Elementary Ballet Workshop

AUGUST 10–14, 2026

9:00am–2:30pm

Ages 7–10

About the Program

Details

The Elementary Ballet Workshop is a week-long program designed for young dancers who are eager to grow both technically and creatively. Throughout the week, students will strengthen their ballet foundation while engaging their creativity and critical thinking skills.

This session centers on the beloved story ballet The Sleeping Beauty, a fairy-tale ballet that has captivated audiences for generations. Through age-appropriate repertoire and an introduction to ballet history, dancers will explore its memorable characters and powerful music while bringing the story to life in the studio.

As a culminating project, students will collaborate to reimagine and choreograph a scene from the ballet, complete with their own costume accessories and props. In the process, dancers will gain a deeper appreciation for ballet as a collaborative art form that brings together movement, music, design, and theater. Families are invited on the last day for an informal presentation.

No prior experience is required.

Sample Schedule:
9:00: Drop off
9:15–10:15: Ballet Class
10:15–10:30: Snack Break
10:30–11:30: Jazz/Modern/Pantomime
11:30–12:15: Lunch
12:15–1:15: From Story to Stage! (exploration of The Sleeping Beauty through repertoire, music, storybooks, dance history, choreography)
1:15–2:30: Costume/Prop making

Registration

Tuition

Faculty

Ashlie Swallow

Director of the Community Dance Academy at Walnut Hill

Ashlie Swallow is an accomplished dance educator and choreographer. A valued member of the Community Dance Academy (CDA) faculty since 2014, she is passionate about helping young dancers discover confidence in their artistry, build strong technical foundations, and cultivate a lasting appreciation for the art of dance.

At the CDA, Ashlie has made significant contributions to both curriculum and performance. She wrote a curriculum for the early childhood program, served as a primary ballet instructor for the former Summer Youth Dance program, and introduced Horton Technique to advanced-level students. In addition to her work at the CDA, Ashlie has spent the past 15 years at the Newton Country Day School, where she is a dance teacher and grade-level dean. Ashlie has extensive experience in curriculum design and the implementation of cross-curricular projects. She has choreographed numerous classical and contemporary works, including story ballets based on Alice in Wonderland, The Giver, The Paper Bag Princess, and Theseus and the Minotaur, among others.

Ashlie began her ballet training at a young age with Shirley Kayne of Providence, RI, and attended summer programs with Burklyn Ballet Theatre and the Limón Dance Company. Ashlie is a graduate of Goucher College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and Psychology with a Dance/Movement Therapy concentration. Ashlie is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 3 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She also holds a certificate from The Ailey School in the pedagogy of beginner Horton Technique. She has completed multiple teacher training courses at the 92Y/Harkness Dance Center in New York City, and her early childhood curriculum is deeply informed by the movement-education principles of Anne Green Gilbert. Ashlie is a member of the National Dance Education Organization, and she has been an adjudicator for the National Honor Society for Dance Arts Award.

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