The faculty assesses the progress of all students on an on-going basis, and reevaluates students as they advance from one level to the next. Enrollment is not automatically renewed from year to year. An intensive course of study in the technique of classical ballet is fundamental to the preparation of a professional dancer. Students in this Division are placed in one of seven levels according to age, experience, and ability. This structured training sequence is designed to increase the students' technical skills in accordance with their age and physical development.
Younger students take two to three technique classes a week.
As students develop, they take up to three classes a day. Advanced students take separate male and female classes in Technique and Variations. The most advanced students focus on partnering for boys and girls, and pointe for girls, augmented occasionally with courses in character and ballroom dancing. All classes are to live piano accompaniment, a critical element in developing a student's understanding of the relationship between music and movement. The Nutcracker George Balanchine's The Nutcracker TM has many roles for children and all are filled by students from the School.