The AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE® National Training Curriculum is a breakthrough 8 level program that combines high quality artistic training with the basics of dancer health and child development. The ABT® National Training Curriculum consists of a comprehensive set of age-appropriate, outcome-based guidelines to provide the highest quality ballet training to dance students of all ages and skill levels.  ABT Examination classes are by invitation only and will be taught by ABT® Certified Teacher Mychelle Pérez, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Program in Pre-Primary through Level Five of the ABT® National Training Curriculum and Annie Von Heydenreich, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Program in Pre-Primary through Level Three of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.

ABT® Student Examinations benefit students by serving as a skill assessment to document students’ progress, build their confidence, and improve their training. Each participating student receives an individual rubric outlining his/her proficiency both technically and artistically with comments from the Examiner. Students who successfully pass the exam will also receive an official certificate.

Requirements

In order to participate in the program, students are expected to enroll in and regularly attend the weekly class to which they are invited as well as maintaining enrollment and regular attendance in their other technique classes.  

Pointe work is a required part of the examination process for level 3A and above and students are expected to participate in this portion of class in pointe shoes weekly. 

Students who are enrolled in the class will be expected to participate in the final examination, which is an entire technique class with a pointe work section that will be performed for the ABT® examiner at the end of the season (dates will be released as they are confirmed with ABT®).  The class will be memorized and performed without assistance from the teacher, so regular attendance is vital to the success of the individual students and the group.