Peridance Revamps Ballet Program for Aspiring Professionals

The Peridance Capezio Center has been teaching dance classes to children ages 2-18 in Union Square for 30 years. Its diverse program has more than 700 students and includes classes such as ballet, jazz, hip hop, African, salsa, and musical theater, among others.
  
This fall, the center’s Core Ballet program will be completely revamped, with classes beginning in September. “The program is for dancers who are serious in advancing their classical ballet training,” says Shelley Grantham, School at Peridance coordinator.
  
The Core Ballet Program is by audition only and has six levels that dancers advance through as they grow older. Grantham says Peridance decided to redo the program in response to the needs of its students. The new program will give the students an understanding of classical and contemporary dance along with the opportunity to perform.
  
“We want to make sure our dancers are well-rounded, clean, technical dancers, and able to adapt to different styles,” Grantham says.
  
Peridance hired Karin Averty, a premier dancer from the Paris Opera and master-level teacher, to rewrite the curriculum. With the help of Igal Perry, artistic director, Averty is creating a curriculum loosely based on the Paris Opera.
  
The Core Ballet program, made up of 50 students, prepares dancers for a college setting and a professional dance career. Each student is met with individually to ensure they get a lot of care and a personal, family feel.