachers at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet and abroad.

Liezl’s next step was to take training from the source at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Between the years of 2010-2019 Liezl attended annual demonstrations of the Preservation of the Vaganova Method at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Russia. In 2016, Liezl began the Teacher Re-Training program at the Vaganova Ballet Academy, studying under her mentor, Pedagogue Irina Badaeva.

Vaganova Ballet Academy instructor Irina Badaeva a soloist at the Mariinsky Theater who performed roles including Giselle, Odette/Odile from Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty’s Aurora, Kitri from Don Quixote Irina is known for her artistic interpretation of the Dying Swan.

Liezl also studied with Pedagogues Bashlovkina, Galina Pavlovna and Komolova, Ludmila Ivanovna. Liezl was the only student in the program in 2016 and traveled from California to Russia twice that year to purse training at the Vaganova Ballet Academy.

The Teacher Re-Training program at the Vaganova Ballet Academy is highly selective—the class is limited to a maximum of five students and the lessons are taught entirely in Russian. Liezl had the approval of the instructors but, at the time, she didn’t know the language. So, Liezl began studying Russian so she could learn from the masters at the Vaganova Ballet Academy and pursue her dream of owning and teaching at her own ballet studio.

Liezl has traveled to Russia 11 times since her first trip there in 2010. She has completed the Junior (1, 2, 3) and Middle level (4 and 5) method courses at the Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg in June 2019, studying under the Head of Education Pedagogue Gribanova, Maria Alexandrovna. She was certified in June 2019.

4worldlovers: Dance Mission Theater is an artist driven space dedicated to inclusiveness, fairness, and justice. We create, produce, present, and teach feminist and multicultural dance/theater, engaging a diverse group of Bay Area artists, audiences, and students. Many female, queer, racially mixed, and culturally specific ensembles consider Dance Mission Theater their artistic home, creating a thriving inter-generational community. Dance Mission Theater is also the home to Krissy Keefer’s Dance Brigade, San Francisco’s groundbreaking, social-change dance company and Grrrl Brigade, Dance Brigade’s youth leadership dance company.

4worldlovers: Geary Dance Center creates a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment where dance becomes a part of a person’s life,

Whether as a recreational dancer, aspiring performer or enthusiastic audience member.

GDC offers classes in preschool movement, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Creative Movement, Contemporary, Funk, Jazz Funk, Musical Theater Jazz, Choreography, Character, Modern Dance and Adult Ballet. We specialize in introducing dance to children ages 2-6 with our FUNdamentals of Dance early education program, to children ages 5-18 with our syllabus driven classes, and to children ages 11-18 with our Teen Accelerated Learning Program (TAL). GDC also offers workshops, summer classes and summer camps for ages 4.5-7, 8-10 and 11-18 and adult classes.

CONTACT US with any questions or to schedule a trial class! Free trial class for preschoolers with enrollment! We offer discounts to new students, siblings, families enrolled in 4 or more classes a week and and an early bird discount exclusively for current students during our priority re-enrollment period for the following semester.

REGISTER HERE! Please note: Registration creates an account in our online registration portal and allows you to enroll in Summer Camps and beginning level classes only. Scheduling trial classes and placement into upper level classes and preschool FUN classes must go through our office.

Enrollment in a class or camp is confirmed only with payment in full of tuition and any associated fees.

4worldlovers: DTC/SF offers the highest quality of professional dance training to anyone who is willing to learn and put in the time to do so.

DTC/SF seeks to educate dancers of all ages in the art of classical ballet.

We believe in our powerful bodies and promoting healthy living through movement.

“Technique without art is shallow and doomed. Art without technique is insulting. Art plus technique gives everlasting joy and is worth ALL effort.” Dorothy Moses Alexander, Founder, Atlanta Ballet

ENROLL NOW FOR SPRING SESSION! OPENINGS IN ALL LEVELS. CLASSES BEGIN JAN 3, 2023

4worldlovers:
Some little girls wonder what it would be like to be a princess, some little girls dream of twirling around in a giant tutu, and some little girls sit and wonder what it would be like to be a real ballerina.

Let our staff help your child embark on their journey with dance and watch them flourish before your eyes.

4worldlovers: I am Lisa Brown, the owner of Sunset Academy of Dance. I have been teaching dance to all ages for over 38 years. I taught at many different dance studios throughout the Bay Area before opening my own studio in October 1997.

Sunset Academy offers exceptional dance training and education in a small studio environment. We offer classes in tap, jazz, hip hop and children’s combination classes. There are always exceptional and knowledgeable teachers who will inspire their students while teaching them great technique.

At Sunset Academy of Dance, we focus on developing confidence, coordination, musicality, rhythm, team work and a love for dance for our students.

Sunset Academy of Dance does an annual show in early June each year. It is a great opportunity for all the students to perform and experience being a part of a professional show. Click here to see our Photo Gallery from some of our past shows!

We also have opportunities for students who want to do more, such as competition groups who compete and perform at different venues. Our competition groups have won many top awards at numerous competitions. Click here to read our Testimonials!