Level Placement

Level placement is determined by ABT School Director, Sally Hart, and School Coordinator, Anna Finan. When placing students we consider age, experience, maturity, physical ability, and attendance. Your teachers carefully consider which level will best suit each student as we believe that proper placement is crucial to the growth, success, and experience of the dancer and their classmates. We consider the entire class dynamic in order to create a balanced environment where the students can thrive.

We understand that level placement is very personal, and students can feel frustrated and impatient when they aren’t placed in the level they had hoped for or weren’t moved up to the next level when they expected. Being asked to continue in the same level can be frustrating for the dancer, but when we advise this, it is always in their best interest. This is not punitive and does not mean the student is not talented or hard working. Dancers often spend two years or more in the same level, and this is when we see the most growth.

If you have questions regarding your level placement, we would be happy to answer your questions over email.

Please keep the following points in mind:

1. The teacher is always acting in your best interest. Your teacher wants you to be confident, successful, and to thrive. There is a reason you were placed in a specific level, even if it is not the class you feel you should be in.
2. Age. The timing of when a girl is permitted to begin pointe is essential to her health. In general, no matter how talented the student is, she will need to wait to begin pointe until at least between the ages of 10-12 and they have achieved the proper level of muscle strength and development and their growth plates have closed. Starting pointe before proper strength has been achieved and/or the growth plates have closed, can cause lasting physical injury and damage. This is why we take the decision of starting a student on pointe very seriously. The proper time to purchase pointe shoes is when a student has been given permission by either Sally Hart or Veronica Piller.
3. Advancing in levels. Throughout a dancer’s training they will experience being both “the little fish in the big pond” and being “the big fish in the little pond”. Both experiences are important. When you start in a new level you will be challenged and exposed to new things and will look up to the more advanced dancers. Just before you move up, you will find confidence mastering your new skill set, and you will have the opportunity to encourage and help the students who are just starting out. This cycle is part of your training. If the student moves up too quickly and skips the opportunity to feel confident in their achievements, this can negatively impact their self- esteem and they can feel overwhelmed.
4. There is always something you can learn in ballet, even at the most elementary level. A good teacher will help you progress no matter the class. Be open to corrections and pointers even if you are not in the class you’d like to be in. The best students are frequently those who are proactive in their training and can absorb information and apply it in their dancing.