About the Denton Ballet Academy
2009-09-21 13:05:02
The Denton Ballet Academy was established in 1979 by Hugh Nini as an institution of classical ballet instruction. The school’s curriculum, taught by Mr. Nini and his assistant teachers, emphasizes a strong classical technique and a flow of movement that suggests a sense of energy, freedom, and joy. It is a style that is the foundation of, and readily adapts to meet, the demands of any type of movement or dance forms such as modern, contemporary, jazz or drill team.
Students are placed in one of six levels according to age, experience, and ability. They follow a structured sequence of training stages designed to increase their technical skills, stamina, and discipline in accordance with their age and individual physical development. The program includes classes in ballet technique, pointe work, jazz, tap, and creative movement.
The youngest children in Levels 1 through 3 take one class a week. Beginning with Level 4, students attend classes two days a week; Levels 5 and 6, four to six days per week. For students at the intermediate and advanced levels, class placement and assignment is based on a student's technical aptitude, commitment, and physical development. School is in session from August through May (referred to as the School Year), June and July (referred to as the Summer Session), and follows the holiday schedule of the Denton Independent School District.
Mr. Nini’s students have been accepted to every major Summer Program in North America including School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The Kirov Academy, Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, and many more. Students from his school, The Denton Ballet Academy, have gone on to dance professionally with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Memphis Ballet, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and others. One of Mr. Nini’s first Denton Ballet Academy students, Mark Godden, is now an established international choreographer having won top honors from the International Ballet Competition in Varna, The International Ballet Competition in Helsinki, and was the recipient of the Clifford E. Lee Award for Chorography.
Only select students will choose ballet as a career; however, those students whose paths lead to non-dance careers gain immeasurably from having studied at The Denton Ballet Academy. They develop self-motivation, self-discipline, poise, grace, physical adroitness, stage presence, and an appreciation for the arts, which they carry with them throughout their lives. Mr. Nini’s philosophy for studying ballet is to combine hard work, commitment, and enthusiasm with an enjoyable classroom atmosphere.
Students are placed in one of six levels according to age, experience, and ability. They follow a structured sequence of training stages designed to increase their technical skills, stamina, and discipline in accordance with their age and individual physical development. The program includes classes in ballet technique, pointe work, jazz, tap, and creative movement.
The youngest children in Levels 1 through 3 take one class a week. Beginning with Level 4, students attend classes two days a week; Levels 5 and 6, four to six days per week. For students at the intermediate and advanced levels, class placement and assignment is based on a student's technical aptitude, commitment, and physical development. School is in session from August through May (referred to as the School Year), June and July (referred to as the Summer Session), and follows the holiday schedule of the Denton Independent School District.
Mr. Nini’s students have been accepted to every major Summer Program in North America including School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The Kirov Academy, Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, and many more. Students from his school, The Denton Ballet Academy, have gone on to dance professionally with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Memphis Ballet, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and others. One of Mr. Nini’s first Denton Ballet Academy students, Mark Godden, is now an established international choreographer having won top honors from the International Ballet Competition in Varna, The International Ballet Competition in Helsinki, and was the recipient of the Clifford E. Lee Award for Chorography.
Only select students will choose ballet as a career; however, those students whose paths lead to non-dance careers gain immeasurably from having studied at The Denton Ballet Academy. They develop self-motivation, self-discipline, poise, grace, physical adroitness, stage presence, and an appreciation for the arts, which they carry with them throughout their lives. Mr. Nini’s philosophy for studying ballet is to combine hard work, commitment, and enthusiasm with an enjoyable classroom atmosphere.