Parent Corner

Bay Area Youth Ballet - 24/25 Season

BALLET ALLIANCE CHOREOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

Workshop 1 | August 15th - 18th, guest choreographer Sharon Kung

Workshop 2 | August 20th-23rd, guest choreographer Andrea Salazar

Day 1 of workshop, dancers will take class, followed by an audition rehearsal, lead by our guest choreographers. After working with dancers on Day 1, choreographer will cast their dancers based on class and exploratory rehearsal. Casting will be selective. The remaining days will consist of a daily class (open to all BAYB dancers) and rehearsals for those cast + understudies. By the end of each workshop, two 5-10 minute pieces will have been set on the casted dancers to present to TBA for Festival Adjudication.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Who is eligible to be cast? Casting for The Ballet Alliance performance pieces will be selected out of Soloist and First Soloist ranking dancers attending Choreography Workshops. Dancers should attend both workshops.

In order to be cast, dancers must be committed to attending The Ballet Alliance Festival - April 29 - May 2, 2025, and have paid a $100 deposit towards their Festival Dancer Kit/Pass no later than August 1.

The classes offered during this workshop are open to all BAYB dancers at no additional cost.

ADDITIONAL MANDATORY DATE - MONDAY, MARCH 10TH!! All Soloists, First Soloists and those cast in TBA performing pieces will need to be present on Monday, March 10th for a Master Class & Company evaluation with TBA Festival Artistic Director, Lisa Slagle, followed by a rehearsal of the selected TBA performance piece, overseen by Ms. Slagle.

BAYB Company: Soloists | Required to attend The Ballet Alliance festival. Exceptions only made for extenuating circumstances.

  • First Soloists | Strongly recommended to attend The Ballet Alliance festival

  • Corps de Ballet | Attendance to The Ballet Alliance by invite only.

RSVP CHOREOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

Please “register” using the link below to indicate your dancer will be attending August 15th and August 22nd. Classes are open to all BAYB company members for the 24-25 Season, and all dancers may attend the choreography audition for the experience. However, casting will be selective out of Soloist and First Soloist dancers. In order to be cast, Soloist and First Soloist company dancers must be committed to attending The Ballet Alliance Festival - April 29 - May 2, 2025, and have paid a $100 deposit towards their Festival Dancer Kit/Pass no later than August 1. Company dancers enrolled in Contemporary are given stronger consideration for casting.

If cast or cast as an understudy, dancer must be committed to attend the remaining choreography workshop dates/schedule. Due to the nature of setting the choreography in a sort term, no absence accommodations for rehearsals are able to be facilitated.

BAYB COMPANY FEES


Dancers, once accepted, are placed as Apprentice, Corps de Ballet, 1st Soloist and Soloist Company Dancers. Fees below are for the entire 24-25 Season. Fees below do not cover any competition or Ballet Alliance fees/expenses, shoes, tights or performance tickets.

Apprentice Company | $825

Corps de Ballet, 1st Soloists, Soloists | $1050

10% sibling discount available

 COMPANY FEE DUE DATES

Fees are divided into three payment installments.

8.1.24 | $100 Ballet Alliance Festival Deposit For Soloist / First Soloists to be considered for Ballet Alliance performance casting.

9.21.25 | 1/3 of membership fee due

1.18.25 | 1/3 of membership fee due

4.12.25 | 1/3 of membership fee due

24/25 SEASON

  • The Nutcracker – December 14th & 15th  2024 – Skyline College

  • Ballet Meets The Beatles + Presentation of New Works (TBA Pieces) – March 1st & 2nd - 2025 – College of San Mateo

  • Sleeping Beauty – Dates & Venue pending – June 7th & 8th goal dates.

 *Company fees do not include Sleeping Beauty class costume rental(s), but does include the Sleeping Beauty (recital) registration fee and performance videos of Nutcracker/Sleeping Beauty.

Additional performance opportunities may arise during the season and most would be included in membership fees. For any opportunities that may arise that would require additional fees, that opportunity will be made optional for the company dancer. BAYB fees does not include any registration/participation fees/private coaching needed for any competition related opportunities that are by invite only. BAYB fees doe not cover any Ballet Alliance related fees, but do cover Ballet Alliance related rehearsals.

