Ages 4–18 · Fremont, CA
Ballet Classes in Fremont
The technical foundation underneath every other style we teach — and a discipline worth taking on its own terms.
Ballet is the longest ladder at ASI. A dancer can start with us at four, learning where first position is and how to hold a shape for four counts, and still be climbing at seventeen in pointe shoes. Very little else we teach rewards patience the way ballet does.
We teach it as a technique, not a costume. That means real vocabulary from the beginning — plié, tendu, dégagé, the French names used properly — and a level structure that a dancer moves through when their body is ready, not when the calendar says so. Dancers who take ballet alongside jazz or contemporary almost always progress faster in both.
How a ballet class is built
- Barre. The technical spine of the class — pliés through grand battement, working both sides evenly.
- Centre. The same work without support, where balance and placement are genuinely tested.
- Across the floor. Travelling steps, turns, and the beginnings of allegro.
- Reverence. The bow that closes every class. Small ritual, but it teaches dancers how to finish something properly.
Levels at ASI
Dancers move up when their teacher judges they are ready, not on a fixed timetable.
- Pre
Ages 4–5
Creative movement with real structure. Positions, musicality, and the habit of standing at a barre without hanging off it.
- Primary
Ages 6–9
Formal vocabulary begins. Barre work, basic centre, and the discipline of a class that follows the same shape every week.
- I–II
Ages 9–12
Full barre, developing centre work, and the first serious attention to turnout, alignment and épaulement.
- III–IV
Ages 12+
Advanced technique, pre-pointe assessment, and pointe work for dancers whose strength and training hours support it.
Ballet class times
| Class | Ages | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballet | Ages 4–5 | Wednesday | 5:30 PM |
| Ballet | Ages 4–5 | Thursday | 5:30 PM |
| Primary Ballet II | Ages 6–9 | Monday | 6:00 PM |
| Ballet III/IV | Ages 9–12 | Monday | 5:00 PM |
| Ballet I | Ages 9–12+ | Thursday | 6:30 PM |
| Ballet II | Ages 9–12 | Thursday | 7:30 PM |
| Ballet IV | Ages 12+ | Friday | 6:30 PM |
Not sure which level fits? Book a trial and we will place your dancer in person — placement is always by ability, never by age alone.
Every new dancer gets a 7-day free trial — and no charge until you tell us you want to enrol.
Book a free trialQuestions parents ask
When can a dancer start pointe?
When their teacher assesses that they are ready — typically after several years of consistent ballet training, with the strength and alignment to support it safely. It is never decided by age alone, and we will not rush it. Pointe before the body is ready causes injuries that last.
Does my child need ballet if they only want hip-hop?
They don't need it, but it helps enormously. Ballet builds the alignment, balance and control that every other style draws on. Dancers who add a ballet class usually notice the difference in their other classes within a season.
What do they wear to ballet?
Leotard, tights and ballet shoes, with hair secured off the neck. Our dress code page has the specifics by level — the requirements tighten a little as dancers move up.
My child is 9 and has never danced. Is it too late to start ballet?
Not at all. We place dancers by ability and by the group they will learn best alongside, not strictly by birthday. A nine-year-old beginner will not be put in a class of four-year-olds.
Dancers who take Ballet often add
Contemporary & Lyrical
Storytelling, floorwork and emotional range, built on a ballet and jazz foundation. Best suited to dancers with some training behind them.
Explore Contemporary & Lyrical → Ages 6–18Jazz
Turns, leaps, isolations and performance quality. The bridge between ballet's discipline and the stage presence competition dancers need.
Explore Jazz → Ages 5–18Tap
Rhythm and musicality you can hear. Wonderful for kids drawn to music and percussion, and for anyone who wants to count better.
Explore Tap →Come try a class before you commit
Every new dancer gets seven days to take as many classes as they like. Nothing is charged until you tell us you want to enrol — no automatic billing, no cancelling to avoid a fee.