School Year Programs

September 4, 2025 - May 1, 2026

Overview

Children are taught creative dance and pre-ballet until age 8. At age 8, they take classical ballet class twice a week. The bones in the feet are too soft to safely withstand turn out before the age of 8.

Dancers go on pointe when they are trained enough to rise on pointe with no shoes and no support while easily keeping their placement, but not before age 11. They are then accompanied by the teacher to the store to make sure the shoes fit properly.

Among the many benefits that our students enjoy are:

• Large studio with sprung dance floor and soaring ceiling.
• Live piano accompaniment in classical ballet classes on a Steinway grand piano.
• Variety of classes including Pointe, Choreography, Partnering, and Stretching and Strengthening
• Performing opportunities for dancers in the age 6 class and older including 6 performances of The Nutcracker in December, Ballet a la Modern in February, and 6 performances of a full-length classical ballet in June. No cost for costumes, make-up, and rehearsals; and no minimum ticket purchase.
• SBT dancers have gone on to dance with professional companies including: Boston Ballet, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Chicago City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, Koresh Dance Company, and Laura Dean Dancers.
• Located in a charming college town with easy parking, train and bus service.

Enrollment

Class sizes are limited.

New and current students may enroll now.

Register for Classes

Dates & Holidays

• Classes begin on Thursday, September 4, 2025 (to make up for missing class on Thanksgiving) and end on Friday, May 1, 2026
• Holidays:
  • There ARE classes on Public Holidays that fall on a Monday (e.g. Presidents day)
  • No classes: November 27 & 28, 2025
  • No classes: December 15, 2025 to January 2, 2026
  • No classes: March 30 to April 3, 2026
• Parents of enrolled students may observe class from inside studio: April 27 to May 1, 2026

Tuition

• Full 30-week Tuition is paid in 1 payment and is due with registration
• Tuition paid in 3 payments is due at registration and again on November 10, 2025 and February 10, 2026
• There is a 5% tuition discount to 2 or more students in one family
• No deduction or credit for missed classes
• Tuition is refundable (less $50) only when the Director is informed after their first class and before their second class

Pre-Ballet Program – ages 3-7 * dancer's age on September 1, 2025

Elegant movement, limbering, strengthening, balancing, turning across floor without getting dizzy, and improving stamina. Students learn how to use muscles correctly to achieve the best results.

Dancewear for Pre-Ballet and Creative Classes

• Female: Hair in a ballet bun or so it doesn't move. Footless tights and short sleeve or no sleeve PLAIN leotard or unitard, any color. No shoes.
• No leotards with low cut back as it slips off shoulders.
• No long sleeves
• No sparkles, puff sleeves, ruffles, skirts, leg warmers or jewelry except stud earrings.
• Male: Hair neatly controlled. White T-shirt and black footless tights (preferred) or shorts. No shoes.

Classical Ballet Program

Level is determined by Swarthmore Ballet Theatre. Ballet classes are accompanied on a Steinway grand piano.

Dancewear for Classical Ballet Classes

• Female: Hair in a ballet bun. Pink or skin color ballet shoes (split soles preferred); students from age 11 to when they go on pointe wear leather ballet shoes.
• Short sleeve or no sleeve leotard any SINGLE color EXCEPT light pink, and pink or skin color tights. Belt required, can be just a piece of elastic; belt color must contrast with leotard.
• No puff sleeves, ruffles, sparkles or leg warmers. No skirts until level V and no jewelry except stud earrings.
• Male: Hair neatly controlled. Dance belt or compression shorts, white T-shirt and black tights (preferred) or shorts, white leather (no black leather) or black or white canvas ballet shoes.

Dancewear for Choreography

• Short sleeve or no sleeve Leotard any SINGLE color EXCEPT light pink and footless tights.
• No puff sleeves, ruffles, sparkles or leg warmers. No skirts until level V & no jewelry except stud earrings.
• Hair may be in a ponytail.
• Male: Hair neatly controlled. Dance belt or compression shorts, white T-shirt and black footless tights (preferred) or shorts, no shoes.

Dancewear for Stretching and Strengthening Class

• Female: Hair in a ballet bun. Pink ballet shoes (split soles preferred) and pink tights. Short sleeve or no sleeve leotard any SINGLE color EXCEPT light pink. Belt required, can be just a piece of elastic; belt color must contrast with leotard.
• No puff sleeves, ruffles, sparkles or leg warmers. No skirts until level V and no jewelry except stud earrings.
• Male: Hair neatly controlled. Dance belt or compression shorts, white T-shirt and black tights (preferred) or shorts, white leather (no black leather) or black or white canvas ballet shoes.

Classical Ballet Classes for Adults

$18 Single extra class for students whose tuition is paid up.

Dancewear for Adult Ballet Classes

• Female: Pink (no black) leather or canvas ballet shoes any color. Tights (any color, pink preferred) and leotard any color any style. Hair in a ballet bun or so it doesn't move.
• May wear skirt. No sparkles. No floppy jewelry.
• Male: Dance belt or compression shorts, T-shirt, and tights or unitard or sweatpants or shorts. White (no black) leather or black or white canvas ballet shoes.

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