Early JuneOpen
Week 1: Pre-ballet mornings
Stories, scarves and first steps at the barre.
Short classes with the pianist, a snack break and a showing for families on Friday.
- Ages 4 to 6
- 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Classical ballet in Black Mountain
Ballet taught in order, one level at a time
Releve is a classical ballet school with a live pianist at every class. Students from 4 to 14 climb six named levels, and each one says what you will work on and how a student moves up.
The levels
Six levels, from Pre-Ballet to the top
Each level lists its ages, what a student works on and how a student moves up. The teacher decides when.
- 01
Pre-Ballet
Ages 4 to 5SkillsStanding tall with a hand on the barre
First position and the first arm shapes
Walking, skipping and galloping to the music
Waiting a turn and watching the teacher
Moving upWhen the teacher sees the class steps done calmly and in order, a student joins First Position at the start of a session.
- 02
First Position
Ages 6 to 7SkillsPliés and tendus at the barre, in order
Counting a phrase of eight with the pianist
A small balance and a first jump in the center
Port de bras with the head and eyes
Moving upWhen the barre is clear and a student can repeat a short center combination from memory, the teacher says so at a session break.
- 03
Second Position
Ages 8 to 9SkillsRond de jambe and battement at the barre
Small jumps: sauté, changement and echappé
Chassé and glissade across the floor
A first adagio, slow and held
Moving upWhen the barre steps are steady without the teacher's hand and the jumps land quietly, the teacher moves a student up.
- 04
Third Position
Ages 10 to 11SkillsA longer barre with turns and balances
Pirouettes from fifth position
Petit allegro: quick, light footwork
Dancing a combination with a partner's timing
Moving upWhen turns and jumps hold together inside a full combination, the teacher invites a student to Fourth Position.
- 05
Fourth Position
Ages 12 to 13SkillsA full barre, then adagio and grand allegro
Turns on both sides
Strengthening at the barre to prepare for pointe
Learning a short variation
Moving upWhen a student dances a whole class with ease and shapes steps of their own, the teacher talks with the family about the top level.
- 06
Fifth Position
Ages 14 and upSkillsClassical barre, center and allegro in one class
Longer variations, rehearsed for the recital
Pointe work, when the teacher says the student is ready
Helping the youngest students find the barre
Moving upThis is the top level. Students stay as long as they like, and the teacher sets new goals with each of them.
Where to startBook a placement visit
Sample levels.
Ages are where students usually begin each level. A teacher chooses the level, at a placement visit and again at each session break.
What a barre class is
A barre class, in six steps
Every ballet class here follows the same order, so a student always knows what comes next. The pianist plays for each step.
- 01
Step 1: Arrive and warm up
Shoes on, hair up, and a few quiet minutes on the floor to wake up the feet and legs.
- 02
Step 2: At the barre
Pliés, tendus and the other exercises that begin every ballet class, done in the same order each week.
- 03
Step 3: In the center
The same steps without the barre's help: balances, turns and a short, slow adagio.
- 04
Step 4: Across the floor
Walks, skips and leaps in lines, a few students at a time, with the music led by the pianist.
- 05
Step 5: Stretch
Slow stretches on the floor, with the music softer, to finish the work of the class.
- 06
Step 6: Reverence
The class ends with a bow and a curtsy to the teacher and the pianist.
Summer
A summer of mornings in the hall
Short weeks for the youngest, technique weeks for everyone else, and a performance week to finish.
Summer
Mid JuneOpenWeeks 2 and 3: Technique
Barre, center and allegro, every morning.
Two ballet classes a day by level, with the teachers who will lead the fall classes.
- Ages 7 to 14
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Early JulyWaitlistWeek 5: Performance week
One short piece for the whole school.
Students learn a short piece together and show it to families on Friday, with the pianist playing live.
- Ages 7 to 14
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sample sessions.
Weeks and hours can change; the registration page has the latest.
Dates
Placement in August, the recital in May
This school year
Fall registration opens
July · Families register on the school's registration page.
Placement day
August · Short visits with a teacher, to choose each student's level.
First day of fall classes
Early September
Winter break
Late December · The hall is closed; costumes are fitted in the weeks before.
Spring recital
May · Every level dances, with the pianist playing live.
Summer program
June and July · Mornings of technique, pre-ballet and a performance week.
Sample dates.
The faculty
Three teachers and a pianist
Students learn from the same few teachers as they move up, so each one knows where a student has been.
Eugenia Berger
Director and teacher of the upper levels
Eugenia opened Releve to teach ballet in order, with a live pianist and a barre at the right height for each age. She teaches Fourth and Fifth Position, and she decides with each student when pointe begins.
Cleo Ransom
Teacher, Pre-Ballet to Second Position
Cleo teaches the first three levels, and many students first meet a barre in her class. She leads the summer pre-ballet mornings.
Avelino Tobar
Teacher, Second to Fourth Position
Avelino teaches the middle levels, where turns and jumps start to join up, and he leads the technique weeks in summer.
From families
What parents tell us
“Placement day was short and calm. The teacher told us where our daughter would start, and why, in plain words.”
Ingrid S.Parent of an eight-year-old
“The pianist is the first thing we noticed. The music follows the dancers instead of a recording.”
Tomasz K.Parent of a ten-year-old
“Our teacher explained pointe in one sentence: when she says so. Nobody gave us an age, and I was glad.”
Renee A.Parent of a twelve-year-old
Sample reviews.
Questions
Before you book
How do I try a class?
Book a placement visit. A new student joins a class with a teacher watching, and the teacher tells you which level fits. Wear a leotard and tights if you have them; socks are fine for the first visit.
Which level is right for my child?
The teacher decides at a placement visit, not by age alone. Ages on the levels are where students usually begin, and a student of any age is welcome to start at the beginning.
What should my child wear?
A leotard, tights and ballet slippers, with hair up and off the neck. Pre-Ballet students may wear a skirt. The family policies page has the details by level.
When does a student start pointe?
Pointe is the teacher's call. The teacher looks at how a student stands, moves and is strengthened at the barre, and tells the student and the family together. There is no age on it, and students in the same level start at different times.
What are the extras?
Costumes for the May recital are ordered in the winter and billed before the show. The recital has a production charge for each student, and guests need tickets. Leotards, tights and ballet slippers are bought by the family. We don't enter competitions.
What if we miss a class?
Message the school. A missed class can be made up in another class of the same level, or the one just below it, within the same session.
Placement visit
Book a placement visit
A short class with a teacher watching, so that your student starts in the right level. Wear a leotard and tights if you have them; socks are fine.
Phone(828) 555-0109
Hours
- Monday to ThursdayToday
- 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Friday and SundayToday
- Closed