Pre-Professional Training
Majoring in Classical or Modern Dance
Canterbury Ballet offers Pre-Professional Programs from ages 8-17 years old, with the option of majoring in Classical or Modern Dance. Our daily Full-Time training program offers tailored classes in Classical and Modern Dance, adjusting to your changing needs. Prepare for Pre-Professional Dance Schools and ultimately, a thriving professional dance career.
Canterbury Ballet's well established Full-Time Program has been recognised with proven results both nationally and internationally. Students in the Full-Time Program enjoy the benefit of working in a professional and focused environment, with specialised faculty who are dedicated to the success and development of each and every student.
Canterbury Ballet values academic education. While a dancer is of school age, Canterbury Ballet encourages students to pursue successful academic qualifications and has well established relationships with schools around Christchurch to achieve this. Canterbury Ballet's Directors personally meet with each Pre-Professional Trainee to create an individualised training program, to guarantee a training schedule that enables a successful academic education while achieving the best possible dance training outcomes.
Join us at Canterbury Ballet and embark on a journey of artistry, discovery, and accomplishment.
Pre-Professional Trainee Program
Majoring in Classical Ballet
Lily Cooke
CB Graduate 2022
Accepted into the New Zealand School of Dance (Classical)
Pre-Professional Trainee Program Majoring in Classical Ballet
A Full-time Training Program for the aspiring Professional Classical Dancer
At Canterbury Ballet, our Full-Time Classical Ballet Program stands as a testament to excellence in dance education, consistently delivering outstanding results both nationally and on the international stage. Our program is designed to empower students to excel in the world of Ballet while maintaining a strong academic foundation. With a team of highly dedicated faculty members, we offer a nurturing yet challenging environment that fosters growth and achievement. Our program is meticulously designed to guarantee that every dancer graduates as versatile and well-rounded individuals, both in terms of their dance capabilities and personal growth.
Students majoring in Classical Dance study various genres of dance to ensure each student graduates as a versatile dancer and performer.
Classical Technique in both the ABT Curriculum and Open vocabulary
Pointe
Variations & Repertoire
Contemporary
Jazz
Performance & Improvisation
Body Conditioning & Stretch
Goal Setting & Self-Management
Students from the age of 8 years old are eligible to audition for the Full-Time Program. Please contact us for more information or to arrange an audition.
Pre-Professional Trainee Program
Majoring in Contemporary or Modern Dance
Jessica-May Smith
CB Graduate 2022
Accepted into the New Zealand School of Dance (Contemporary)
Pre-Professional Trainee Program Majoring in Contemporary & Modern Dance
A Full-Time Training Program for the aspiring Contemporary or Modern Dancer
At Canterbury Ballet, our prestigious Full-Time Program stands as a testament to excellence, earning recognition both nationally and on the global stage. For students who opt to specialize in Modern & Contemporary Dance within our program, we maintain a steadfast commitment to classical technique. This approach ensures that every dancer, regardless of their chosen focus, emerges as a well-rounded and highly skilled performer.
Students majoring in Modern & Contemporary Dance will enjoy the benefit of working in a professional and focused environment, with specialised faculty who are dedicated to creating and developing not just a dancer, but an artist. A variety of genres and classes are undertaken to ensure students graduate as versatile and innovative dancers and performers.
Contemporary Vocabulary
Contemporary Repertoire & Variations
Classical Ballet
Pointe
Classical Repertoire & Variations
Improvisation Technique
Choreography Development & Performance Technique
Body Conditioning & Stretch
Goal Setting & Self-Management
Students from the age of 8 are eligible to audition for the Classical Full-Time Program, and are welcome to extend into the Modern & Contemporary Program from age 12. Students who join the Classical Full-Time Program will still be eligible to participate in Modern and Contemporary Classes in addition to their Classical training. Please contact us for more information or to arrange an audition.
Academic Schooling
Train towards a professional career in dance while balancing your academic studies
At Canterbury Ballet, we place value on producing well-rounded young students, not just in the arena of dance, but also in academics.
Canterbury Ballet's Full-Time Trainees thrive in their academic studies alongside their dance training until they have completed the necessary NCEA Qualifications. Many of the Canterbury Ballet Full-Time Trainees have achieved all of their NCEA Qualifications at the Excellence level, with many of them finishing school well before the rest of their peers.
This is made possible through the majority of our students attending Ao Tawhiti or Hagley College in the morning before attending their dance training onsite at Canterbury Ballet. We facilitate a strong relationship with these academic schools to ensure each students academic needs are not only met, but are effectively catered to in conjunction with their dance training schedule.