Company fees does not include tights, shoes, undergarment leotard for performances, or tickets/fees to any added BAYB excursions/field trips to dance related events & performances.

COMPETITIONS

Students may enter ballet/contemporary centered competitions if they meet all the guidelines below, and upon approval by BABC Faculty:

  • Student must be a member/company dancer of Bay Area Youth Ballet. This requirement is waived if a competitive student is under Level 4A.

  • BAYB Company Soloists and First Soloists must be auditioning for The Ballet Alliance adjudication pieces and attending The Ballet Alliance (priority commitment over competitions) to be considered for competition entry.

  • Classical solo and/or duo ballet competitive dancers must be enrolled in and consistently attending the full program offering (more than minimum requirements) according to their level. For example: Level 4 competitive student would need to be enrolled in 4 ballet classes per week; Level 5 competitive student would need to be enrolled in 4 ballet classes per week + at least 3 pointe classes per week. Level 6 student would need to be enrolled in a minimum of 5 ballet classes per week and at least 3 pointe classes per week. This ensures that the dancer is training enough to reach a competitive caliber. Classical ensemble entries must meet minimum requirements, but taking the full program offering is strongly recommended.

  • Effective as of August 19, 2024 for Summer 2025 - Dancers must have fulfilled summer training requirements at BABC in order to compete.

  • Contemporary competitive solo/duo/trio/ensemble dancers must be enrolled in and consistently attending contemporary class.

  • Dancers must commit to all competitive ensemble invitations, classical or contemporary, to compete in a solo/duo. This requirement may be waived if an ensemble is not part of the season, at the discretion of the Artistic Director.

  • Duo/Trio/Ensemble dancers must register for and attend each competition the “team” is assigned to.

  • Competition Soloists are strongly encouraged to attend two competitions per season, but not required. Soloists may choose which competition they prefer to attend, upon approval from BABC/BAYB Artistic Director. Competition dates must not conflict with other BAYB production dates or festival evaluation dates.

  • BABC/BAYB places dancer(s) with a faculty teacher/coach according to studio space and time availability for ongoing competition rehearsal. If multiple options are available, those options are provided to the dancer. BABC/BAYB oversees the selection of classical material/variations for the dancer. Dancer/Family may hire internally or externally a contemporary choreographer for any contemporary solo entries. External choreographers must first be approved by BABC/BAYB Artistic Director.

  • Dancer’s account must be in good standing and family commits to competition expenses, which include: weekly private lessons, competition entry and registration fees, administrative fee to BABC/BAYB, costume purchase or rental from BABC/BAYB, and compensation for coach to attend/oversee the dancer at each competition.

  • Dancer must have a history of good attendance, work ethic and demeanor.

  • Dancers understand attending competition(s) as a representative of BABC/BAYB is a privilege. Dancers agree to enter this process with the utmost respect to their director/teachers/coaches; including their time, insight, choreography and direction.  While attending competition(s), dancers understand that they are a representative of BABC/BAYB and will always exhibit good sportsmanship and decorum.

  • Dancers to adhere to their commitments, understanding that exceptional attendance and consistently putting forth their best efforts at all times is expected.  

  • Dancer/Family understands that if attendance, repetitive tardiness, and effort becomes lacking, they will receive a notice from BABC/BAYB Director that swift improvement is needed. If improvement is not seen, dancer/family understands that BABC/BAYB has the right to withdraw the dancer from competition(s) and any paid fees or competition related expenses would not be refunded.  

  • Dancer/Family understands that the director/teachers/coaches/choreographers make all final decisions regarding classical variation selections and original choreography.

  • For any Duo/Trio/Ensemble coaching, the family understands that they are billed at the end of the month for rehearsals that were held, even if dancer was absent due to illness or other approved circumstance.

  • For Solo coaching, the family understands a 12-hour notice must be received of cancellation of private lesson to not be charged for the lesson. Timing of payment is dependent upon coach preference (end of month total or prior to private lesson).

  • The Dancer and Family understands that the biggest goal in this endeavor is not to achieve a trophy, but to achieve technical and artistic progress, tackle new challenges and gain further performing experiences.

Student/Family will be required to sign a commitment document that lists the above to confirm agreement.