Below is an outline of learning objectives, strategies, and skills for teachings to use when teaching beginner ballet to 3-5 year olds.

1. Learning Objectives:
2. Teaching Strategies:
3. Skills Overview:

Learning Objectives:

1. Demonstrate understanding of proper ballet technique (i.e. turning out, arm placement, etc.)
2. Improve coordination, balance, strength and flexibility 
3. Enhance ballet vocabulary using proper terminology 
4. Gain confidence in one’s performance and movement
5. Develop self-discipline and a strong work ethic 
6. Improve on fluidity and execution of beginner movements
7. Learn to memorize choreography 
8. Inspire creativity and expression through movement 

Teaching Strategies:

1. Use a bi-weekly model for introducing new skills.
   1. This means you’ll introduce skills during week 1, then practice them more during week 2. After those 2 weeks the skills should be incorporated as a regular part of the class schedule to ensure consistency
2. Repeat and explain terminology several times when you are first introducing a skill
   1. Make it into a quiz at the end of class to ensure retention! 
3. Healthy competition motivates well for this age group! So you can make some exercises into a casual competition.
   1. For example, we do a balance competition in posses and whoever can hold it the longest wins. 
   2. I haven’t had any issues with friendly-competitions causing upset, knock on wood. 

Skills Overview:

1. Barre:
   1. Feet and arm positions: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. 
   2. Body positions: croise devant, écarte, croise derrière 
   3. Demi and grande plies 
   4. Tendus, piques, dégagés 
   5. Rond de jambes a terre and en l’air 
   6. Petit and grand battements 
   7. Developpes 
   8. Releve and eleve 
   9. Attitude – front, side and back 
   10. Eschappes 
   11. Balancing: in posse, coupe, attitude, etc. 
2. En centre:
   1. Pirouettes from 5th position, en dedans
   2. Pique turns  
   3. Pas de bourree 
   4. Petit allegro:
      1. Changements
      2. Echappe saute 
      3. Assembles 
      4. Jete coupe 
   5. Grand allegro:
      1. Glissades
      2. Pas de chats 
      3. Saute arabesques, step Saute posse 
      4. Grand jete